What Catholic church do YOU go to? I’ve never heard anything remotely like this in my years as a practicing Catholic. Judging from the responses in this thread (and “Dad’s” in your own entry), others haven’t, either.
[hijack]Now you have to join! It’s lonely being the only Baha’i Doper! [/hijack]
PS: I’d have made this comment in a PM or email, but as this Doper is a guest, PMs and email is not available to him/her yet.
(continuing hijack) what am I, invisible?
Not only do I take opportunities that present themselves to give the Baha’i perspective, I even did an “Ask the Baha’i” thread! For good info, I’d recommend www.bahai.org
(seriously ending hijack)
To answer the OP:
I was raised Catholic, and the rule was “no premarital sex” but for a number of reasons, including being serially sexually abused as a child, I didn’t wait. In fact, I was very promiscuous. It’s impossible to say whether I’d have waited if not for the abuse thing.
My 17YO daughter (who is also Baha’i, but contemplating converting to Christianity) is convinced that waiting is the right thing to do. I’ve put no pressure on her in this regard. I’ve been up front in telling her that if she decides to become sexually active, I won’t judge her because of it (that’s between her and God), but do expect her to be responsible about it.
[/hijack]