Gods will and sex vs abstinence for older folks

Scripture reads, Do not defile the marriage bed.....and if you have not "self-control".....marry. (note: this is another discussion altogether).

Where is God's reply? People presume so much about God's will. I've yet to hear ANY TWO people agree on their interpretations of what God's will is on the topic of sex. This much I can presume with accuracy: if everybody quit doing it, the human race would die out. The who would raise their voices to the praise of God? (smile)

Who is more keenly interested in sex, God or people? If God designed sex for parental reasons only, then would he not design the human body to flare with sexual desire ONLY during strategic moments of planned parenthood? The body, apparrently, responds sexually until buried in the grave (or suffers illness). Or is God giggling with mischief while watching his people writhe in torment trying to obey impossible commands of abstinency? Really, who is abstinence for anyway?

I suggest that abstinence is for whomever deems it a smart choice for themselves -- but NOT as a way to escape guilt or to exert righteousness over others! I choose abstinence out of personal preference -- I simply prefer to pursue that with a finance' or spouse only. I see it as a wonderful way to get to know each other more intimately as life mates (I'm in for the long haul). However, I realize that some religious people use their abstinence as a way of "one upmanship" in a competition for righteousness. Frankly, I have more respect for people who sincerely and frequently frolick between the sheets than I do religious snobs!

As a deeply religious person, I too desire to please God and do the right thing. So, I ask pointed questions about sex -- especially noticing that God designed our bodies to engage in it for a very long, long time well into our latter years...WAY ybeyond the baby-making prime time of the 20s and 30s. I also notice how some religious people are so distracted by their own abstinency (they use it to justify their rather uneventful, unchallenged life, as though it were some great contribution to the world!).

Just as sex can be misused, so can abstinency.

Sometimes, abstinency is used to demonstrate one's own "purity" when what they are really doing is being lazy -- they don't want to make the effort to get into shape, learn some skills, or make time to develop a satisfying sexual life with their mate.

Or, I've seen how some singles use abstinency as a cowardly way of ecaping the VERY difficult task of honesty -- letting go a dead-end relationship and re-entering the cold, empty world solo.

You get the idea.

We've all heard the gazzillion ways in which sex is misused, but all too little on how abstinency is abused. I would hope that God's will includes a healthy dose of sincerity whether people choose sex or abstinence. If anything, we are warned against hypocracy (sincerity providing the only effective remedy).

Any thoughts on the critical role of sincerity in one's choice of either sex or non?

I don't think you're really looking for a discussion here, but for someone to validate the view you already have...

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"The bible says..."

Been very interesting reading all of the replies. I am a serious Chriistian who has been divorced and want to wait until marriage. The biblical reasons are quite apparent. However there is social science research that suggests that the happiest marriages are those where people waited. It does not work every time of course. People confuse exceptions with reality. But generally speaking waiting until marriage is connected to a happier marriage. I think there are reasons for that but I will not go into then to keep the post short. So even if I did not believe the biblical reasons for waiting the hope for a better marriage is good enough justification for me.