A purity talk held at the Spiritual Center on Thursday brought controversy when two married couples shared testimony about their relationships, while a protester voiced her opposition.
Gregg and Robin Downs, outside associates with the Spiritual Center, said sex has become something that cannot be avoided. They spoke about the media and its emphasis on sex, noting that the sex shown on TV or in movies is often between unmarried couples. They also touched on addictions that can be created, including pornography, abuse and lust.
Matt and JoLynn Graubart, juniors at the College, were married in May.
"Only crazy people get married at 19," Gregg Downs joked about the couple.
The Graubarts shared the obstacles they faced while dating and now in marriage. The couple started dating in the ninth grade. They attended church together, but often had trouble knowing how to become a good couple in God's eyes. Matt, junior civil engineering major, had his own personal struggles with pornography, which he hid from JoLynn, junior English/sociology major, making it difficult for both of them.
Another struggle, according to JoLynn, was, "I made (Matt) my God. This man I held as perfect isn't perfect."
Now that the two are married, Matt says they need God more than ever.
"Be honest and it brings things out," Matt said. "The church doesn't want to talk about (sex)."
"Everyone here is the product of sex," Gregg Downs pointed out. "Statistics show that 70 percent of young people engage in some type of sexual activity before they graduate high school."
Robin Downs encouraged confession to someone else, along with fellowship. According to her, if an individual seeks purity, it is not something they should try to do alone. She also noted the importance of knowing how to take control of one's life.
"We aren't animals, we can control our urges," she said.
There was a time for attendees to reflect on what they needed to change in their lives while an instrumental piece played. The relaxed atmosphere of the event changed when an unknown female student made her way to the microphone and told the band to stop the music. "Sex is not wrong at all," she said.
"I don't know what these people are talking about," she continued.
A member of the congregation shouted, "Do you know where you are?" Other shouts ensued.
The woman left the Spiritual Center after saying, "Have sex, it's good for you."
The stir the student created was apparent, but the worship ceremony continued.
"(The talk) went about in a good manner," Amanda Russell, sophomore nursing major, said. "The speakers did not tell anyone that their way is wrong. They only made suggestions."
"The girl who got up there was more ordering than the Christians," she added. "What if I don't want to have sex?"
