Please or to access all these features

AIBU?

Share your dilemmas and get honest opinions from other Mumsnetters.

to not understand Christians who have sex/live together before marriage then marry in church?

852 replies

onlytwo · 05/07/2025 07:59

Posting here because I am genuinely confused and not trying to offend anyone.

I keep seeing couples who describe themselves as Christians who have been living together for years, sometimes with kids, then they get married in church with all the religious vows etc. I thought one of the key Christian teachings is no sex before marriage yet it seems really common that people ignore that part but still have a big church wedding.

AIBU to think it is hypocritical?

OP posts:
Thread gallery
10
Octavia64 · 05/07/2025 08:03

Well, for the western Christian church the nicene creed lists the important Christian beliefs and no sex before marriage is not listed.

https://www.churchofengland.org/faith-life/what-we-believe/nicene-creed

in addition, Christianity in general accepts that people will not always live up to the expectations it sets and that’s why there is the concept of sins and forgiveness.

The Nicene Creed | The Church of England

The Nicene Creed is a summary of core Christian beliefs regularly used in worship.

https://www.churchofengland.org/faith-life/what-we-believe/nicene-creed

AgnesX · 05/07/2025 08:03

You're naive if you think that people who describe themselves as a believer and practice a particular religion follow it to the nth degree. People pick and choose what they want, influenced by other societal behaviour.