Sounds about right...

[it's just me]

from the portions of your post i emphasized, it appears your absistinence resulted from telling your spouse she was responsible for not bearing children

Except for one thing, I wasn't married.

 

[ThoughtEx.]

Except for one thing, I wasn't married.

Shocking...

 

[it's just me]

Shocking...

A lot of 19 year olds weren't married in the 70s.

 

[<alt>doxygen]

I know two women who smoked cigarettes for years. They also took birth control pills, and both ended up having strokes in their 40s. One was in a coma for a week and nearly died. It took years of rehab for her to get back to what passed for normal. The other is still alive but has the threat of another stroke hanging over her head. My wife has never taken oral contraceptives because she didn't want to mess with her hormones.

So how do you prevent unwanted pregnancy? Well, I did it by practicing abstinence, not out of religious conviction, but out of a desire to avoid the hassle of having to take care of a woman and her child when I could barely take care of myself.

As harsh as it sounds, it's not my job to keep you from getting pregnant, it's my job to tell you what the Bible says because it tells you what it does about sex so you can avoid the trouble I mentioned.

People say "abstinence doesn't work". On the contrary, it works every time. They say young people have no willpower. Well, it's amazing how much willpower they can find when there is a cop walking up to the car or your dad is pulling into the driveway.

Tobacco is a horrible substance. I'm up to 4 close friends who have died at least partially because of it. 3 of those cases involved long, very painful illnesses.

I've used condoms - they work.
I've been with women who were on the pill - it works, and the side effects you imply it causes never happened to any of them. I'll add that the only one of those women who smoked is now my wife. She quit for good when we got serious - 20 years ago. Also, I'm not up on the side effect of the pill - I have enough to deal with staying on top of my own medication.
I also had a girlfriend who was on Norplant. No issues I'm aware of.

When I've used abstinence it's been more out of fear of disease than pregnancy. Occasional abstinence was easy for me. As a way of life, I don't think I could or would do it.

Even these that preach abstinence don't always practice it.
2 words : Bristol Palin. 2 out of wedlock babies. She actually started a small fad among teenagers by getting knocked up at 16 and getting rich and famous talking about it. THAT is sad.

I DO understand the part of your post that I bolded, and I won't criticize you for it. That IS what the bible says, at least in a literal sense.

 

[RAMOSS]

Sorry, Isaiah says different...

“You are my witnesses,” declares Jehovah,
“Yes, my servant whom I have chosen,
So that you may know and have faith in me
And understand that I am the same One.
Before me no God was formed,
And after me there has been none." Isaiah 43:10

Well, Isaiah 43:10 does not use the term 'Jehovah'. That is a purposeful mistranslated for theological bending. And, Deutro Isaiah was taking to the nation of Israel in exile. Mistranslations and reading out of context does not make the JW case.

 

[Daisy]

Well, Isaiah 43:10 does not use the term 'Jehovah'. That is a purposeful mistranslated for theological bending. And, Deutro Isaiah was taking to the nation of Israel in exile. Mistranslations and reading out of context does not make the JW case.

יְהוָה

https://www.mechon-mamre.org/p/pt/pt1043.htm

The divine name, represented by the four Hebrew consonants יהוה, appears nearly 7,000 times in the Hebrew Scriptures. This translation renders those four letters, known as the Tetragrammaton, “Jehovah.” That name is by far the most frequently occurring name in the Bible. While the inspired writers refer to God by many titles and descriptive terms, such as “Almighty,” “Most High,” and “Lord,” the Tetragrammaton is the only personal name they use to identify God.

Jehovah God himself directed Bible writers to use his name.

https://wol.jw.org/en/wol/d/r1/lp-e/1001070204#h=3

 

[RAMOSS]

יְהוָה

https://www.mechon-mamre.org/p/pt/pt1043.htm

The divine name, represented by the four Hebrew consonants יהוה, appears nearly 7,000 times in the Hebrew Scriptures. This translation renders those four letters, known as the Tetragrammaton, “Jehovah.” That name is by far the most frequently occurring name in the Bible. While the inspired writers refer to God by many titles and descriptive terms, such as “Almighty,” “Most High,” and “Lord,” the Tetragrammaton is the only personal name they use to identify God.

Jehovah God himself directed Bible writers to use his name.

https://wol.jw.org/en/wol/d/r1/lp-e/1001070204#h=3

The word Jehovah is not in the Hebrew bible. The term you put in is the tetra-gammon, which is not Jehovah, but closer to Yahweh. Quite often it is translated as 'Lord'. Translating that as Jehovah is a very pretentious Christian innovation.