Purity Rings

Abstinence Accessorizing: Purity Rings for Teens

2006-11-17T12:43:00.000-08:00

Abstinence Accessorizing: Purity Rings for Teens

By David Bario

Young people across the country are wearing "purity rings" to symbolize their commitment to sexual abstinence before marriage. But experts warn that most teens will break their promise before they tie the knot.

Lots of parents wish they could keep a constant eye on their teenage kids. Jack McLemore, a Mississippi jeweler, came up with an alternative for his daughter Carrie. In the platinum ring he made for Carrie when she was 13, two sapphires represent his watchful eyes, guarding her virginity until the day she marries.

Carrie has been wearing the ring every day since. At 17, she is proud to say that she hasn’t let her father down.

“I believe sex is meant for marriage,” says Carrie, an actress who lives in Manhattan with her mother. “I want to save myself emotionally and physically for whoever I spend the rest of my life with.”

Carrie’s ring may be one-of-a-kind, but “purity rings" have become something of a craze. The number of Web sites and shops selling purity rings has exploded over the last decade. Often motivated by religious faith and by government-funded abstinence programs, more than one in eight American adolescents has made a virginity pledge, sociologists have found. But experts on teen sexuality say that, ring or no ring, most teens will break their pledge before they tie the knot.

Many parents are now buying purity rings for their adolescent children. Twelve-year-old Paige Palazzolo recently got a pink and white rhinestone ring from her mother. Paige stood before her congregation at a purity ring ceremony at their Southern Baptist church in Chino, Calif., and read from the book of Timothy: “Flee also youthful lust, but follow righteousness, faith, charity, peace with them that call on the Lord out of a pure heart.”

Paige’s mother, Robin, hopes that the ring will help her daughter resist temptation. Paige has her own reasons for wearing the ring. “I like it because it has pink in it, and pink is my favorite color,” she says.

Other young people decide to wear purity rings in high school or college, when many of their peers are flaunting their sexuality and opting for belly button rings instead. Sam Chey was a sophomore in college when he participated in a four-week course organized by True Love Waits, a national abstinence organization that distributes purity rings to students. His friends on the wrestling team were having sex. Chey saw abstinence as a way to rebel.

Now a 25-year-old English teacher in northwest New Jersey, Chey prefers the name "chastity ring” for the silver band he wears on his left hand. “Because it looks like a wedding ring, it’s almost like a safeguard,” says Chey, a devout Catholic. “If a woman comes up to me, her first thought isn’t that I might be available for sex.”

Purity rings are also popular among “secondary virgins,” the abstinence movement’s name for people who have already had sex but have made a pledge to give it up until marriage. When he got his purity ring through his Baptist church at 17, Robert Stewart was no virgin. Seven years later, Stewart has a girlfriend who shares his commitment to wait and is working to promote abstinence in Philadelphia, though he says it hasn’t been easy.

“I’m a regular healthy young guy,” Stewart says. “But my ring is like a promise I made to myself.”

Vendors say they have seen a continual growth in purity ring sales since Southern Baptist organizations began actively promoting them in the early 1990s. Trisha Magaw, founder and president of Wanting an Individual to Trust, or WAITT, began selling purity rings out of the trunk of her car at abstinence conferences in the late 1990s. Now she sells them by the thousands through her Web site, www.waitt.org.

Under the Bush administration, organizations that promote abstinence and encourage teens to sign virginity pledges or wear purity rings have received federal grants. The Silver Ring Thing, a subsidiary of a Pennsylvania evangelical church, has received more than $1 million from the government to promote abstinence and to sell its rings in the United States and abroad.

According to the Sexuality Information and Education Council of the United States, the federal budget in 2005 allocates $168 million to abstinence-only education. President Bush is seeking $206 million for 2006.

While proponents of abstinence-only education claim that virginity pledges help to fight teen pregnancy, many researchers are skeptical. Cynthia Dailard, a senior public policy associate at the Alan Guttmacher Institute, a nonprofit organization focused on reproductive health, says that there is no reliable evidence that abstinence-only programs reduce teen pregnancy or the spread of sexually transmitted diseases.

In a 2001 study published in the American Journal of Sociology, Peter Bearman, a professor of sociology at Columbia University, found that only 12 percent of the more than 2.5 million adolescents who had made a virginity pledge by 1995 remained abstinent until marriage. Abstinence pledges do delay sex for an average of 18 months, Bearman found, but those who break their pledges are a third less likely to use protection.

Pledgers are less likely to be prepared for an experience that they have promised to forgo, the study found.

Bearman believes that virginity pledges and purity ring programs are only successful to the degree that they give young people a sense of identity and make them feel like part of a distinct community.

“If you make it a national policy, it’s bound to fail,” he says. “This is not a policy that can work for all kids.”

Jack McLemore, on a visit to New York for Valentines Day, was surprised to learn that purity rings had become a nationwide phenomenon. He likes to think that his daughter’s ring helped her resist the temptations of sex as she pursued her acting career far from Mississippi.

“I just thought it was a good idea to have my presence there with her in some form,” he says. “I never thought there would be a 1-800 number where you could call and order one for $15.”

E-mail: dab2107@columbia.edu

Easy sex is not true love! True love waits!

2006-09-20T22:24:00.000-07:00

This from a French paper:

LETTER TO MY KIDS
Easy sex is not true love !

Most teenagers believe their parents are over protective and, in doing so, prevent them from enjoying life to the full. They hate being warned against premature sex while the media in general convey a different idea.

“Papa don’t preach”, sang Madonna in the 80s and the tune is still much the same. Yet, if parents choose to guide their offspring, it’s because there is cause for concern.

What the unscrupulous people making huge amounts of money out of promoting an unbridled life fail to state is the adverse consequences it brings. They make believe that one should follow one’s bent and refuse freedom constraining discipline – “we don’t need no education”, they would say.

Sex is in fact a very delicate issue. It is linked to the most important aspect of life: ensuring its very continuity. It is surely not meant to be a solely pleasurable activity!

Some people rightly brandish the risks of catching deadly Aids to warn people about what they call ‘unsafe sex’. Yet, this deadly sexually transmitted disease is not the only consequence of easy sex; there are lots of other backlashes. These include emotional disturbance at a time a teenager is building up his/her personality; psychological effects such as depression and dilution of values.

Moreover, Aids is not the only STD (sexually transmitted disease) on the sex market. It’s not because they are not incurable that people should not be warned about the risk of catching them. 116 million individuals are estimated to contract such diseases every year in the world and it’s not written on their faces. They hit without discrimination. Though there are remedies, some of them may leave lifetime effects such as increased risks of cancers.

A teenager is simply not mature enough to be sexually active. This may be frowned upon by many but it is but the plain truth.

It’s very easy to get trapped but it’s much more difficult to avoid from giving away the most intimate part of oneself. True love waits!

Alain JEANNOT

Purity Rings Go Mainstream

2006-09-18T17:56:00.000-07:00

I'm not a big advocate of patting people on their backs for doing something that should be the "norm." I've shared in front of large crowds my passion for purity in romance and my own story of why I'm saving sex until I get married. These days, the announcement that you're an adult virgin can win you thunderous applause. Too bad applause means nothing. Anyone who's made it to their 20's with this testimony can vouch for the fact that human approval and accolades aren't enough to carry you through a perverse and sex-saturated society. Remaining abstinent isn't about running around announcing our piety to the world. Purity requires a commitment to principle and personal conviction beyond just a whim or a notion.

Enter the "purity ring."

Purity rings have been around for awhile, but have gained popularity over the last couple of years. The idea behind the ring is for those who wear one, it symbolizes a commitment to remain abstinent until marriage. No harm there. I had a few friends in high school with purity rings, but at the time, I was too timid to wear something so bold. I mean, did I really have to announce to everyone that I was a virgin? Today it's a brave new world. It seems there's an overwhelming need for the virgins to speak up. In a recent New York Times article, Stephanie Rosenbloom discusses the trend towards public displays of abstinence. She writes:

"THE thin silver band that 17-year-old Katie McMunn wears on her finger is a placeholder. Someday, she hopes, it will be replaced by a wedding ring. In the meantime it serves as a daily reminder of a vow she made three years ago to remain chaste until marriage.

"I want to give all of my body to my husband," Ms. McMunn said.

She was 14 when she first slipped on the silver band during a program promoting abstinence for teenagers, held in Pittsburgh. The three-hour event, called the Silver Ring Thing, featured music videos, comedians and speakers who introduced an idea Ms. McMunn had not considered: that somewhere out there, her as-yet-undiscovered husband was waiting for her. She was so moved she took her vow and borrowed $10 from a stranger to buy her ring.

Ms. McMunn is among tens of thousands of young people who in the past decade have taken a chastity vow until marriage and slipped on a ring to symbolize it. Chastity rings, part of the controversial abstinence-only movement in sex education, are becoming more mainstream. Also known as purity rings, they are being purchased by college students, members of church youth groups and abstinence organizations, and couples who are dating but abstaining. Some are acquired as part of programs like the Silver Ring Thing, others are bought independently."

According to the article, purity rings are now being offered by major retailers like Zales and Amazon.com. I think it's great that major corporations are beginning to cater to the counter-culture. By "counter-culture" I mean young women of principle who've decidedly placed a permanent moratorium on belly shirts and ultra low-rise jeans. Despite the continued rise in ring sales, purity has yet to become "all the rage."

Purity rings are a great tool for talking to other people about abstinence and great personal reminders to all who wear them. I think it's great that major movements are being organized to motivate young people to make a pledge to abstain from sex. It is my hope however, that we move beyond "motivation" and even the ring itself. It's not a magic ring. It doesn't hold any special preventative powers. It won't stop you from kissing in a dark parked car with your boyfriend. In fact, one day, the ring might even turn your finger green (that is, unless it's from Zales) and you have to take it off. The commitment still remains. Abstaining from sex until marriage takes much sacrifice and is ultimately about the decisions we make every day.

Someday I look forward to having a daughter of my own. When she's of proper age and understanding, together with my husband, I will give her a purity ring. Even more importantly, I will give her my experiences and practical principles to help her remain true to the promise the ring symbolizes and to remain humble in light the responsibility.

From : http://blogs.modestlyyours.net

Sanctification is what The Purity Ring is all About

2006-09-18T17:46:00.000-07:00

It has been said that Sanctification is what The Purity Ring is all about. For those who have a right relationship with Christ, we are now being sanctified, or purified. You have heard the expression, "You can take the boy out of the country, but you can't take the country out of the boy." Well, consecration is God taking the boy out of the country. Sanctification is God taking the country out of the boy. Upon becoming a Christian, we often find ourselves starting to avoid particular habits and practices that were once very commonplace in our lives. Can you think of some? Other habits, practices, ways of thinking, etc., take longer to eliminate. Some will take a lifetime! However, we have God's word that He will complete the good work He has started in us. What habits and practices might you need to eliminate? Remember...abstinence doesn't produce purity, but purification will produce abstinence! Ask God to purify your heart in all areas so that your life will glorify Him.

The Purity Ring serves as a constant reminder of the sanctification God is doing in our lives. It also reminds us that we are not yet perfect, Until then, however, remember that Christ Jesus not only paid for our sins at the cross, but also our sinful nature -- that is, all those things deep within us that we are capable of committing! Isn't that good news? We cannot be separated from God if we remember to stand in faith on 1 John 1:9, "If we confess our sins, He is faithful and just and will forgive us our sins and purify us from all unrighteousness." (NIV)

True love waits, works in Africa

2006-09-13T16:21:00.000-07:00

What follows is an article from August 29, 2006. It was "back page" stuff even though it clearly has had a tremendous result in Uganda.

When True Love Waits held its first national event in 1994 on the National Mall in Washington, D.C., a second, smaller, but perhaps even more powerful, True Love Waits observance was taking place half a world away in Africa, a continent that is being decimated by AIDS.

Twelve years later, government leaders in Uganda have credited True Love Waits for a remarkable decrease in the HIV/AIDS infection rate from 30 percent of the population to about 6 percent.

PurityGuys

2006-09-12T21:40:00.000-07:00

This is great site, here is what they have to say on the home page: PurityGuys.com was started June 2005 with the message that purity is about more than just not having sex. In the Bible, it's a lifestyle. Not all will marry. Whether we do or not, God requires our hearts, minds, and bodies to be pure.

Don't let anyone look down on you because you are young, but set an example for the believers in speech, in life, in love, in faith and in purity. 1 Timothy 4:12

Purity Jewelry

2006-09-12T21:26:00.000-07:00

I got a call from a youth pastor the other day. He was looking for a silver ring for 300 of his youth group. He said that they were at camp this summer and heard a speaker talking about "true love waits". As they were talking about what the speaker had to say, they were convinced that the issue was bigger than just "waiting". They were after more than a way to stay celebate, they were looking for Godly purity. So when they got back from camp, they did not ask for a true love waits ring, rather a purity ring. A symbol of a commitment to be pure.

Living a Life Worth Watching

2006-09-07T07:36:00.000-07:00

The whole idea of wearing jewelry as a statement, implies that others will be watching. I don't know about you, but I have spent my whole life trying to go unnoticed. The idea of wearing things that will draw attention to myself makes me uncomfortable. I was talking with a coworker about putting a christian bumper sticker on his car, his reply was " I don't drive that good".

I guess what I am getting at is this: If lifestyle evangelism is a part of your game plan, make sure you are living a life worth watching. Does your jewelry's statement coinside with the way you live or treat people?

Why a Purity Ring?

2006-05-25T10:04:00.000-07:00

Simple; a ring is both a reminder to the person wearing it of a commitment they made and a statement to others who see it on your finger. Rings can symbolize many different things. A wedding ring for example reminds us of the marriage covenant we entered into with our spouse and it tells the world that we are committed to someone else. Much the same, a purity ring daily reminds us of the covenant we have with God to stay pure until He provides us with a spouse and at the same time it tells the world that we are waiting on God's plan and that there is no compromising.

The concept behind the purity ring is so simple, yet so powerful. A commitment to remain pure until marriage is made. As a daily reminder, the ring is worn until then. On your wedding day, you take the ring off and exchange it for a wedding ring. Keep the purity ring somewhere safe. When the day comes, pass it on to your child and ask them to make the same promise you made.

Yes, a simple purity ring. The perfect gift for a parent to give a child. The perfect gift to give a friend. The perfect gift to give yourself. Whether a teen, a single adult (never married, widowed or divorced), this ring will be a constant reminder to you of God's faithfulness. The world will still tempt you, but you will feel God's peace and be satisfied knowing that His perfect promise will be fulfilled in His perfect timing.

Won't it be the perfect gift to your spouse that you will enter your marriage relationship pure?

And what if your life has not been pure? Well, that's the beauty of God's grace. Through our heartfelt repentance, we are forgiven and sanctified. We don't want to sin again. We start over on a clean slate! We don't want to do wrong anymore, and yes as the Bible boldly declares, we are a new creation! Thanks to Jesus' sacrifice and our repentance, in God's eyes we are pure!

We encourage you to prayerfully consider the benefits of a purity ring. Along with the poem and pledge card that accompany the ring, you will have tools that will help you make a commitment to remain pure until God blesses you with the perfect spouse.

From http://www.purityrings.com

2006-05-03T16:13:00.000-07:00

Christian Purity Rings

2006-05-03T15:46:00.000-07:00

Christian purity rings have been around for many years, in a recent BP news article they celebrate the 5 year anniversary of a song that gave a voice to the purity movement.

"Purity has long been an issue of great importance to singer-songwriter Rebecca St. James, and at the fifth anniversary of the release of her landmark single Wait for Me, she continues to show young people worldwide how to wait honorably for the spouse God may have for them.

The song, written by St. James as a pledge of commitment to her future husband, has inspired thousands of teenagers worldwide to remain sexually abstinent until marriage."

Wait for Me

Darling, did you know that I
I dream about you
Waiting for the look in your eyes
When we meet for the first time
And darling, did you know that I
I pray about you
Praying that you will hold on
And keep your loving eyes only for me

CHORUS:
'Cause I am waiting for, praying for you darling
Wait for me too
Wait for me as I wait for you
'Cause I am waiting for, praying for you darling
Wait for me too
Wait for me as I wait for you
Darling wait

Darling did you know
I dream about life together
Knowing it will be forever
I'll be yours and you'll be mine
And darling when I say
" Til death do us part"
I mean it with all of my heart
Now and always faithful to you

CHORUS

Now I know you may have made mistakes
But there's forgiveness, and a second chance
So wait for me, darling wait for me
Wait for me
Darling wait for me

True Love Waits Jewelry

2006-04-17T17:14:00.000-07:00

There are lots of sites out there that carry true love waits jewelry. Many of them have rings that cost $75 to $100 dollars. That seems like it might be out of reach of many students who would like to get a ring or take the True Love Waits Ring Vow. I keep thinking "Is abstinence only for those with money"? I decided to look for a reasonably priced ring that everyone could afford to get.

After looking around I found a site that has some reasonably priced rings that are very nice, if you want nice true love waits rings , try the ones at Planet Icthus. They don't have Gold or diamond rings, but have some very nice looking silver purity rings from $12.95 to $39.95. So before you take that True Love Waits Ring Vow, think about how much you are wanting to spend on the ring!.

When Giving A Promise or Purity Ring

2006-04-15T07:58:00.000-07:00

The most important thing in giving a promise ring is to be up-front about the intent of the promise, especially if the ring contains a diamond. There is nothing more heartbreaking than a person reading something into a gift of a ring that is more than intended! A note accompanying the ring, to be read prior to opening the gift, can clarify your intenions.

True Love Waits Purity Rings

2006-03-30T13:19:00.000-08:00

I recently met a high school advisor that gives high school advisors a good name. She is really trying to make a difference with the students that she works with. I asked her what her biggest concern for her students was. Her reply surprised me. She said that in the county where she works the students are twice as likely statistically to contract a STD as compared to the national average. She said that "the kids here are just not letting STD's slow down their sexual activities". She had a student who just found out that she had herpes, when told, she said, "I guess I never considered this as a permanent thing.You know like a lifetime or untreatable. Now I am marked forever. My friends are all like "as long as you don't get pregnant everything else goes..." What a lie!".
Not one to be defeated by this type of thinking this advisor is offering a different way of thinking to these kids. She has started a "True Love Waits" course that teaches all the benefits of waiting till marriage for sexual intimacy. When I spoke to her she had just finished her first class with 8 kids deciding to wear a purity ring.
Her students had some interesting comments on completing the material:
"I thought that abstinace was just some attempt by the "moral majority" to kill our fun, not a way to be protected from all the things that could destroy my future."
"I don't want to look back in 10 years and think that my whole life was changed forever by a few minutes of pleasure.."
This advisor said "These True Love Waits Purity Rings are just silver objects, but if they are visual reminders of what is at stake to the person wearing it, they are certainly worth the cost".

A Promise Made and Kept

2005-11-12T08:25:00.000-08:00

I was reflecting over my life and the things that have shaped me into who I am. The interesting thing was that the things I remembered with passion, were the times I was disapointed by a promise made and then broken. The things that have brought me great joy, have been promises kept.

I remember the great joy I felt when my folks promised me a first bike and then delivered on that promise. I remember the pain of a promised trip with my Dad that never happened. And most of all, the enduring joy I feel with my wife and the promises we both made and kept.

The case for Moral Purity

2005-10-23T11:59:00.000-07:00

It’s not hard to figure out that we’re living in a sex-crazed society – one that operates much like an open sewer. It’s even been called the “new morality” by some, including ministers of the Gospel.

“The fact is we’re not entering a new morality at all. It’s simply the same old immorality that’s been plaguing people for thousands of years. Modern man exclaims, “If it feels good, do it” or, “If loving you is wrong, then how could this feel so right.”

Moral impurity is emotionally, physically, socially, domestically and eternally destructive. Fifty percent of all emotional problems are a result of sexual immorality. These are people who are haunted by their past, guilt, anger, bitterness, insecurity and depression.

And today more than ever, there are sexually transmitted disease being passed along at epidemic proportions. This sin has within itself destructive and sometimes incurable consequences.

In The History of the Decline and Fall of the Roman Empire, Edward Gibbon attributed the immorality of the Romans as their leading cause for destruction.

From: Point of View
The case for moral purity
By JACK GRAHAM

Promise Rings True

2005-10-20T22:41:00.000-07:00

Making a promise is a small thing, keeping it is not. It does not seem to be in fashion anymore to keep promises. We have become a society of promise breakers where commitment means very little. Sexually transmitted disease is rampant, AIDS, and HIV are de-populating areas of the globe. Fidelity has never been needed more.

Promising to remain pure till marriage is a difficult thing to do these days, it seems like an antiquated idea. To make a commitment to someone and actually keep it is the most precious gift that can be given. Wearing a symbol of that commitment keeps it visible.

A joke I once heard went something like this:
Grandson: Hey grandpa what did you use for birth control when you were young?
Grandpa: A wedding ring.

The promise rings true.

Sexual Purity

2005-10-15T19:58:00.000-07:00

Many of the abstinace sites are talking about sexual purity. Here is an excerpt from one site:

One teen explained the effects of her sexual involvement in these words:

… Having premarital sex was the most horrifying experience of my life. It wasn't at all the emotionally satisfying experience the world deceived me into believing. I felt as if my insides were being exposed and my heart left unattended…I know God has forgiven me of this haunting sin, but I also know I can never have my virginity back. I dread the day that I have to tell the man I truly love and wish to marry that he is not the only one, though I wish he were…I have stained my life—a stain that will never come out.

The Sexual Purity site has many article and resources on this topic.

Promise Ring

2005-10-13T11:44:00.000-07:00

A promise ring is a ring given as an outward expression, or symbol, of a promise made.
Traditionally, the promise ring is given for virtually any type of promise made, either romantic or platonic. Popular reasons to give promise rings include:

• Pre-engagement: If you're sure she's the right one for you, but not quite ready for engagement, the pre-engagement ring expresses commitment to the relationship and a promise for the future together.
• Chastity or abstinence: Often called Purity Rings, these rings are generally given by a parent to a child and symbolize a promise by the child to remain sexually pure until marriage. It is a constant reminder that true love can wait for a sexual relationship. Purity rings can also be given to symbolize a child's pledge to remain substance free.
• Monogamy: In the absence of marriage or pre-engagement, promise rings can be exchanged as a mutual commitment of unity and monogamy.
• Friendship: Good friends have always made pacts, sealing them with the exchange of friendship rings and other small tokens.

P-U-R-I-T-Y

2005-10-12T19:22:00.000-07:00

One site, called the Silver Ring Thing, asks youth to make a commitment to sexual abstinence until marriage. They have school assembly programs, concert type events, college internships as well as online training. Here are the seven stages to their program:

Stage 1: Commitment
Attend a Silver Ring thing program - put on the silver ring and
make the pledge

Stage 2: Growth
Stay tight with your accountability partner and grow in your commitment.

Stage 3: Outreach
Return for another Silver Ring Thing program and bring friends

Stage 4: Leadership
Join the Silver Ring Thing CREW for your local area.

Stage 5: SRT Foundations
This online course really takes you deeper into the foundations of faith.

Stage 6: Summer Internship
Complete an internship with the Silver Ring Thing in Pittsburgh

* Open to high school and college students

Stage 7: Professional Staff Positions
Join the national staff of Silver Ring Thing.

On their site is "Deb's Diary" I was struck by an interns post which is listed below, it seems to sum up what they are about:

P-U-R-I-T-Y (by Joy the 2004 Summer intern)

One thing Silver Ring Thing talks about more than anything is purity. Why? Because purity affects every part of our lives. A lot of people think of purity only in terms of abstaining from sex but it also involves having honest intentions or consistency in actions Here are some ways that you can strive to be pure:

Pursue Faith.
The only way to keep strong in God is to read his word, talk to him and worship him 24/7. Keeping your focus on him will help you to stay pure in every other area of your life.

Understanding.
Wisdom plays a huge role in staying pure. When you have that understanding, you know which situations to avoid, what things aren't appropriate to wear and what to keep your eyes from seeing.

Reputation Reputation and Integrity.
Reputation Reputation and Integrity go hand in hand because both deal with how you & portray yourself to other people. The definition of integrity is moral Integrity. soundness; honesty; freedom from corrupting influence or motive. When something is pure, for example a cup of water, it is composed of only one thing. The water has no particles of dirt in it and no drops of any other liquid. That's the same deal with integrity. When you're a person of integrity, you are completely 100% moral. And because you have integrity, people will automatically see you as a person with pure intentions and a good reputation. Strive to be pure in that sense.

Talk about God.
This is just as important as talking to God. When you let others know about who you believe in, it not only strengthens your faith, but it lets them know where you stand on certain issues. And now that they know what you believe, they'll help to keep you in line.

Yearn.
One of the easiest ways to be pure is to want to be pure. God says ask and you'll receive. If you want to be pure, you're definitely headed in the right direction.

Silver Ring Thing

A History of Purity Rings

2005-10-11T19:47:00.000-07:00

"Rings have always been a beautiful symbol of life’s promises, commitments and celebrations. One of the most wonderful of these is your wedding day. Everyone holds in their heart a cherished dream of offering themselves on that special day, pure in body and spirit. You want that dream to come true; God wants it too, more than you know. Ask Him to give you the strength to keep that promise, then symbolize it with a Chastity Ring made of precious gold or silver, to wear until that special day when you celebrate your marriage with your spouse."

This is the thinking behind many of the Purity ring sites or abstinence groups that promote sexual purity until biblical marriage. The largest of the abstinence groups, True Love Waits, was organized in 1993. They report that over 2.4 million have signed pledge cards with the following:

"Believing that true love waits, I make a commitment to God, myself, my family, my friends, my future mate, and my future children to a lifetime of purity including sexual abstinence from this day until the day I enter a biblical marriage relationship."

The True Love commitment ring originally created as a chastity - purity ring symbolizing the devotion to remain sexually pure until marriage. However many people are giving and wearing these rings as commitment rings to symbolize their monogamous relationship.

Many different rings are symbolic of purity from sterling silver to gold and in many different shapes from hearts to solid bands. Some rings even have text to remind you of your vow of purity or that true love waits.