Description of the Moral Problem: Solange and Marty are the parent's of a teenaged, son Dan, whom they have discovered is having pre-marital sex with his girlfriend, Denise. They have confronted Dan about his actions and expressed their disappointment in his choice. His father, Marty, has told Dan that he should be a better example for his two younger brothers. His mother has told him she is ashamed of him for what she sees as him using Denise only for sex. Solange feels that Dan is disrespectful of Denise, treating her as lesser than him, and only acknowledging her when he wants something from her. Solange's issue is more about the lack of respect with which Dan treats the gift of sexual intimacy Denise is giving him than the pre-marital issue itself. Both parents are concerned about Dan and Denise's health and the fear of pregnancy so Solange has purchased him a box of condoms for protection. Marty also brought up the issue of possible rape charges as Denise is underage and Dan is a legal adult. .
Solange and Marty have taken their problem to their couples church meeting, hoping others can give them some insight. Bob, Amy, Jack, and Beth all feel that the way things were handled were appropriate. Wes and Arlene, an older, African-American couple in the group, raise the issue further of pregnancy and resulting children and the difficulty in dealing with those consequences. Jack is the voice in the group who raises the religious aspect of the problem. He wonders if the Bible has anything of value to say about this situation and sex in general. Wes, who is also a deacon at his church, is uncertain. Greg and Connie are the last couple of the group and Connie suggests they meet again to discuss this problem further. .
The moral dilemma of this case is: What should Solange and Marty say to their son, Dan, about his sexual behavior? .
Religious Ideas/Values: The two roles Judaism assigns to sex are procreation and marital companionship.