I take strong exception to David Blecken's statements in his June 3 letter, "Marriage not needed for family," that "pregnancies occurring among unmarried couples should not really be an issue at all" and that "you cannot truly be in love with someone until you have had sex with them."

Both statements reveal an alarming absence of morality and a staggering degree of ignorance. He is also mistaken in assuming that every young couple has has had sex before deciding to get married. And since he is not aware of the benefits of abstinence, it is quite obvious that he is in need of enlightenment or at least a thorough grounding in moral education.

Statements like this are gravely irresponsible and serve only to weaken further the already seriously damaged spiritual fabric of society. There is a great deal more to "human nature" than merely following one's physical inclinations. Blecken does a great disservice to human dignity by suggesting that we are all animals unable to exercise self-control.

gavin bantock