Death By Purity

In a quaint town nestled between rolling hills lived David, a devout Christian in his mid-twenties who had always held onto his abstinence. At first, it was fear that drove him to such a practice, but as he read the Bible on his own, he discovered that his virginity was a real blessing. He found solace in the teachings of his faith, and his heart yearned for a connection that transcended the fleeting encounters of modern dating. This was the silver road that many young Christians face today—he wanted to be stronger than his flesh, he wanted to be different from the world—but deep down, he was lonely.

One day, as David attended a local church event, he noticed a young woman named Emily. Her warmth, kindness, and genuine smile captivated him. They began to spend more time together, engaging in thoughtful conversations that went beyond the surface—exploring shared values, dreams, and their mutual love for faith.

As they grew closer, David’s commitment to abstinence became more difficult to uphold. This was when he threw himself into the Word, into prayer, into work—but to no avail. Emily’s presence was like a constant flame that burned within him, causing him to question everything he had believed for so long.

One autumn evening, as they walked through the quiet streets of the town, Emily took David’s hand and pulled him toward her. For a long moment, they stood there, their lips pressed tightly together, intoxicated by the passion they had been trying to resist for so long.

“I don’t want to go to Hell,” whispered David. Emily began to pull back; she was scared of the same thing.

Those purity teachings that haunted her as a pre-teen were still hanging over her innocent conscience as a grown woman.

David knew he was straying from his beliefs. He felt his spiritual barriers breaking by the second. Emily was like a siren’s call, tempting him to go further down a path he knew he shouldn’t take. The same could be said for the feelings Emily had for David.

As the days passed and their desire for one another grew, David found himself struggling with his faith. Was it possible to love someone so deeply and still remain true to the teachings he had always held dear? The two decided that tonight should be a slow night. They each went their separate ways home.

The next day, Emily sensed David’s inner turmoil. She sat him down and spoke to him gently.

“David,” she said, “I love you. I respect your commitment to abstinence, but I don’t believe that our love for one another should be limited by it. We can still have a deep and meaningful connection while exploring the physical aspects of our relationship.”

David felt a weight lifting off his shoulders. He had been so focused on following the rules that he had forgotten about the joy of experiencing life and love in all its many forms.

Over time, they both began to let go of their fears and doubts. The two young Christians discovered that physical touch was more powerful than food. They discovered that intimacy was as potent as any kind of drug.

Each time they made love, it felt like a revelation. The pleasure they gave and received was like a divine gift, making them feel alive in ways they never knew existed.

David’s faith began to shift, morphing from strict abstinence to a more fluid interpretation of his beliefs. He realized that love was the ultimate expression of God’s grace, and that if he was truly committed to loving Emily, he needed to embrace all of her—body, mind, and soul.

As those passionate nights turned into steamy months, Emily began to get the sniffles. The young couple thought nothing of it. But as time went on, Emily began to lose weight, and the colds she caught never left her body. Then, finally, while attending church, Emily collapsed.

At the hospital, it was discovered that Emily had a rare form of HIV. This HIV was a genetic defect passed on by her mother, and despite being a virgin, her mutated strain had developed into an undocumented form of AIDS. Emily had four weeks to live.

David didn’t contract the virus but felt as if he had—the shock, the fear of having slept with a dying girl. The “what ifs” raced through his soul. He spent the next four weeks by Emily’s side, holding her hand, never leaving, reading scripture. But by the fourth week, Emily succumbed to her illness. She was only 23.

David was the only person Emily had ever been close to. She had spent her whole life isolated because of her illness, baptized in pharmaceuticals from birth. But she was a fighter. She grew into a strong woman of God, though mentally and emotionally, she had been crippled by her condition. Her social skills were fragile, and her soul craved affection.

The medicine Emily had unknowingly relied on had worn off. Had it worked properly, she wouldn’t have gotten sick in the first place. To make matters worse, a day after her death, it was announced on the news that a cure had been found—not just for HIV, but for AIDS as a whole. This included the rare strain Emily had.

David was devastated. He felt the irony was God being horrifically cruel. He lost his faith. The day after the announcement, David took his own life.

Two young souls, destroyed by lust and a fallen world.

Here lies our youth...