According to an article in US News, the State of Virginia has repealed its code under “Crimes Involving Morals and Decency” that outlawed fornication.
This reminds me there is a difference between the Government enacting laws that legalize something in contrast to having a law that criminalizes something. In the case of Virginia violation was s misdemeanor. Idaho, Mississippi, and North Carolina reportedly yet have Fornication laws. Note Virginia seemingly still has a law criminalizing adultery in it’s Code.
Here with this repeal action, the State of Virginia does not have a law approving of fornication. It just does not have a law disapproving of it. It therefore leaves such moral matters to spiritual authorities.
Some of the rationale given for the repeal is sufficient and other insufficient in my view. I do sense the difficulty of fairly enforcing such a law in a society where sex between the unmarried is commonplace.
For example, the implication of such a law would seemingly require every person seeking child support or government aid due to pregnancy/birth to be prosecuted if such a law was properly implemented.
It is a reminder that the church yet has a most important role in society as thus saith the Lord God, the ultimate standard setter to whom wise individuals and wise governments submit and obey.
