I have never quite understood the view that celibacy is morally preferable to marriage. (Paul appears to take that attitude in the early part of I Corinthians 7--although later verses seem to indicate that it was rooted in his view of the impending calamity.)
More precisely: I simply cannot wrap my head around the view that sex relations--even within the context of a happy, married state--represents a state that is morally inferior to celibacy.
True, there are many ways to express love: with flowers, with candy, with other gifts--even with a sincere "I love you." And all of these are to be appreciated.
But sexual intimacy, I believe, is the ultimate expression of love.
For teenagers and twentysomethings, perhaps it is grounded in burning desire. But for most others--and especially for those of middle age or above--it is much more altruistic in nature.
To withhold this from another strikes me as being unnecessarily selfish.
What do others think?