I have a few comment to make in response to this post. I have lived a number of years and I have to honestly say that very few people I have known announced when they first had sex with their partner. Sometimes I knew by the way they acted toward each other and for a few days they could not wipe the smiles off thier faces. You do not have to tell your parents. Plus, it sounds like you planned to move in together eventually anyway. I'm sure your parents know you will not have separate bedrooms when you do so the fact you are sexually active will become evident sooner or later.

I agree that making an emotional committment to each other is the basis for a relationship and heaven knows that having a marriage ceremony does not guarantee that committment. On the other hand, the marriage ceremony does guarantee you certain rights. If you buy any property together and are unmarried it becomes a nightmare dividing that property if you should break up. If you still owe money one party can stop making their part of the payment and there is little you can do to force them. It also brings rights to your children if you have any. If you are married you do not have to worry about proving paternity and/or the right to child support. And, if God forbid, someone dies a married partner has definate rights to moneys and property that a nonmarried partner does not.

It is fine to think that you are young and nothing bad is going to happen to you. Right now you are in love and I hope that love lasts until you are 90. If you look at the statistics on the longevity of couples though, the odds are against you. You say you are being careful but there is only one method of birthcontrol that is 100% effective and you have already said you are not planning on being abstinant. Unexpected things happen. Be sure you have protected yourself against problems if they do.

It sounds like your faith is pretty strong and you use it to guide you in your daily life. However, you did not say if your religious beliefs are from your interpretation of the bible or some other religious text or if they are from the teachings of a formal religion. I will say that most religions are not cafeteria style programs. They do not teach you to follow the guidelines to life you agree with and ignore the ones you do not. For most religions it is all or nothing. If you choose to follow your beliefs on sex and marriage you are probably not accepting the teachings of a religious program. Are you ready to compromise the faith you have held for so long? It may be hard if you find yourself abanding other things you believe because they do not give you permission to do what you want to do at the current time. Today you are changing your thoughts on sex and marriage. Will you change your thoughts on telling lies next time you are caught in a jam where you know the truth will hurt you? In some ways, you are already lying to your parents. What will be the next occasion where a lie is easier?

These issues are just general things people need to address as part of growing away from your parents and making your own life. I am not faullting you in any way for your actions, thought or decisions. I'm just hoping you will give serious thought to whatever you do and be sure you are doing it because it is the right thing for you and you can live with the consequences for the rest of your life. Don't act irrationally or because someone else says you should.