I'm quite sure that the concept of marriage is much older than that, considering that it's practiced by virtually all cultures.

what if you marry for money but keep your virginity until you're married? Does half of your soul go to heaven and the other half to hell? Do they cancel themselves out? Does god have a sin rating system?

To be really honest, you're completely right. Marriage itself, as a concept, has it's roots on the nomad tribes of the early humans circa 10.000 AD, but it's "modern" roots are similar to those practiced by the celtic tribes of ancient Europe

Yes, specific practices in the West probably come from there. The important thing though is that the concept itself is extremely old, so old that it's impossible to know when exactly it originated. And it's most certainly much older than any religion today (and possibly predates the concept of religion as a whole).

That's like saying that if you avoid certain other carcinogens smoking should be fine. There are a multitude of ways to avoid cancer, just because you're doing some of them doesn't mean it's rational not to do the others.

I think it's wrong, wrong, wrong, immoral, and wrong.

As someone that has performed over 700 marriages - I hope each and every person I have married has had sex with the person that they marry. (except the couples in their 90's - I'm not sure if they were having sex.)

It distorts the purpose of marriage from pledging your life loving, honoring, and cherishing someone and making a family together - to just getting permission to have sex. Marriage is so much more than just having sex, or at least it should be. Sex should be part of a great marriage, just like laughter and enjoying gaming together.

I grew up with that myth, that people shouldn't have sex until they are married, and I think it's a horrible injustice people press on children. I'm not saying go have reckless crazy sex - but responsible sex is part of growing up and knowing what kind of partner you would be and what you want. Like going to a movie, a restaurant or traveling to another country - it broaden your horizons and makes you a more full aware person. (And yes, people die and get weird diseases from those too.)

So, no, I do not think people should wait until marriage to have sex. No not at all.

If you want to have sex do it, but play it safe.

Everyone should just play by their books and people who are afraid of sex and therefore invent excuses not to have it shouldn't tell other people what to do with their genitals.

Absolutely not. "Wouldn't you rather experience love with your true love"
Sure, but I'd also like to experience FUN and maybe a lesser form of love (?) with other people. I wouldn't want to be sexually frustrated either. We are social primates, it's in our nature to have multiple sexual partners (not at the same time ofcourse lol) and to have sex in moderation. + nowadays we have easy contraception so whats the harm? As long as you are both emotionally ready and developed, then I see no reason not to. And many people don't even want to be married. I don't see the point in it apart from maybe financial benefits xD I don't belong to any religion so those reasons don't apply to me either.

yea right. What if your one of those freaks that are hated bye women and will probably never get married and the only way you know how to get some is to pay for hookers,but your kind of poor,so you only do this every once in awhile. So ever thing of that scenerio OP.