Chastity: 5 Questions to Get Started

Are you practicing the virtue of chastity? Here are 5 questions to ask yourself or your Ben Franklin Circle.

Franklin’s definition: “Rarely use venery but for health or offspring; Never to dullness, weakness, or the injury of your own or another’s peace or reputation.”

1. What are your thoughts on Ben Franklin’s definition of the virtue, chastity?

2. Is chastity important in the context of a relationship? How about in the context of the community?

3. Of all the virtues on Franklin’s list, this one might strike a modern person as most outdated. Is it outdated? Or do you think chastity is a virtue that people ought to practice? Why or why not?

4. How might we encourage and cultivate chastity in our community—and among our children—without sounding too prudish and old-fashioned?

5. Franklin also seems to argue not to use or abuse sexual and intimate relationships. How has sex become used and abused in our society and our community? What can we do to remedy this?