College Students Looking for Loopholes...
I would not be surprised if this was practiced by some students at BYU. But if it has happened, then it is a misbehaviour amongst select groups of naive students, it is most certainly not a church practice, as it is a clear violation of the law of Chastity. BYU has a very strict code of conduct, which essentially states, "If you fornicate, you will get kicked out of School."
From the BYU Undergraduate Catalogue:
Honor Code Statement
We believe in being honest, true, chaste, benevolent, virtuous, and in doing good to all men. . . . If there is anything virtuous, lovely, or of good report or
praiseworthy, we seek after these things (Thirteenth Article of
Faith).
As a matter of personal commitment, faculty, administration, staff,
and students of Brigham Young University, Brigham Young
University—Hawaii, Brigham Young University—Idaho, and LDS Business
College seek to demonstrate in daily living on and off campus
those moral virtues encompassed in the gospel of Jesus Christ, and
will
Be honest
Live a chaste and virtuous life
Obey the law and all campus policies
Use clean language
Respect others Abstain from alcoholic beverages, tobacco, tea, coffee, and
substance abuse
Participate regularly in church services Observe the Dress and Grooming Standards
Encourage others
in their commitment to comply with the Honor Code
Conduct
All students are required to conduct themselves in a manner consistent with the Honor Code. In addition, students may not
influence or seek to influence others to engage in behavior
inconsistent with the Honor Code.
Students must abstain from the use of alcohol, tobacco, and illegal
substances and from the intentional misuse or abuse of any substance.
Sexual misconduct; obscene or indecent conduct or expressions;
disorderly or disruptive conduct; participation in gambling
activities; involvement with pornographic, erotic, indecent, or
offensive material; and any other conduct or action inconsistent with
the principles of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints and
the Honor Code is not permitted.
Violations of the Honor Code may result in actions up to and including separation from
the university.
In an attempt to avoid expulsion, and church discipline, some students have tried to find a loophole in the honor code.
This idea of "soaking" is not the first unusual thing I've heard come out of BYU. A few years back there were supposedly a series of excommunications because some BYU kids were allegedly eloping to Vegas, getting legally married in one of those drive-thru chapels, having a quick honeymoon weekend, then getting the marriage annulled before going back to class on Monday. Their theory was, they were married when they were having sex, so it wasn't adultery. They tried to pull a fast one on the church with a technicality.
The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-Day Saints does not sanction ANY form of sexual intercourse outside of the bonds of marriage between a man and a woman.
See Gospel Topics: Chastity
COMPLETE fidelity in thoughts, words and actions is the policy of the church, anything else is the vain attempt of a sinner trying to avoid accountability.
These students ignorantly assume that they can beat the system by adhering to the letter of the law, assuming that the courts in heaven emulate courts of men. God's justice invokes the spirit of the law, there are no loopholes.
