When half the world’s teenagers are getting fascinated and captivated by the media’s representation of love and while almost all are losing their virginity by seconds, Brelyn Bowman, chose a different course as early as the age of 13, to remain a virgin until she enters into wedlock.
The statement on the signed certificate confirmed that her 'hymen is intact', citing a passage from the Bible that some Christians interpret as instruction to abstain from sex until marriage.
The bride Brelyn Freeman – Bowman shared this photo of herself and her dad dancing at her wedding on instagram and wrote that she presented a ‘certificate of virginity’ to him, basically proving that she was a virgin on her wedding day. The groom, Tim Bowman Jr, and Brelyn are devout Christians. The bride’s father is Pastor Michael Freeman, founder and pastor of Spirit of Faith Christian Center (SOFCC) in Maryland.
The certificate, which Mrs Bowman gave to her father pastor Michael Freeman on October 10, contains this passage from Corinthians 6:20.
It reads: 'Do you not know that your bodies are temples of the Holy Spirit, who is in you, whom you have received from God? You are not your own; you were bought at a price. Therefore honor God with your bodies.'
The document was signed by both Mrs Bowman, who is in her twenties, and her gynecologist, who appears to have conducted tests to check whether she is a virgin.
The certificate reads: 'On the 10th of May 2006, I, Brelyn Freeman, made a vow to glorify God in my body and spirit which are God's because I have been bought with a price (Jesus).
'I have kept this commitment and present this certificate to my father Dr Michael A. Freeman to show how I have honored God and my earthly father in my body by maintaining my purity and that my hymen is intact on this 10th day of October 2015.'
Brelyn admirably calls her dad, her “first love”. She was so elated that she posted the certificate on her Instagram page.
“I was able to present a certificate of purity to him signed by my doctor that my hymen was still intact,” she said. “Also the covenant he gave me when I was 13. When you honor God, your life will automatically honor others! I love you daddy.”
Mr Freeman told BuzzFeed that he was not expecting to be presented with the certificate and was caught off guard when he was asked to stand during the wedding reception.
Her father, Pastor Mike Freeman, admitted to Buzzfeed that he had reached an agreement with his children that they were to maintain their virginity until marriage. So, when Brelyn got married on October 10th, 2015 and presented her dad a “certificate of purity”, which was authenticated by her doctor (meaning that her hymen was still intact), Pastor Freeman was not surprised but was gratified.
“She wanted to honor me by not allowing any man to touch her before her husband,” Mr. Freeman said.
He said: 'I was totally unaware of what was about to take place. During the remarks, she shared that she wanted to honor me by not allowing any man to touch her before her husband.'
The pastor added that all of his children said they would save themselves for marriage, with his eldest daughter Brittany presenting him with a similar document at her wedding six years ago.
He added: 'It's not about what they did for me, rather what they did for themselves.'
Mrs Bowman faced criticism online, with many finding it strange that she chose to share such intimate details about her sex life with her father.
When the story broke on the social media, streams of reactions poured in all across the digital space. Some were commendations and many others were fiery and downright castigating, both for Brelyn as well as for her father.
Some blamed the young wife and her dad for holding strong to what they referred to as near medieval standards for women’s sexuality.
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