Rats in the Batting Cage

I must editorialize here that I do not completely understand the needs of modern society.  I will apologize in advance of I offend the perceived needs and careful calculated risks taken by some of our population. 
I am an unwedded male of age 38 soon to be 39 in a few months.  I have not had a physical intimate relationship since age 23 I admit.  It has been many years.  That said, it was difficult for me for a number of years.  I felt that I needed another in my life and wanted of course to have intimacy.  So many do.  But that said, I live comfortably at age 39 with neither.  I am not a bad guy.  I am just a simple man who does not need physical pleasures of the skin and body to stimulate my minds pleasure centers.  I have enough pleasures of reading, viewing painting, poetry, watching television, watching maybe even a movie or whatever that I am contained in my own being.  This has been true of me for a good number of years now.  I have last been looking for a "date" about 6 or more years ago.  Its been that long.  I don't miss it though comraderie is always exciting.  I need no unsolicited sexual experiences nor do I wish to find any such matter.  This is quite personal but let me say where I am going.  I do not understand the deep thrust for both heterosexual and nonheterosexual relationships to be formed and the idea of sexual intimacy pursued prior to the wedding.   This in this day and age and at my age is something that I can not really understand.  I believe that intimacy of the bedroom is really for married couples.  I view movies with non marital intimacy sometimes and I feel its sleazy.  I realize that I am a person with a religious faith and that clearly must be my help.  Not all persons with a faith may agree or proscribe to my thinking.  Some may.  
That said what we need is friends.  Both male and female for all of us.  There is no reason for physical intimacy prior to marriage and indeed this is the orthodox jewish way.  This even makes true marital intimacy even more treasured.  When one has a physically intimate relationship prior to marriage, it makes that part of marriage less than special.   You didn't need marriage to give you the bedroom. Right?