Character, not condoms. That says a lot. Today, in a discussion session with middle school youth, led by college STAR guides (interns), I was touched and angry to hear that some girls in 6th grade in Washington, DC, have to worry about being raped or murdered. The discussion turned around a story about Wilbur the pig, from Charlotte's Web. Wilbur didn't quite know what to do with his new found "freedom" when he temporarily escaped from the barnyard. The connection was that the youth were asked "What are things young people your age might fear?" Some answers were, "being robbed" and "being raped or jacked up". Well, I remember being afraid of neighborhood bullies, but how about the fear of being raped and murdered?
What kind of world are we creating for our children. Does saying, "well, if you are going to have sex, use a condom" even begin to address the issues behind the kind of violent, disrespectful world that many children, (almost all children, if you consider the influence of media) have to grow up with.
Promoting abstinence for our youth is not just about pregnancy or disease, although those are very important issues. It is about promoting respect, kindness and concern for the well being of others. A world where youth wait until marriage to have sex is a vastly safer world for children, as well as for adults. Those learning to abstain from sex are practicing self control and respect for others. Youth who are abstaining from sex are much less likely to use drugs or alcohol, be arrested or suspended from school.
What kind of world do we want to create for our children; a world that says, "here, use a condom", or one that says "wait until marriage so that you can realize the full beauty and joy of a committed sexual relationship with someone you truly love". The answer to this question is directly related to whether we will see a more peaceful and respectful world in the future, or one where eleven year old girls have to literally fear being raped or killed.
Richard
Dedicated to raising youth leaders to develop good character and to model and teach about the benefits of sexual abstinence, in preparation for marriage and successful family formation. View recent Blog posts at our new site: New Blog
Wait, you think that if you tell little girls not to have sex until marriage, the rapists won't get them?
ReplyDeleteIf more people wait to have sex until marriage, then 90% of the children from those families will not become delinquent, a far cry from the current situation of our cities.
ReplyDelete