Reaping what we sow
This Web only Speakout has not been edited.
Celeste Thomas
Published March 29, 2008 at noon
Headlines this week announced the alarming statistic that at least one in four teenage American girls has a sexually transmitted disease. Should this news really surprise any of us? Our youths are daily imbibing deep draughts of our pornified culture and are suffering the consequences of acting out what they have ingested. There is no such thing as “free” fornication and never has been—-it ALWAYS has a price tag! It’s a sure bet that no virgin has some ugly, potentially fatal, STD, but somehow abstinence programs—-which teach kids that self-mastery results from acknowledging normal urges and drives and then choosing to sublimate them to a greater good, like education, career, satisfying mature relationships including a successful marriage—-are to blame. Huh?? Let me get this straight—-it’s preferable for our adolescents and teens to be told that they are victims of their own passions? To be given a piece of latex which will, hopefully, “protect” them from any number of health and life-endangering diseases? To be told that all matters of sexuality are personal choices based on individual “readiness”? To be exposed to explicit information about male and female genitalia and all types of sexual activity in coed sex ed classes which barely mention, or may even ridicule, the idea of purity, virginity, and the possibility of a lifelong marriage??? This could be preferable only to those who have given in to despair, who may be the sorry victims of their own unaddressed sexual addictions and promiscuity, who do not comprehend or believe that each human person — even the adolescent and teen —- possesses the capacity to choose what’s good and avoid what’s bad.
I’m sure no one would disagree that a teenage girl with a case of human papillomavirus is dealing with something that would be considered bad? Could we go even further and consider all STD’s in the bad category? Okay, now, do choices she was taught were good, because she felt good about them, cause the bad result? Hmmm…. This poor girl undoubtedly believed the lie that getting involved genitally was a good choice because she “felt” ready, but she is now confronting the sad, undeniable reality that feelings can not determine good choices. Good choices, whether they “feel” good or not, produce good results. Bad choices, even though they may seem to “feel” good at the time, produce bad results.
The large number of adolescent and teen girls contracting venereal diseases tells me that these girls are learning certain lessons very well. They are learning that sexual intimacy is no big deal; that exposing intimate parts of their bodies is their right, regardless of the effect it may have on others; that imitating vulgar, debauched “Girls Gone Wild” p. 2 C. Thomas Reaping What We Sow behavior is accepted and expected; that they can allow their bodies to be used and abused with no effect on their heart and soul; that any desire to set a moral high ground in their relationships with guys is unnecessary because “feelings” should guide behavior. Yes, our young women have learned their pathetic sex education lessons all too well, not only in their schools but also in the “classrooms” of MTV, internet sites, movies, TV, magazines, books and music. Do some “professionals” working with teens really think teens don’t know enough about sex?? And that sex is a very taboo subject?? Give me a break!!!! All things sexy, “hot”, and pornographic saturate their lives! It is teaching and modeling self-mastery that is absent from the influences that mold and impress our children. Our kids know way too much about sex and little to nothing about cultivating good habits that involve a bit of self-denial in the present for a future good. They possess a great deal of knowledge (and, apparently, practical experience) about sexual intercourse but an abysmal lack of understanding and practice in the art of human intercourse, which boils down to wanting what is best for the other regardless of the personal cost to self.
If teens are exercising sexual self-control then they will never become statistics for STD’s or pregnancy. But, if they are exercising “do it because it feels good” choices, then they will soon be counted not only in the STD statistics but also, very probably, in the statistics for abortion, truancy, high school drop-out, drug and alcohol abuse etc.
Let’s stop pretending to be surprised by the reality that bad choices produce bad results— our kids deserve a much higher standard from us!
Celeste Thomas is a national presenter on chastity and Retired public school speech pathologist.
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March 29, 2008
4:35 p.m.
Suggest removal
me2 writes:
sex is always risky, always has been, you can get MRSA or TB during sex. Sex can be disease free, at least the old STD`s can be prevented by a simple condom in most cases. That`s why the things were invented. To protect men from the diseases of prostitutes.
Of course kids who pledge chastity and then "slip" are never prepared. Those who prepare and use protection every time, are not infected.
March 29, 2008
5:15 p.m.
Suggest removal
Jimminy writes:
Condoms were invented centuries ago.Kinda dumb not to use'em until you've figured out whether your yummy new squeeze is the real deal.
March 29, 2008
9 p.m.
Suggest removal
arby writes:
Celeste
You're fighting a losing battle here. Boys and girls are supposed to like each other, then one thing leads to another. It's been happening for centuries. I agree that the problem with STD's is alarming. But I can tell you that I was given sex education and hygene in High School. Then later when I was in boot camp in San Diego we had to watch films about prostitues and STD also films showing the terrible results of car wrecks from drunken driving. Guess what. The first thing we did upon being released was get in a car and head for Tiajuana. Get drunk and find a lady of the night. People are people.
March 29, 2008
11:18 p.m.
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Sweetpickle writes:
It's a good thing we aren't encouraging them to use condoms.
March 30, 2008
5:41 p.m.
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kathyM writes:
The supposed success of abstinence programs is laughable because the results are entirely dependent on teens self-reporting their sexual behavior. And since when do teens tell adults the truth, especially about something so intensely personal?
Arby has it right: "people are people." Kids from the same home, same parents, same background, same type of sex education will behave differently.
April 2, 2008
10:11 a.m.
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rubadub writes:
what rubbish. there's every chance in the world that 50% of teen age girls aren't even having sex. among 13, 14, 15, 16 yr. olds it's likely 80% aren't even having sex. so were do these ridiculous claims come from and what is the real agenda?