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Sunday, April 15, 2007

Abstinence Education Doesn't Work? Why?

Somehow, at one time, our nation didn't need classes on sex education. Miraculously, babies still were born, sex still flourished, and so did diseases and unwanted pregnancies. It was the negative aspects that caused us, ultimately, to rethink sex education. It was believed at that time that sex education in public schools would solve such problems.

The Bush administration (and other conservative groups) decided that if they were going to be forced to discuss sex in the classroom, abstinence would be the superior method. Yet, a recent and long-awaited study claims that abstinence-themed sex ed does no more to stop teen sexual practices than the alternative.

Has no one taken societal change into the equation? In some ways, as Karl Marx once wrote, religion IS the opiate of the masses. However, believe in it or not, religion usually DOES give people that internal "Big Brother" that prevents destructive behavior. Without it, we are prey to our more base animal instincts.

Despite the fact that roughly 91% of Americans say they believe in a god, only 18.7% take him or her seriously enough to participate regularly in their faith by attending church, synagogue, mosque, or what-have-you. Obviously a belief in a god doesn't translate into taking his or her precepts seriously.

It is interesting to note that many children in abstinence-only programs initially were more against sex outside of marriage, until they aged and found themselves in the same set of social circumstances that other teens were in. Again, without that moral compass, standards are merely words that haven't been internalized.

In my family, all the children are told about what sex is around the age of 5. Knowing about sex is as natural as knowing where chicken eggs come from. It is not a taboo subject. However, it IS presented within the light of moral standards and beliefs, backed by a belief in God and HIS standards. Although none of us are perfect, most remained virgins until marriage.

The problem doesn't lie in sex education: No matter WHAT the method is. The problem is the rot within our society and our lack of conscience. And no education in the world will remedy that.

7 comments:

michelle said...

My son asked me how he got out of my tummy. I had a c -section so I showed him my scar and told him the doctor performed surgery...

At 5 he asked me how he got inside my tummy. We went to the library for a few books.

No he talks about babies and family. We talk about mom and dad and love. We go to church so we talk about God, man, and woman.

We don't go far in the conversation because after a few sentences he is on to something else. I believe that what is important is to be honest when asked. Start out slow so that you don't give info the child is not ready for, but be prepared to answer all of the childs questions.

Saur♥Kraut said...

Michelle, exactly. Excellent!

Anonymous said...

You have to believe in a set of values - right and wrong - for anything to work. People don;t understand that and they keep thinking they know what's best. They don't only when you submit yourself to an authority, will it work. People either don't want to give up that or don't want to admit they were wrong.

~Jef

Dave said...

Saur,

The Lord really looked out for me because I have almost no self control, I had acne, glasses and nappy hair (prior to hair products). The girls wouldn't get near me so I was able to concentrate on my studies.

The Lazy Iguana said...

The whole premise of the abstinence only theory is flawed.

Those behind the movement like to get children into it early, but do they stay into it? Yea at 8 years old it is easy to say stuff - but then at 18 maybe not so much.

So what happens? People end up breaking the pledge. But some are so sucked into the movement that they do not use any birth control, because buying such things indicate a larger sin because you are clearly thinking about it before hand.

Or they end up getting married so they can have sex without it angering God. And then 6 months later they are divorced because at 17 or 18 nobody can afford to be married.

The Republicans know that it does not work, but they are so held hostage by the militant movement that they dare not speak what they know.

Daniel Hoffmann-Gill said...

Abstinance is flawed because love to fuck.

Anonymous said...

Saur:

You hit it on the head. It is the rot in the society, which is caused by many families who are either neglegent on teaching proper sexual mores, or teach a "take what you can get" morality. And since DHG illustrates the crux of the issue, unmitigated pleasure is our god. Any attempt to stop this "natural" drive is flawed. There is no pleasure quite like an orgasm, especially for men. And when you live for pleasure, then any moral system that protects this pleasure is put in place.

This is why we have birth control; you can have orgasms without having babies; sex for procreation is reduced to sex for recreation. You have abortion, in case the BC doesnt' work. 60% of women who get abortions, have had more than one and get them because their BC failed. Next is no fault divorce. If hubby likes to be horizontal with secretary, and vice versa, no fault divorces remove the sting of humiliation of being "the one" who caused it.

Now when young people date, they're not only worried about finding Mr. Right, they hope to find "Mr. Clean!" STD's are growing at such an alarming rate that soon it will be out of control. Pharmaceudical companies are creating drugs to help control Herpes "flare-ups" so those "blessed" with diseased genitalia from their silent dirty partner can cope.

HOW DO THESE PEOPLE COPE? HOW DO THEY TELL THE ONES THEY ARE ABOUT TO MARRY THAT THEY HAVE HAD SEX AND CONTRACTED SYPHILIS? EGAD!!!

sigh.