Health Buzz: Virginity Pledges and Other Health News
Reader Comments
Using God's gift of sex & His gift of a good mind
The study did not compare pledge takers with non pledge takers, but pledge takers with other teens who also were likely to delay sex. So they are comparing one group of people who are trying to remain pure with another larger group who is trying to do the same thing. Not against the general population. It is also not a study on the effectiveness of abstinence programs. I also agree with M of MA above re the study data.
"The researcher was careful to only compare teens who had similar views on religion, birth control and sex in general, regardless of whether or not they took a pledge."
above quote from CNN:
Virginity pledges don't mean much, study says
http://www.cnn.com/2008/HEALTH/12/30/virginity.pledges/
"Previous research found that those who take virginity pledges are more likely to wait to have sex than those who don't take such pledges. But this study used a different statistical method from earlier studies, which allowed researchers to compare pledge takers with non-pledge takers who were likely to delay having sex; it also didn't cover teens who weren't likely to take virginity pledges, HealthDay reports."
Your body and sexuality in general are powerful, wonderful gifts from God. As with every good thing He gives, people can hurt themselves and others by improperly using His gift OR bless themselves and others (especially those close, like spouses and children) by accepting it and using His gift the way He designed. :-)
I've always thought that a pledge or a promise cannot be the sum of abstinence programs. (Which I'm sure they're not.) A pledge only made because it's what "should" be done without a real understanding of why it is better and healthier to wait, how not to set yourself up for failure (by putting yourself in tempting situations or listening to/watching explicit material) and how to develop a relationship with someone who will not cajole you into something you'll regret later but instead completely respects you, your decision, and your body.
It's also extremely helpful to have a healthy relationship with supportive friends and parents. Lastly and most importantly, through a relationship with God through Jesus, God gives a person strength and wisdom to resist temptation and to enjoy this gift the way He planned. :-)
CNN has a detailed information on this study at http://www.cnn.com/2008/HEALTH/12/30/virginity.pledges/
virginity pledges
From what I remember about being a teenager, hormones go into overdrive and nothing anyone says or does can change the outcome. Sex is natural and we are mammals, so trying to fight nature does not work. Giving older teens the information and access to birth control is not only smart, it should be a right. 90% of abortions probably result from teens not using birth control, or not having access to it. This must change! Hopefully, people on the right will start facing reality, rather than questioning the survey or information and disputing it. This is reality, folks, and ignoring it won't be good for anyone. Virginity pledges are stupid and ineffective.
Pledging
I think that pledging not to have sex probably makes it a whole lot sexier to have sex -- it is then forbidden, sort of a Romeo and Juliet vibe.
It is much more practical and just as helpful for a teen to make a pragmatic self-agreement not to have sexual intercourse until college.
The only people who wait to have sex until they get married are people who never get married and those that are actually gay. Get real.
There is only one pledge
The only "pledge" worth having or doing is the one the virgin boy whispers in the virgin girl's ear that he promises he won't ask her to go to far---and that he will protect her from having to be the one saying no.
As for wearing purity ring "signage", no thanks.
Its worked for my family...
Abstinence worked for my wife and I. It worked for my brothers and sisters. Its worked for many, many people I know...
But I'm Mormon, so maybe it "doesn't count".
Fasting
Fasting is the cure to lust.
the purity ring should not be the motivating force behind pledging abstinence. it is the wrong carrot so to speak...har har
its a nice gesture but it is really defeating the purpose of pledging abstinence. and abstinence is really only meant for people who have sexual addictios.
chastity is something that everyone is called to no matter their state in life or marital status or sexual orientation. that pretty much covers all situations for all people. chastity.
Oooh, what a shock
The trouble is that these programs don't teach young women how to abstain. If I were running an abstinence program, I'd have the final exam administered by George Clooney. He takes you out on this great date and you both get drunk and then you go park someplace. Nobody would pass but I bet I'd clean up.
30 years wasted
abstinence was proven ineffective back in the early 80s, but this fact was ignored by Reagan and the Bushes. perhaps now we can stop regressing and start moving forward after wasting 30 years repeating mistakes because some insist on living in fantasy land? teenagers are going to have sex. get used to it, and supply information and contraception. any other approach is asinine and as this study proves *again* Does. Not. Work.
Can't Fight Nature
How arrogant to think that millions of years of throbbing evolution can be controlled with a silly little ring.
