Don't answer a question with a question, we've been told. Here's another question for you, then. Does anyone expect teens to remain chaste? Is it a great expectation?
Of course I have my opinions about each of these questions and they are not popular. Having the audacity to hope my child remains chaste would be worth dedicating time, energy, parenting, training, disappointments, fights, misunderstandings, and everything else that is not illegal, to me.
America is not responsible for raising our children. She has other responsibilities to them and is failing in numerous ways. She is also maintaining and succeeding in others. The economy would be an example of the former and this country not being a war zone is another. Those examples illustrate my point.
We have allowed the entertainment industry to adversely influence our youth. Parents have been influenced by this industry and from one generation to another, like osmosis, it has seeped into the moral fabric of families and caused deterioration in family traditions.
Why would any parent, knowing the facts about life not attempt to lead their teenager along the path of a nonsexual relationship until marriage? Is it really too much to ask? I feel it is worth the attempt.
Undue stress emerges when your little girl tells you she isn't pretty enough and needs plastic surgery. A son who secretly takes performance enhancing drugs to buff up because he feels he doesn't measure up, is undue stress. I would not consider dealing with sexual urges undue stress. I may have to retract that. If finding another kid to release those urges can eliminate them, it might be considered undue stress. Why suffer when relief is readily available, one might think.
The sexual messages society sends to our teens are very strong and sadly, unrealistic. The backdrop for sexual scenes with soft music playing, dozens of already lit candles, and two actors pretending to be in love, well, that isn't even a requirement anymore, in lust is more like it, and sends the wrong message. Magically the volume of the music intensifies as the scene progresses and come morning, no one brushes their teeth before another scene begins. How gross is that?
Adults fall for these scenes. Imagine what this does to confused raging hormones in teens? They think it's real and do not consider their feelings to be false but real, too. And asking them to consider real feelings before being manipulated by rich producers is undue stress?
Somebody has to speak out. Passing passions won't preserve their future. Using one's sexuality the way God intended is not a tradeoff. Being sexually active without hesitation is trading Christ for sex. What will it profit someone to gain sexual freedom and lose their soul? Being the ship's captain is far superior to being a the hired help below deck.
Teens should face due stress in passing exams, scoring high on standardize tests, and other achievements. Making the cheering squad, Varsity basketball team, getting into technical or cosmetology school, graduating from university with honors and getting picked up by the company of their choice-all these things should cause a healthy amount of stress. Nothing that society pushes on them should qualify. Nothing that strips them of their innocence when they are not mentally, physically, spiritually and financially able to handle, should qualify either.
I am only one woman. If I were every woman . . .
Copyright 2009 by Avis Ward of
AvisWard.com
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