As a former so-called “comprehensive” sex-education teacher, I have come to understand that there are two major hindrances for young people in the area of sexual decision making. First, youth lack an appreciation of their intrinsic value, and second, they need informed judgement regarding sexual decisions.
Young people are unaware and therefore blinded to the painful consequences of sex such as unintended pregnancy, abortion, lifelong disease, and emotional trauma that last a lifetime.
How did we get here?
If we look at just the past 50 or 60 years, and the so called “sexual revolution” of the late 1960s and early 1970s, we see a cultural shift that was promoted by elite academic types like Alfred Kinsey and Planned Parenthood founder Margaret Sanger – both of whom intended to break down any moral context surrounding sex.
This debased, uncontrolled view of sex … is why we see an epidemic of sex trafficking, sexual assault, sexual violence and gender confusion.
Contrary to popular opinion, this did not lead to sexual freedom or “free love” without consequences. Rather, we saw the spread of gonorrhea and syphilis. In the 1970s, came herpes and later human papilloma virus and HIV/AIDS – all of which resulted it the devastation of many lives.
And let’s not forget the deaths of more than 62 million unborn U.S. babies killed through abortion since 1973. The unrealized human potential is incomprehensible.
Humanity has paid an enormous price by following careless, unrestrained beliefs about sex and sexuality. Sexual freedom was a lie!
Instead, this debased, uncontrolled view of sex has resulted in a society where one in four girls and one in six boys are sexually abused. It’s why we see an epidemic of sex trafficking, sexual assault, sexual violence and gender confusion.
As a nation, we are absolutely double minded about this subject. We shake our heads when perpetrators groom children in order to eventually abuse them sexually. At the same time, we see public schools, like the recent events in Fairbanks, caught teaching children how to pleasure others and themselves. This is madness! Surely, I am not alone in seeing the utter hypocrisy and unawareness this demonstrates.
The Planned-Parenthood-styled so-called “comprehensive sex-education” approach does not instruct young people about their intrinsic value.
We need a new sexual revolution, one focused on self-restraint and respect for oneself and others. To start, we must clearly define the purpose of sex and the meaning of sexuality.
Although I knew what physical sex was as a young person, I didn’t really understand sexuality or its value and purpose. No one in my world taught this. It took personal life experiences to bring clarity.
First, in my twenties, as a child of the 70’s, I was trained to teach birth control in school classrooms and clinical settings. Here, sexual activity was definitely condoned. I spoke with skill and confidence about the efficacy of various birth control methods and how they could prevent pregnancy, and possibly disease. I was a true believer!
A few years later, however, I was trained to teach Natural Family Planning and I had a powerful “ah-ha” moment. As I learned of the miraculous way a woman’s body works to create life, my eyes were opened to two truths. I saw the awe-inspiring power of God’s creative design for life, and I realized how utterly futile humans are in their feeble attempts to work against his plan. I discovered that sexuality has value and purpose because God created it.
ALASKA WATCHMAN DIRECT TO YOUR INBOX
As a young woman I did not understand this fundamental truth, nor my intrinsic value as a person. As a result, using sex to meet my needs devalued my sexuality – and my very being.
I know firsthand, that the Planned-Parenthood-styled so-called “comprehensive sex-education” approach does not instruct young people about their intrinsic value.
By the early 90’s, I was a young mom with small children – two in public school. A friend shared a book with me called, “Has Sex Education Failed our Teenagers?” This was a research report written by Dinah Richard and published by Focus on the Family. It clearly detailed why Planned Parenthood’s comprehensive sex education was a complete failure, and showed why abstinence education was a far healthier alternative.
Abstinence? What is that? What an eye-opening revelation.
I could see how this was absolutely the solution to preventing abortion and many other painful and traumatic consequences that sexual experiences can cause.
As God would have it, several months later I found myself heading up an abstinence education program in Southern California. For nine years, we taught thousands of teens in public middle and high schools to understand the value and purpose of sex and sexuality, while also directing them, through facts and personal stories, to abstain until marriage.
Despite living in a culture that aggressively promotes a distorted view of sex, most teens we taught had a change of heart.
The chart above is based off our student surveys after teaching four-day abstinence education programs. It shows how youth changed their beliefs about sex.
As you can see, prior to our program most youth were undecided on the question of sex before marriage. Yet, after an open conversation which provided them with facts, stories, and encouragement to protect their futures, many migrated away from previous views about sex and were willing to wait. Encouraging, isn’t it? There is hope.
If you would like more information, please comment and I will follow up with you.
The views expressed here are those of the author.
