When the relaxing moment turns into the right moment.
Posted on May 9th, 2006 by catalyst into the Uncategorized categoryChris Snethen sent me the latest analysis on "abstinence pledges". Evidently, a lot of kids sign these pledges promising to practice abstinence and then break the pledge within the next year:
The analysis found that 52 percent of adolescent virginity pledgers in the 1995 survey disavowed the virginity pledge at the next survey a year later.
Who knows how they got this statistic. But having attended a Christian High School, I have to say it is probably true. I think most kids really do intend to practice abstinence after signing this pledge. Unfortunately, when the relaxing moment turns into the right moment, a pledge card is not going to stop sex. You need a chastity belt.
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May 9th, 2006 at 2:40 pm
yeah… they should issue condoms out with those pledges…
Once you are asked not to do something it usually happens pretty quickly after…
Forbidden fruit syndrome?
May 9th, 2006 at 3:31 pm
This doesn’t surprise me, either. Pledges don’t work in the heat of the moment. Other people’s beliefs don’t work in the heat of the moment. Truth does. Real information and understanding about the implications of sexual experiences and relationships. Potential emotional, relational, mental, and physical implications, both in the immediate aftermath and long-term. I’ve always believed in giving young people true, authentic, valid, credible information that they can process and make decisions upon. Then, just avoid “relaxing moments” altogether, until the moment is truly right (aka marriage).
May 9th, 2006 at 4:22 pm
Did Jesus sign an abstinence pledge before him and Mary Magdalene got it on? I would think with all the easy access to free wine that there would be alot of “relaxing moments”.
May 9th, 2006 at 4:24 pm
“Avoid Relaxing Moment”?
I don’t think so.
May 9th, 2006 at 5:59 pm
FP, my “avoid relaxing moment” comment is meant for those who wish to abstain, not those who are married or who have no intention of abstaining.
Yes, Jesus probably had lots of “relaxing moments,” but since he wasn’t inclined to sin, the wine-relaxing was not a prelude to __________.
May 9th, 2006 at 6:47 pm
Thanks for the link - Karen is a Home Ec / Family Consumer Science teacher of high school students … for several weeks now, she’s been sending her Parenting class kids home with “think it over” babies - and just today had an incident with another teacher and administrator over the educational value of the project. The kids have to take care of the babies for 24 hours, but other teachers protest the interruption of their classes when a baby cries. They’ve taken Karen to task through the admin … the apathy and short-sightedness is unbelieveable.
FFTM, consistent with your observations, the kids who have to take care of a baby get a real eye-opener about parenthood and the potential consequences of sex. While it doesn’t necessarily prevent sexual activity, it does cause them to think twice, and at least use protection.
At least someone is benefitting from Abstinence Education.
May 9th, 2006 at 7:01 pm
They should offer those classes for married men as well.
Now that I know the outcome of sex I have a real love/hate relationship with my…
…self.
(Just joking kids… in case any of you ever learn to read)
May 10th, 2006 at 6:21 am
Does this mean you’re done pannicking?
May 10th, 2006 at 10:50 am
The “right moment” is different for all… Is it not?
How can we generalize love so easily and act like as long as we make sex before marriage “taboo” then things will be all nice and tidy?
Once people know the taste of love it is easy for them to say “Oh, just avoid the moments”
BUT, the thing is, these moments happen when you don’t plan them. They are for all intensive purposes, a moment of worship. Two humans completely overwhelmed with desires that they never knew existed until the last moment.
Until a person has felt all those feelings, I feel it is actually detrimental for a young person to be told to “avoid the moment” ect.
“Avoiding the moment” is like a national movement these days tho isn’t it? Everyone! Watch reality shows!!! That way you can avoid the reality taking place all over the world! Yay
May 10th, 2006 at 11:04 am
If you can’t see “the moment” coming then you probably have nothing to worry about… your virginity is safe.
May 10th, 2006 at 11:40 am
When the moment comes IT is god! And IT is good. Some just have different expectations of what that moment will be.
I would guess that alot of us are here because of these “moments”. lol
May 11th, 2006 at 8:31 am
How many of these pledgers went to Generation Unleashed? That’s where purity is really found.
“I will never be the same again
I can never returned, I’ve closed the door
I will fight the fight, I’ll run the race
but I will never be the same again”.
I know I never was.
May 18th, 2006 at 1:46 pm
Awhile back I read a book of sermons by John G. Lake. In one of them he said he regarded the words of Christ as the supreme court of scripture. That struck me as a good idea. Why is it that so many times it seems like the IC does just the opposite? Matt. 5:34, Jesus says to take no oath at all. But they say “make a pledge”? Matt. 23:10, Jesus says, “And do not be called leaders”. The church bookstore is full of volumes about leadership! Matt. 6:19, Jesus says, “Do not lay up for yourselves treasures upon earth.” They say God wants to make you financially rich!
In Luke 11:2 Jesus said, ” When you pray, say: Father, hallowed be Thy name.” When they pray, they teach you how to go into the tabernacle of Moses! I could go on, but you get the point. There seems to be a real disconnect when it comes to doing what Jesus said to do.
May 18th, 2006 at 2:33 pm
It’s à la carte Christianity baby - why, it’s done more for the growth of Christianity than Christ himself …
Just think of the possibilities:
Don’t like ‘repentence souffle’? Try a heapin’ helpin’ of ‘grace au gratin’ instead …
May 19th, 2006 at 2:11 pm
Still & all, on a number of occasions, I have heard plaintive prayers from the pulpit, crying, “God, we need you! Will you come and visit this place,
we are desperate for YOU!” Does it NEVER occur to actually DO WHAT JESUS said to do? (insert my previous post here for example)
John 14:15 seems appropriate, “If you love Me, you will keep My commandments.” John 7:17 & 18 is a good reference also.