Should Teens Remain Sexually Pure?

By Melissa Crosby Eagle Christian High School D id you know that in America, by their 15th birthday, 18 percent of girls and 27 percent of boys have had sexual intercourse, and by their 17th birthday, 52 percent of girls and 58 percent of boys have had sexual intercourse? (1) Did you know that by age 18, 43 percent of churched youth have engaged in sexual intercourse, and another 18 percent have fondled breasts or genitals? (2) Teens are under constant pressure from today's society to be sexually active. We see sexuality and promiscuity encouraged in virtually all aspects of contemporary culture. The general message we see promoted on television and in the music we listen to, is that casual sex without long-term commitments is fun, freeing, and satisfying, and that anyone who does not express their sexuality freely must be repressed, sick, or prudish. The media has left out an important message, however, about casual sexual activity and promiscuity among youths. The media, which is so eager to educate America's youth about sex, has not even attempted to educate them of the risks they run every time they engage in premarital sex. First, there is the large, ever-present risk of contracting sexually transmitted diseases (or STD's) such as chlamydia, gonorrhea, AIDS, and many more. Approximately 12 million new cases of STD's, 3 million of them among teenagers, occur annually in the USA. (3) Medical studies have also shown that, compared to older women, female adolescents and young women are more susceptible to cervical infections such as gonorrhea and chlamydial infection, because the cervix of female adolescents and young women is especially sensitive to certain sexually transmitted organisms (3). That puts the youth at an even greater risk of contracting STD's. Maybe that is why 50% of the cases of chlamydia reported by the CDC are in teenagers, (4) and in some studies, up to 30-40% of sexually active adolescent females studied have been infected (3). One of the ways teenagers try to prevent this is by using condoms. First, I am sure that most youths are not aware of the fact that condoms have a 26% breakage or slippage rate. (5) But in addition to that, the natural pores in the rubber's surface are not small enough to prevent viruses from penetrating, although they may give some protection from STD's caused by bacteria which are much larger than viruses. That means that condoms give very little protection from STD's caused by viruses, such as the AIDS virus. Another of the risks teens run every time they engage in sexual activities, is the risk of getting pregnant, which opens up a whole new world of difficulties and hard choices. Each year in the U.S., more than one million teenagers become pregnant. (6) One common way teenagers try to prevent this from happening is by using condoms which, as we already know, have a 26% rate of breakage and slippage. In fact, studies have shown that 50% of women who have abortions were using condoms or other forms of birth control. (7) Another popular way teens try to keep from becoming pregnant is by using birth control pills. The failure rate for these are 1-13%, but there are many serious health risks that come with the use of these pills. These include abnormal blood clotting and heart attacks, cervical and breast cancer, gallbladder disease, ovarian cysts, and hemorrhaging. Side effects include headaches, dizziness, acne, weight gain, nausea, anxiety, nervousness, menstrual irregularities, vaginal infections, hair loss, and depression. (8) Many teens who are sexually active are merely looking for love, acceptance, and psychological security that they are not receiving in the home. Despite what our society is constantly portraying to today's youth, premarital sex and promiscuity will not help one's emotional stability. Rather, studies have shown that sexually active teenagers are more likely to be prone to alcohol abuse and illegal drugs, and are more likely to have trouble in school, and sexually active girls are more likely to be depressed, have low self esteem, feel lonely, or attempt suicide. (9) Last, but certainly not least, premarital sex and promiscuity are sins. 1Thessalonisns 4:3-4 says, "It is God's will that you should be sanctified: that you should avoid sexual immorality; that each of you should learn to control his own body in a way that is holy and honorable". 1Corinthians 4:8 says to "flee from sexual immorality" because our bodies are temples of the living God, and Ephesians 5:3 says that among us "there must not be even a hint of sexual immorality, or of any kind of impurity". God did not set these rules for us to spoil our fun. He wanted sex to be the best, most enjoyable, and most satisfying experience for us that it could be. Going against these rules by allowing ourselves to become sexually impure, does nothing but plant fear, suspicion, hurt, and cause physical pain and illness. That is why I think teens should remain sexually pure until marriage. FOOTNOTES 1. Child Trends Inc., a Washington, D.C. research organization. 2. Josh McDowell's "Why Wait?" study in the late 1980s on teen sexual attitudes and behavior in the evangelical church. 3. "The Hidden Epidemic - Confronting Sexually Transmitted Disease", 1997 (National Academy Press, Washington, D.C.:39) 4. Morbidity and Mortality Weekly Report 1996" (CDC Infectious Disease List of 1995, 45:883-4). 5. Robert Knight, "Fact Sheet on Condom Effectiveness", The Heritage Foundation, Washington, D.C., 11/11/91. 6. Henshaw, S.K., research note in forthcoming issue of Family Planning Perspectives. 7. James Trussell, David Lee Warner, and Robert A Hatcher, "Condom Slippage and Breakage Rates", Family Planning Perspectives, 1~2/92, pp. 20~23. 8. WWW.epigee.com- Christian non-profit organization in Los Angeles, California. 9. Student Leadership Journal- February 1991 issue; researchers at Indiana University.