Many states adopted abstinence-only education in return for federal funding, but 13 years after Congress designed the programs in 1996, teen pregnancy rates are on the rise and critics say kids are simply not listening to the abstinence-only message.
"It's bad — we have the ninth-highest pregnancy rate in the country and it's clear that our students need more information," said Emily Pelino, education director for the Adolescent Pregnancy Prevention Campaign of North Carolina (APPCNC).
Quote taken from here.
A good example to remind the church that while it's nice when the schools reinforce what is taught in the church, the church cannot and should not look to the world to carry forth it's mission.
It shouldn't surprise us at times when teaching abstinence only education in schools apart from the foundations of righteousness, of honoring God, of accountability along with the reality of new life in Christ and power through his Spirit that pregnancy rates may go up.
The problem is not just students needing "more information", for contraceptives and the like will only mask the sin and curtail some of the outward physical consequences, but not solve either the root issues or problems.
This path of alternating secular education can continue in a pendulum effect forever, and while the world may continue on it's path and go it's own ways, let the church be light and a voice of truth leading to holiness, happiness and God honoring living and lifestyles for those who will hear and overcome. Praise be to God for his truth and for the promise and power that comes through his Son, the risen Lord!
......
Type rest of the post here
......
All right good, I was heading in the right direction. I've been thinking for a while about whether I should a priori believe abstinence only should work, and I thought back to Bahnsen's classes titled History Of Western Philosophy. The idea of simply teaching "don't have sex, it’s bad" (as well as "don't do drugs, it’s bad") reminded me of Rousseau's "noble savage" idea, as well as (tell me I'm not wrong) Aristotle's belief that education, simply giving people knowledge, would make better people. Neither of them take into account man’s fallen nature.
ReplyDeleteOf course, the funny thing is that liberals present their argument as a dilemma. You must either believe abstinence only education works, or that "hey kids, we're going to teach you how to avoid all the consequences of sex, including those nasty babies, but we're not quite encouraging you to have sex by handing out condoms or anything" education works.