Color me completely un-surprised.
In the professional journal Pediatrics, a study was released about teen pregnancy and tv viewing. It states that there's a link between the amount of sexual content that children see and the likelihood that they will become pregnant or father a child.
And how much money did the researchers spend on discovering this "gem" of knowledge?
That's like researching whether or not kids who are exposed to candy commercials are more likely to eat candy.
If all you see on television is one storyline after another of illicit affairs, liaisons in the office, and afternoon trysts before mom and dad get home, then you'll begin to think it's "normal." Endless pleasure with no negative consequences. And that's what this generation of teenagers is being exposed to, no pun intended.
For me, this story is not really news. It's something I've just understood. I could get a bit cynical about the decision-making ability of people who fund such projects.
Instead, I let it be a reminder to me. This news "story" underscores the importance of talking to girls about sexuality. Not just telling them "no." Not just rattling off statistics about STDs and teen pregnancy. But telling them why purity matters. How giving up their innocence can impact them for years to come. Explaining God's design for sexuality--that it is a gift to be experienced in the right context. And the blessings they can enjoy in the long-run because they didn't give into the immediate temptation.
You and I need to be a voice. We need to be willing to talk to girls honestly. We need to be willing to answer their questions and listen to their struggles as the wrestle with the truth of Scripture against the culture that surrounds them with opposing viewpoints. We need to talk about what those shows aren't telling teens.
And we need to keep talking. If the only voice girls hear comes from the O.C. and Grey's Anatomy, then we're all in serious trouble.
So how does your church guide girls to develop a lifestyle of purity? Let me know!
TV has helped to make our society so indifferent to sin. We either laugh about it, which is the intended motive, or we are exposed so many times we become numb to it. I remember when I actually used to blush when I saw people kissing on TV.
Growing up, I was told the truth about saving myself for marriage but not why purity was so important. Kids are curious and they always want to know why.
We talk about it, and talk about it, and talk about it some more. We talk about purity in big groups. We talk about it in small groups. We talk about purity in mixed gender groups. We talk about purity in girls only and guys only groups. And you know what, we need to keep talking about it.
Those of us who have been in ministry a while tend to get tired of this particular area. But our kiddos are being so bombarded with unholy messages in this realm that I am convinced we can't talk about it enough.
As married adults who no longer have to think about these issues as much (praise God!) our tendency can be to check purity off our topic list once a year. That's not what the world is doing. They are talking about sex ALL THE TIME. Let's try to keep pace. As you pointed out, the ramifications of failing to do so are huge and obvious.