Given the current administration's stance on abstinence sex education programs, this story would be quite a shock to our political leaders: tinyurl.com/cfdy8e. The gist is this: A couple in Tennessee kissed for the first time when the pastor said, "you may kiss the bride."
While I'm not too keen on the term "virigin lips movement," I am intrigued this article. It flies in the face of those who say that "kids can't control themselves." And that sexual activity is a given.
Obviously they can. And apparently it's not.
I'm not advocating anything here, but it does give me pause to think.
I thought about the most common question about dating: "How far is too far?" The standard answer that I hear, see, or read most often is "anything but kissing is a bad idea." I don't like that answer. Never have. For some people, kissing is a very sensual act, leading to thoughts (and actions) that go nowhere good. (Some have even called kissing the "gateway drug" to sexual activity.)
My challenge to girls is to value their purity and their future spouse and not to get involved in anything that will compromise their purity, even if it means saying no to kissing. That's not a very popular answer for teens who want to walk on the edge as much as possible.
Some girls would take up the "virgfin lips movement" with gusto, standing strong on their value systems and their purity. They love to rebel against the idea that they are walking hormones in flip flops and that sex is nothing more than a rite of passage in high school (or junior high--or even elementary school).
On the other hand, some people would use this idea as a club by which to beat girls' spirits down and set up a legalistic standard that girls would feel doomed to miss. But we can't ignore the issue and think that girls will make good decisions on their own.
The truth is that presenting a godly perspective on sexuality will be very unpopular in today's culture. But as leaders, we have a choice: We can support, encourage, and challenge girls in their pursuit of purity. And talk about it often. (You don't tell a two-year-old to stay away from a hot stove once. You keep repeating the message.) Or we can let culture be the only voice and reap the consequences.
What do you think of the "virgin lips movement"?
When I was in college, I did a group project with a guy who was engaged and he told us that he and his fiancee had decided not to ever kiss until their wedding day. At first, we all thought they were CRAZY! But I came to respect that commitment. It was honorable. It showed such respect for both people involved and their desire to honor God with purity.
There are so many things in this world that lead us down a path toward impurity and we don't even realize it! The older I get,the more I realize how giving up the little battles start us down a path that often leads to sorrow and despair.
I know a guy who waited for his first kiss to be with his wife on their wedding day. His wife said she had not waited, but there was this sense of security or trust with him that she had never experienced with anyone else. She knew on their wedding day (and now in their marriage) that he doesn't compare her to anyone else, because there is no one else. With all the insecurities we can have swirling around in our heads--what a great gift to give your spouse--the security of knowing they are not being compared to anyone else.