Do Christians support sexual health education for teenagers

[Dave-W]

Seriously! In a world where we're reeling from the clergy sexual abuse crisis, it is not a good idea to ask clergy to teach kids about sex!

No - I actually do understand why that is a "minefield." And I agree that the climate of abuse is complicating that. But that does not mean it is something that should be avoided. Perhaps it could be delegated to trustworthy congregants who are parents themselves, but still under pastoral authority.

And maybe it needs to be taught to the parents and single adults FIRST to make sure everyone is on the same page.

 

[Paidiske]

No - just seriously, no. It's not my job to teach kids about sex, about STDs and contraceptives, all of that. It really isn't. It's not part of the church's mission (at least, not in countries where such education is readily available elsewhere; I could see a case in situations where it was that or stark ignorance).

Supporting parents as they navigate this, yes, okay, I can see a case for that. But I don't want that responsibility and I see no Biblical or traditional mandate for it to fall to me.

 

[RDKirk]

Actually, it should be.

If there are dysfunctions there, it usually will lead to other problems in the marriage and eventually can end in separation or divorce. So then the pastor is left to sweep up pieces of shattered lives. If he/she can address it early on, a lot of heartache and tsuris can be avoided.

"The pastor," no.

But we don't see the pastor in that role in the NT church. Rather, what we see are older men discipling younger men and older women discipling younger women, teaching them all to be husbands and wives good for one another. It takes the church.

 

[Dave-W]

But we don't see the pastor in that role in the NT church.

???? I see a LOT on the pastor's plate in the New Testament.

Rather, what we see are older men discipling younger men and older women discipling younger women, teaching them all to be husbands and wives good for one another.

Correct. But read what Paul said about that:

2 Timothy 2:2
The things which you have heard from me in the presence of many witnesses, entrust these to faithful men who will be able to teach others also.​

Note it starts from the apostle - who trains the pastor who in turn trains others in the congregation. It all goes (at the local congregational level) thru the pastor.

 

[Paidiske]

I hardly think Paul was talking about sex ed.

 

[RDKirk]

???? I see a LOT on the pastor's plate in the New Testament.

Correct. But read what Paul said about that:

2 Timothy 2:2
The things which you have heard from me in the presence of many witnesses, entrust these to faithful men who will be able to teach others also.​

Note it starts from the apostle - who trains the pastor who in turn trains others in the congregation. It all goes (at the local congregational level) thru the pastor.

Do you really think Paul expected Timothy to teach the men how to handle menstruation?

If Paul meant for men to teach women how to be godly women, why did Paul explicitly give that role to older women?

 

[Dave-W]

Do you really think Paul expected Timothy to teach the men how to handle menstruation?

Who was it that wrote all the rabbinic regulations on that subject in that day and age? Men.

Even today in orthodox Jewish circles:

 

[Paidiske]

Yeah, but that's purity code stuff. It's not things like avoiding toxic shock syndrome.

 

[RDKirk]

Who was it that wrote all the rabbinic regulations on that subject in that day and age? Men.

Even today in orthodox Jewish circles:

Why do you think Paul put all that on Gentiles?

 

[Dave-W]

Why do you think Paul put all that on Gentiles?

Wrong forum for that discussion.

 

[RDKirk]

Wrong forum for that discussion.

No, it isn't. Paul's ministry was to the Gentiles--he said so. You've been quoting Paul's instructions to Timothy for use by the congregations Paul established. What anywhere in the NT gives you the idea that Paul set Talmudic teaching on the Gentile congregations he established?

 

[Dave-W]

No, it isn't. Paul's ministry was to the Gentiles--he said so. You've been quoting Paul's instructions to Timothy for use by the congregations Paul established. What anywhere in the NT gives you the idea that Paul set Talmudic teaching on the Gentile congregations he established?

This forum is about egalitarian christians - the male/female divide; NOT the Jew/Gentile divide. As we have drifted into that, it is becoming increasingly off topic and that specific discussion will take it even further off topic.

 

[Dave-W]

You've been quoting Paul's instructions to Timothy for use by the congregations Paul established.

In the topic of Sex Ed - which was a general principle of the local pastor being responsible for the entire well-being of the congregation - including sex ed.

This thread is about sex ed.

 

[Dave-W]

What anywhere in the NT gives you the idea that Paul set Talmudic teaching on the Gentile congregations he established?

Go ask that in the Messianic forum. IMO it is probably the only legit place to answer it.

 

[RDKirk]

Go ask that in the Messianic forum. IMO it is probably the only legit place to answer it.

You were the one who brought that into the discussion.

 

[Dave-W]

You were the one who brought that into the discussion.

Only that Paul put Timothy - a local pastor - in charge of all of that. You were the one who started the whole Jew Gentile discussion.

 

[RDKirk]

Only that Paul put Timothy - a local pastor - in charge of all of that. You were the one who started the whole Jew Gentile discussion.

You included Talmudic doctrine into Paul's instruction to Timothy. That certainly opened the question of whether Paul did introduce Talmudic doctrine into Paul's instruction to Timothy.

 

[Paidiske]

I don't think it's off topic. Given that

a) the extent to which you think Jewish teaching/practice should be Christian also, affects questions of gender, and

b) the topic on this thread is "Do Christians support..." and Messianic Christians can certainly offer their particular perspective under that heading.

 

[Citizen of the Kingdom]

"The pastor," no.

But we don't see the pastor in that role in the NT church. Rather, what we see are older men discipling younger men and older women discipling younger women, teaching them all to be husbands and wives good for one another. It takes the church.

Oh please. If they are not teaching everyone to be a fit companion to Christ instead of man then what good is it. That's a very lopsided argument.

 

[RDKirk]

Oh please. If they are not teaching everyone to be a fit companion to Christ instead of man then what good is it. That's a very lopsided argument.

What?