No Sex Please, We're Teenagers

[rebel_conservative]

Did anyone see this last night on BBC 2?
http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/entertainment/tv_and_radio/4185498.stm

I thought it was pretty good, but it could have been better, stressing more strongly the positive aspects of purity and not the difficulties and problems. there are another two shows in the series, I'll be watching

 

[fruitrach]

Yep, fantastic I thought. Great to see some of today's teenagers trying a different way to live.

 

[NJA]

Trying to make them live the Christian way without them first receiving the Spirit is not the Christian way, it's law.

Col:2:21: (Touch not; taste not; handle not;
:22: Which all are to perish with the using) after the commandments and doctrines of men . .
:23: Which things have indeed a shew of wisdom in will worship, and humility, and neglecting of the body; not in any honour to the satisfying of the flesh.

 

[rebel_conservative]

Trying to make them live the Christian way without them first receiving the Spirit is not the Christian way, it's law.

Col:2:21: (Touch not; taste not; handle not;
:22: Which all are to perish with the using) after the commandments and doctrines of men . .
:23: Which things have indeed a shew of wisdom in will worship, and humility, and neglecting of the body; not in any honour to the satisfying of the flesh.

whilst I agree in general, I am sorry, but I have to disagree with regards to the Noahide Laws. I believe that the Seven Laws of Noah apply to all people and nations at all times -

"Seven commandments were the sons of Noah commanded: (1) concerning adjudication, (2) and concerning idolatry, (3) and concerning blasphemy, (4) and concerning sexual immorality, (5) and concerning bloodshed, (6) and concerning robbery, (7) and concerning a limb torn from a living animal" -- (Talmud Sanh.56a).

just as we forbid murder and robbery (and nominally blasphemy, but the powers that be refuse to prosecute) we can -and should- discourage our non-Christian youth from the paths of sin and impurity.

abstinence does not have to be a religious issue, it can be about self-respect, health, mental well-being, there are a great many motivations and social and personal benefits.

I am not sure if you watched the programme, but several of the memers of the group have already made steps closer to God as a result of their experiences

 

[Jacobboy]

hopefully this will open up discussion for other aspects of moral purity. lol.

 

[rebel_conservative]

hopefully this will open up discussion for other aspects of moral purity. lol.

yes, this is especially necessary in our sex-saturated society

we should hope and pray

 

[Loopi]

i watched the program, thought it was very good. Scary thing is is those kids are around my age, and i guess i never really think of the struggles that non christians face. It was amazing to see it from the other side, and amazing to see them coming to think more about God through being part of the academy.

 

[HistoryMaker]

I didn't see it but it certainly looks like good viewing. I'll be in front of the box next Tuesday!

 

[Loopi]

I'm gonna miss the next one because im on a media fast as of sunday for 21 days, (so no CF either!!!) but im gonna record it to make sure i see all of the series, its a good program, and id love to see what happens with the kids and if any more feel God throughout doing this

 

[Prester John]

Whilst i agree with the sentiment i feel what is needed is education to let the teenagers make decisions for themselves, not blanket moralisation. Only by education can you raise the life expectations and the awareness of consequences of actions that will allow people to make informed decisions about what they want to do with their lives, and get them to accept the consequences of their actions. Yes teach abstinence as an option, but also teach contraception. The british christains seemed more balanced than the americans but i do not see the need for christian involvement in the first place. Its about education.

 

[MatthewM]

Whilst i agree with the sentiment i feel what is needed is education to let the teenagers make decisions for themselves, not blanket moralisation. Only by education can you raise the life expectations and the awareness of consequences of actions that will allow people to make informed decisions about what they want to do with their lives, and get them to accept the consequences of their actions. Yes teach abstinence as an option, but also teach contraception. The british christains seemed more balanced than the americans but i do not see the need for christian involvement in the first place. Its about education.

Although you may think Christians don't need to be involved, I disagree because alot of young people are thinking that the world is just here buy random chance, big bang etc and there is no meaning to life and there are no rules, so they feel no need to stick to any rules. Which is the equivilant of them thinking, if it feels good... do it. I'm a teenager aswell and I feel really upset when my friends get hurt from sleeping around and there only 15 and 16, its really disheartening. Luv Mat x

 

[Maxwell511]

Although you may think Christians don't need to be involved, I disagree because alot of young people are thinking that the world is just here buy random chance, big bang etc and there is no meaning to life and there are no rules, so they feel no need to stick to any rules. Which is the equivilant of them thinking, if it feels good... do it. I'm a teenager aswell and I feel really upset when my friends get hurt from sleeping around and there only 15 and 16, its really disheartening. Luv Mat x

I think what John was saying was that we shouldn't moralise to them. We should explain the possible physical and emotional problems with sleeping around and let them decide. Moralising to teenagers can be counter productive.

 

[sarah_B]

indeed i hate seeing my peers get hurt emotionally after theyve had sex

 

[MatthewM]

I think what John was saying was that we shouldn't moralise to them. We should explain the possible physical and emotional problems with sleeping around and let them decide. Moralising to teenagers can be counter productive.

Yeah explaining the physical and emotional problems with sleeping around is good and I think we should show that they do have a purpose for being here as well

 

[Maxwell511]

indeed i hate seeing my peers get hurt emotionally after theyve had sex

But sex isn't necessarily the problem if it is in the right context, the probelm is seeing it as a "hobby". We shouldn't tell them it's bad but that it can be hurtful if not taken seriously.

 

[Maxwell511]

Yeah explaining the physical and emotional problems with sleeping around is good and I think we should show that they do have a purpose for being here as well

The best thing I think we can do for teenagers is to show we believe in them and that they have a future. I live in a council estate in south dublin which has probably the highest rate of teenage pregnancy. It's because they don't see themselves as going anywhere that they just don't. They get into drink/drugs whatever. You might say they need Jesus and that probably would help but I think getting them to believe in themselves is probably the most important thing you can give to them.

 

[HistoryMaker]

Whilst i agree with the sentiment i feel what is needed is education to let the teenagers make decisions for themselves, not blanket moralisation. Only by education can you raise the life expectations and the awareness of consequences of actions that will allow people to make informed decisions about what they want to do with their lives, and get them to accept the consequences of their actions. Yes teach abstinence as an option, but also teach contraception. The british christains seemed more balanced than the americans but i do not see the need for christian involvement in the first place. Its about education.

Yes, I agree with you in part, but the thing is education at school is soo limited and in most cases comes too late. Agreed, teenagers should make their own decisions about this - if a moral code is forced upon them, they simply won't stick to it for more than a few months (teenagers aer known for their rebellions!), but it is hard to make really informed decisions. At college we are told to make our own decisions 'we are old enough to know better / choose for ourselves' but never even told that abstinence is one decision we could follow.
Maybe Christian involvement is not necessary in this documentary, after all, not all Christians believe in abstinence. Still, if these people are willing to act as carers and mentors for these kids, then why not let them?

 

[Prester John]

Yes, I agree with you in part, but the thing is education at school is soo limited and in most cases comes too late. Agreed, teenagers should make their own decisions about this - if a moral code is forced upon them, they simply won't stick to it for more than a few months (teenagers aer known for their rebellions!), but it is hard to make really informed decisions. At college we are told to make our own decisions 'we are old enough to know better / choose for ourselves' but never even told that abstinence is one decision we could follow.

By education i would include (as already mentioned in this thread) emotional consequences of sex. I also mean general education, not just sex education, giving a sex ed class to teenagers who are already heading out or to the fringes of society probably has minimal effect. By increasing overall education and giving these children real prospects their self worth should increase and partaking in damaging behaviours decrease. Even then they could still choose "destructive" behaviours, but at least it would be informed choice.

 

[~*ZEE*~]

While the show didn't capture my interests...it's a nice concept because it sets a basis for teens learning how best to relate to their partner in a relationship. These early relationships set the scene for expectations and reactions in future unions, and for most youth the binding force in partnerships is sex...which is an unhealthy outlook. It's good to see aired education on realistic, rather than superficial, relations.

From what I've seen, the subjects are focusing on the presense of the negative now..but I hope to hear what positives they've gained from the exercise before the end.

 

[ScottishJohn]

just as we forbid murder and robbery (and nominally blasphemy, but the powers that be refuse to prosecute) we can -and should- discourage our non-Christian youth from the paths of sin and impurity.

I didn't see the programme - sounds really good.

WE as christians do not forbid murder and robbery. Our society does. While we should be free to encourage (and not seek to enforce) people to obey rules that we know will enrich their lives ONLY when obeyed in response to the grace we are offered. Obedience without faith is meaningless and without purpose.

My wife works for a Christian Charity which is funded in part by the Scottish Executive to provide sexual health education in Scottish Schools. They provide all the important technical info on sex and the risks but ALSO provide a strong background of the emotional cosequences and the importance of these decisions. They are one of the only charities workign int his field which are allowed into the many Roman Catholic Schools within Central Scotland. You can't force people to make the right decisions, but you can equip them to do so.