Virginity Pledges

[Ave Maria]

Here's a story that comes as a surprise only to the media and political elites, but not to those with common sense.

Teenagers who take virginity pledges have lower sexual disease rates and are less likely to engage in sex than are those who don't take the pledge.

http://www.crosswalk.com/news/1335911.html

 

[horuhe00]

hmmm... sounds logical to me

 

[invisible trousers]

So uh you didn't really post the whole article...
"The findings by the Heritage Foundation use the same research, but reaches a different conclusion than a report published earlier this year which claimed such pledges make no difference in teen sexual activity."

I guess there is no possibility that the Heritage Foundation is misinterpreting the data in order to come to a conclusion similar to their presupposed beliefs.

 

[Grl4Christ987]

Wow who would've thunk it? Common sense people.

 

[invisible trousers]

hm i found this..

Their two Heritage reports have not been submitted for publication or to any peer-reviewed medical journal,

oh.

i don't understand how it's possible to believe any of this stuff. the original article quoted had no sources or anything, and it's likely that the heritage foundation "study" won't find its way into peer-reviewed medical journals.

mind you this study actually showed people who take pledges are less likely to use condoms and get tested for stds, while more likely to engage in anal/oral sex compared to people who didn't take pledges.

 

[santalucia]

So uh you didn't really post the whole article...
"The findings by the Heritage Foundation use the same research, but reaches a different conclusion than a report published earlier this year which claimed such pledges make no difference in teen sexual activity."

I guess there is no possibility that the Heritage Foundation is misinterpreting the data in order to come to a conclusion similar to their presupposed beliefs.

The Heritage Foundation is scupulous with their data and research. I'd say if anyone had an agenda, and misinterpreted data, it would be in that original study.

 

[invisible trousers]

so scrupulous that they're not going to submit it to any peer-reviewed medical journal?

 

[santalucia]

so scrupulous that they're not going to submit it to any peer-reviewed medical journal?

They didn't do the research, only analyzed the results. Why should they?

 

[The Lady Kate]

The Heritage Foundation is scupulous with their data and research. I'd say if anyone had an agenda, and misinterpreted data, it would be in that original study.

And you know this because...?

 

[invisible trousers]

They didn't do the research, only analyzed the results. Why should they?

I don't know, credibility perhaps?

 

[LukeBritt]

Virginity pledges are guilt trips which pressure kids into thinking that sex is dirty and cheap.

 

[S Walch]

Virginity pledges are guilt trips which pressure kids into thinking that sex is dirty and cheap.

Plus, the very idea of a "Pledge" Is unbiblical:

Matthew 5:33-37
33"Again, you have heard that the law of Moses says, `Do not break your vows; you must carry out the vows you have made to the Lord.'[a] 34But I say, don't make any vows! If you say, `By heaven!' it is a sacred vow because heaven is God's throne. 35And if you say, `By the earth!' it is a sacred vow because the earth is his footstool. And don't swear, `By Jerusalem!' for Jerusalem is the city of the great King. 36Don't even swear, `By my head!' for you can't turn one hair white or black. 37Just say a simple, `Yes, I will,' or `No, I won't.' Your word is enough. Anything beyond this is from the evil one.


Pledge = Vow

I don't "vow" to remain a virgin until I'm married, but I know with God's help, I shall remain that way.

 

[The Lady Kate]

Virginity pledges are guilt trips which pressure kids into thinking that sex is dirty and cheap.

And they're really not all that effective...STDs are just as easily transmitted though acts other than intercourse... I recall a study which showed that these activities are on the rise among "pledged" teens, since it's not technically sex.

 

[scraparcs]

One thing missing in these studies is what happens after one's teenage years. Do people keep these pledges if they're still single in their twenties? Thirties*? Do they engage in sexual behaviors any differently from non-pledging persons in their college years? Do they get married at much younger ages? Is all they're trying to do is keep kids from having sex in their teenage years? Has anyone talked to people who kept these pledges longer than, say, age 20 or so?

*To the best of my recollection, the first wave of virginity pledges started to take hold around 1993 or 1994, and given that they're aimed mostly at the 13-19 crowd or so, the oldest of the early crowds would just barely be turning 30 by now. Still, there's been time to track these pledges over 10 years or so, and to see the behaviors of the 20-something crowd with regards to this.