Consequences and concern for our youth

By: American Decency Staff

A recent report revealed some sobering statistics at the article below reveals: Nearly one-tenth of sexually active New York City high school students say they have had at least one same-sex partner, and teens who say they've had sexual contact with both sexes report higher-than-average rates of dating violence, forced sex and risky sexual behavior, a new study says. The study published Monday in the journal Pediatrics analyzed 17,220 public health surveys and found that more than a third of teens who had same-sex encounters identified themselves as straight. Advocates said the results point to the need for public health messages to target behavior, not identity. It's troubling, though not surprising, that the youths who reported encounters with both sexes also had higher rates of risky behavior and violence, said Dr. Susan Blank, assistant commissioner of the New York City Department of Health and Mental Hygiene. "It has been shown in the literature that students who have both male and female partners have a lot of adverse health problems," she said. The report is based on surveys administered in New York City high schools in 2005 and 2007. The Youth Risk Behavior Survey is distributed every two years by the health department to a representative sampling of city high schools. Of the students who completed the survey, 7,261 said they had had sexual intercourse. The survey asked questions including the number of sex partners in the teen's lifetime, as well as in the previous three months, and whether there was a history of forced sex or dating violence.   … http://www.foxnews.com/health/2010/10/25/study-reveals-risky-sex-behavior-nyc-teens/ Today’s youth culture is filled with entertainment choices which encourage promiscuity and perverse sexual experimentation, and many of our young people are following along like lambs to the slaughter.  For there will be consequences – even deadly consequences – when you go against God’s design for sexuality.  The damage might be physical, it might be emotional, but it will leave lasting scars and repercussions. Whether heterosexual or homosexual, all forms of illicit sex are destructive, risky, and wrong.  However, it’s worth noting in this report that the teens who engaged in same-sex encounters also engaged in the riskiest behavior and experienced the most violence.  Other studies have proven that the same applies to adult homosexual relationships. It is also noteworthy that of the 17,220 New York City students who completed the survey, 7,261 reported having had sexual intercourse.  That means 9,959 stated they hadn’t had sex.  We can still reach young people with the abstinence message! One incredible resource for doing so is Pam Stenzel.  A former crisis pregnancy counselor, Pam travels the globe with a powerful abstinence message for teens.  She is uniquely gifted to capture the attention of young people, speaking “their languageâ€Â and opening their eyes to the physical and emotional consequences of sex outside of marriage. After counseling countless girls who were relieved to discover they weren’t pregnant, only to learn that they had a sexually transmitted disease that could cause infertility or even death, Pam chose to do all she could to educate this generation of youth.  She said she never again wanted to hear a young person say: “If someone had explained the consequences I would have made a different choice, but nobody told me.â€Â Pam has traveled worldwide, speaking in person to over 500,000 young people each year about issues of sexuality and the importance of abstinence – her videos are viewed by millions worldwide.  Pam also holds seminars with parents and educators regarding issues of teen sex and how vital character building is in a child’s upbringing. We offer a DVD of Pam’s powerful presentation:  “Sex Still Has a Price Tagâ€Â. We encourage you to order this important resource for your children or grandchildren, church youth group, or school (there is a public school version available, as well as a faith-based version), To place an order, go to:  https://secure4.afo.net/ada/store2/ Or call us at 888-733-2326. ======================================================= A classic resource available as short supply lasts: “The Holiness of Godâ€Â by R.C. Sproul. To order your free copy, email bjohnson@americandecency.org Many of you took advantage of our offer regarding the book “The Pursuit of Holinessâ€Â by Jerry Bridges. This is what Jerry Bridges has to say about this book offer “Every Christian who is serious about his or her growth needs to read ‘The Holiness of God.’ I profited greatly from this book.â€Â ======================================================= American Decency Association Bill Johnson, President P.O. Box 202 Fremont, MI 49412 ph: 231-924-4050 https://americandecency.org/ http://www.twitter.com/billwjohnson ———————— Donate online: https://secure4.afo.net/ada/donate.php American Decency Association is a member of the Evangelical Council for Financial Accountability.

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