TO THE
SEXTING GENERATION
Abstinence a healthier choice than condoms BY ANDREW DERNOVSEK
Abstinence a healthier choice than condoms BY ANDREW DERNOVSEK
Published: December
13, 2015; Last
modified: December 13, 2015 11:42AM
In the wake of the sexting scandal at Canon City High
School, I have had many people ask what can be done to help young people
make wiser decisions. The problem runs much deeper than exchanging explicit
photos on cellphones. It is a cultural issue in a society seeking instant
gratification instead of authentic love and happiness.
Each year on Dec. 1, which is World AIDS Day, I watch and mourn as college campuses across America promote safe sex to the youth by distributing free condoms. What is often not included in the message is that, according to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, condoms, when used consistently and correctly, are only 85 percent effective in reducing the spread of HIV. We also know that condoms provide the following measures of protection against other sexually transmitted infections: 50 percent against gonorrhea and chlamydia, 30-50 percent against syphilis, 60 percent against HPV, and 0 percent against skin-to-skin STIs, such as herpes, on areas not covered by the condom.
Each year on Dec. 1, which is World AIDS Day, I watch and mourn as college campuses across America promote safe sex to the youth by distributing free condoms. What is often not included in the message is that, according to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, condoms, when used consistently and correctly, are only 85 percent effective in reducing the spread of HIV. We also know that condoms provide the following measures of protection against other sexually transmitted infections: 50 percent against gonorrhea and chlamydia, 30-50 percent against syphilis, 60 percent against HPV, and 0 percent against skin-to-skin STIs, such as herpes, on areas not covered by the condom.
This same method of protection is what is also pushed upon
our high school youth by their schools, health departments and other organizations.
Since the 1960s,we have seen the promotion of a culture of casual sex
permeate almost every aspect of our society. “Leave it to Beaver” has been
replaced with “Sex in the City,” Perry Como and Doris Day have given way to
Snoop Dog and Miley Cyrus, and
abstinence has been exchanged for condoms.
abstinence has been exchanged for condoms.
The cultural shift to casual sex has led to the development of entire industries revolving around sex. In the United States annually, $15.6 billion is spent treating
STIs. Worldwide, condoms generate a revenue of $5.4 billion of the $10.2
billion total contraception industry revenue. In the USA alone, the pornography industry generates $14 billion annually, and between $371 million and $1 billion is spent on the over 1.06 million abortions that occur each year. The cost of chastity, i.e. abstaining from sex until a faithful marriage, brings in revenue of $0 for the abstinence industry.
The culture of sex promotes using another person as an object, for their body. It teaches self-focus, immediate gratification, and disrespect. Chastity brings great
freedom — freedom from fear of any STIs, freedom from slavery to passions,
freedom to share the gift of sexuality with your spouse and freedom from
painful memories or regret of past relationships. It protects our mind, body
and heart to be able to love purely. Chastity also brings a message of
forgiveness; that it is never too late to begin anew.
What message do young people want? Fifty-three percent of high school students have never had sex. Of those who did have sex, 67 percent of girls and 53 percent of boys wished they had waited longer. while 87 percent of teens think it is important that they receive a message of abstinence until at least they are out of high school. Yet, society tells us that we can’t abstain until a faithful marriage, that it’s not really possible. I am one of over 311,000 who have chosen chastity through Universal Chastity Education programs. Millions more join us worldwide.
To paraphrase William Wallace in the movie Braveheart, “I
do not wish to share my wife with another man.” The majority of young
people seem to feel the same way I do. Yet, today’s youth have the heel of
a more than $30 billion annual industry placed squarely on their backs,
telling them that casual sex, pornography,objectification and immodesty are
what is best for them.
Hear my plea, sex profiteers, and you who would feast on the tears, pain and misery of my generation just to keep alive the myth that sex can be casual. Let my people go. We understand that casual sex is important to you, but our lives are
important to us. We have found a better way, a path of freedom, dignity and
true love. For those who are lost, or took another path, it is never too late
to begin. Come, join us!
Andrew Dernovsek is the executive director of Universal
Chastity Education, a Pueblo-based nonprofit. He speaks on chastity,
pornography, true love and other related topics. You may contact him at contact@uceglobal.org.
