Z-Man and Finstone: I am with you that abstinence, if applied correctly, would be a good solution. But practically, it is not applied, and results in the opposite behavior that has worst consequences. Now, how about abstinence after marriage ? Just found this article...

http://www.ananova.com/news/story/sm_957945.html?menu=news.quirkies.sexlife

Aurel

Things to consider;

1) Cervical cancer is a venereal disease. It is caused exclusively by human papilloma virus (HPV) infection.

2) Condoms do not prevent HPV infection.

3) Before the pap smear was invented, cervical cancer was the most common cause of cancer death in women. Cervical cancer is most common in young women (20-40 years old.)

4) More than 50% of adults have antibodies to HPV indicating prior exposure.

Be careful out there!

Or, I prefer to wait until after children come along to practice abstinence....

Yep, having children can do that to a person.

Oh, my bad, I thought the kids come first, then marriage.

It's a great line . . .
 

When I was dating I used to tell my dates that I was practicing abstinence till marriage. It worked like a charm. :D Women love a challenge.

Re: It's a great line . . .
 

Gosh darnit, ain't that the truth!

I posted that link earlier in the thread, Thom. We must be on the same wavelength...

Aurel

That's what I get (or don't get) for not catching up on the thread before posting...

Looking at this study, it doesn't look like abstinence is a cure all.

Honestly, good for you. My conservative immigrant muslim parents didn't tell me ***** about sex and the dangers of it, sex ed in middle school is what taught me the dangers of the unprotected sex and that the only way is abstinence (Catholic school mind you). Well, I didn't take all the advice to heart, but it definately made me well-informed of the risks taken when having sex. If you are responsible (i.e. wear a condom, don't have 1-night stands, wait until you're in a relationship that has some sort of stability) the risks are greatly reduced. With that said, I've honestly never met a married couple who had both abstained from sex until they were married.

All the study shows is that most teens that pledge abstinence do not practice it. Actual abstinence is foolproof.

I heard an interview with the authors of the study on, yes I know..., NPR and they mentioned that some kids were still getting STD because they were performing oral sex on each other.

Absolute abstinence is foolproof, but if it is to be taught, a complete course on sex-ed has to go along with it, otherwise those who abstained won't be prepared for sex when they decide to engage in sex.

I would bet that most teenage sexual encounters occur after some gathering where alchohol and/or drugs were ingested. Responsibility is nowhere to be found in that situation. Oh and I totally share your experience w/married couples not being virgins when married. My bottom line is that young people will continue to have sex before/without marriage just as it's been in every previous generation. Parents need to take the responsibility of informing their kids about the risks of sex, protected or not. I've seen loads of young persons lives changed with unexpected/unplanned pregnancy and I've also seen unheathly lifestyle/emotional development occur with abstinance.

It's analogous to banning driver's ed, because driving leads to accidents, and then handing them the keys when they turn 18.

Anyone who thinks that not teaching kids about sex (and everything that goes with it) will keep them from doing it, is a flat-out moron. Period.

You guys are really confusing me. did anyone in this thread advocate not knowing about how humans reproduce? The question (abstinence) was regarding having sex or not...prior to marriage.

Posted without comment:
http://www.ananova.com/news/story/s...uirkies.sexlife

Childless couple told to try sex

A German couple who went to a fertility clinic after eight years of marriage have found out why they are still childless - they weren't having sex.

The University Clinic of Lubek said they had never heard of a case like it after examining the couple who went to see them last month for fertility tests.

Doctors subjected them to a series of examinations and found they were both apparently fertile, and should have had no trouble conceiving.

A clinic spokesman said: "When we asked them how often they had had sex, they looked blank, and said: "What do you mean?".

"We are not talking retarded people here, but a couple who were brought up in a religious environment who were simply unaware, after eight years of marriage, of the physical requirements necessary to procreate."

The 30-year-old wife and her 36-year-old husband are now being given sex therapy lessons while the university clinic undertakes a study to try to find out if there are more couples with a similar lack of sex education.

Sounds like a coupla retards to me. The link did not work - what religion did these folks subscribe to?

"Originally posted by Kurt V
"We are not talking retarded people here, but a couple who were brought up in a religious environment who were simply unaware, after eight years of marriage, of the physical requirements necessary to procreate."

"Sounds like a coupla retards to me."

Maybe they were *both* Porsche owners!

What a strange culture we live in. Sex outside of a monogamous relationship is a very high risk activity yet it is taboo to suggest that abstinence is a reasonable course of action. It appears to be commonly accepted that people, like all animals, will follow their base desires no matter the cost and regardless of what they are taught. Good luck with all that. . .