Confessions of a Recovering Pharisee

[Christian Post]

Christians and proponents of federal abstinence programs cried foul over what they claimed was a biased attempt to write off federal abstinence until marriage programs as ineffective and damaging to the health of youth.

Tony Perkins, President of the Family Research Council (FRC), was among those who criticized Democratic Chairman Rep. Henry Waxman, “known for his support of radical causes such as abortion on demand and for so-called ‘comprehensive’ sex education,” of “stacking” the panel against federal abstinence programs during a House Committee meeting on Wednesday.

Among the seven “experts” that spoke at the panel, all but one used the opportunity to thrash federal abstinence programs, claiming that they had contributed nothing to reduce rates of teenage pregnancies, sexually transmitted diseases or lower ages and incidences of sexual activity.

“Ninety-five percent of Americans have intercourse prior to marriage,” testified Columbia University medical department chair John Santelli, while referring to a two-year-old study by Planned Parenthood, the nation’s largest provider of surgical abortions, according to Baptist Press.

“Abstinence-only-until-marriage as a program goal is out of touch with broad demographic trends toward both an earlier age at first sex and a later age at marriage,” Santelli said, recommending that Congress permanently cut federal abstinence programs in favor of sex education programs.

Read about it here.

[From Planned Parenthood]

Planned Parenthood Federation of America (PPFA) applauds the House Oversight and Government Reform Committee for examining the $1.5 billion failure of government-funded abstinence-only programs at a congressional hearing on Capitol Hill today.  Chairman Henry A. Waxman (D-CA-30) called on public health experts and young people whose lives have been deeply affected by the ineffective programs to urge lawmakers to reconsider the abysmally poor use of taxpayer dollars.

“The weight of the evidence cannot be ignored, and now — under the glare of a congressional inquiry — policymakers will have to answer tough questions about why we continue to waste millions of dollars a year on a policy that has failed to keep teens healthy and safe,” said PPFA President Cecile Richards.

During the hearing, two young adults told the congressional panel about their experiences with abstinence-only programs. Max Siegel, who now works with the AIDS Alliance for Children, Youth, and Families, testified that the “abstinence-only message did not prepare me for life, and I contracted HIV from the first person with whom I consented to having unprotected sex. I was still in high school.”

Read more here. 

[From me]

So we are going to take only the research of an organization that provides more abortions than any other group?   The reason the gentleman above wasn’t prepared for life had nothing to do with the abstinence program.  Had he not had sex he wouldn’t have gotten AIDS.   I’m amazed at how intelligent adults discount students and young people.  We have become a negative society that just gives up on people.  Not everyone had sex before marriage and not everyone will in the future.

We need to quit lowering the bar and raise it.  I work with the next generation and they want to be part of something bigger than themselves.  They want to change the world.  And why can’t they?  Well, if we keep lowering the bar and say “they are going to do it anyway” we aren’t giving them enough credit.

What do you think?

[World Net Daily]

A coalition of Christian organizations is encouraging students to stay home when their schools recognize the “Day of Silence” homosexual-lifestyle promotion this year – and the reaction has started coming in.

Liberty Counsel reports it has had complaints from parents and students about a wide range of misbehaviors or misrepresentations presented by schools.

For example, in one school district a principal told a father if his son was not at school on the “Day of Silence,” the student would be given a failing grade for the year. In Indiana, parents were told by public school officials it was “against the law” for them to cancel the program or excuse absences that day. And in Iowa, a school board member said a student refusing to speak throughout a school day was no more disruptive than a “Christian wearing a cross.”

“When it comes to the Day of Silence, silence is not an option,” said Mathew D. Staver, founder of Liberty Counsel and dean of Liberty University’s School of Law.

“Students have the right not to remain silent. Students can refuse to attend school. They may mount a counter-protest in support of purity and the traditional family. While schools may be required to allow clubs to meet on campus, schools do not have to promote the Day of Silence. Students to not have the right to remain silent when called upon by teachers,” Staver said.

Liberty Counsel has assembled a legal memorandum that explains how to protect schools from being “hijacked” by the agenda of the event, which is promoted by the homosexual advocacy organization Gay, Lesbian, Straight Education Network.

The memo advises that student conduct causing a substantial disruption or material interference with school activities is not protected under the First Amendment.

Liberty Counsel said that in Oklahoma, a high school graduate was told by her former principal if he did not allow the Day of Silence he could not allow the Fellowship of Christian Athletes. In South Dakota, a student was told her absence on that day would impose a requirement that she write a paper explaining why she did not participate.

Read about it here.

[From me]

Look, why can’t parents hold their children out of school that day.  Isn’t that another form of protest?  If one group can protest why can’t the other side counter protest?

What do you think?

[Tampa Bay Online]

Divorce and out-of-wedlock childbearing cost U.S. taxpayers more than $112 billion a year, according to a study commissioned by four groups advocating more government action to bolster marriages.

Sponsors say the study is the first of its kind and hope it will prompt lawmakers to invest more money in programs aimed at strengthening marriages. Two experts not connected to the study said such programs are of dubious merit and suggested that other investments - notably job creation - would be more effective in aiding all types of needy families.

There have been previous attempts to calculate the cost of divorce in America. But the sponsors of the new study, being released Tuesday, said theirs is the first to gauge the broader cost of “family fragmentation” - both divorce and unwed childbearing.

The study was conducted by Georgia State University economist Ben Scafidi. His work was sponsored by four groups who consider themselves part of a nationwide “marriage movement” - the New York-based Institute for American Values, the Institute for Marriage and Public Policy, Families Northwest of Redmond, Wash., and the Georgia Family Council, an ally of the conservative ministry Focus on the Family.

“The study documents for the first time that divorce and unwed childbearing - besides being bad for children - are costing taxpayers a ton of money,” said David Blankenhorn, president of the Institute for American Values.

“We keep hearing this from state legislators, ‘Explain to me why this is any of my business? Aren’t these private matters?’” Blankenhorn said. “Take a look at these numbers and tell us if you still have any doubt.”

Read about it here.

[From me]

Isn’t interesting to find if people just lived by the instructions in the Bible we wouldn’t have as much pain and suffering?   Obviously there are valid reasons for divorce.  But if people would commit their marriages to God and would only have sexual relations with those who they are married to it would actually save the government and yes, us billions of dollars!  Why should people pay for the sins others?

What do you think?

[Christian Post]

Actress Kate Walsh, who plays a doctor on ABC’s “Grey’s Anatomy” television series, is receiving criticism from pro-life advocates for faulting abstinence education for the rising pregnancy and STD rates among teen girls.

Walsh, a member of the board of advisors of Planned Parenthood, attended a congressional briefing on sex education on Capitol Hill on Thursday, during which she advocated cutting out all government funding for abstinence education, according to the D.C.-based Family Research Council.

Walsh also took her sex education campaign to airwaves on Friday’s CBS The Early Show, where she told co-anchor Julie Chen, “Abstinence-only is not working. It’s a $1.5 billion program over the last ten years that has, quite frankly, failed.  She attempted to link abstinence-only education to the rising STD rates among teens by citing the recent Center for Disease Control statistics which showed that at least one in four teenage American girls has a sexually transmitted disease.

The actress called for more government spending on sex-ed, noting that private foundations and parents should not be trusted sources.

Walsh, whose “Grey’s Anatomy” character engages in activity like sexual romps in the hospital closet on the show, also revealed her take on abstinence, saying that to expect

“everybody to remain abstinent is just – it’s like asking them not to grow.”

Read about it here.

[From me]

Kate, you play a doctor on TV but you have no idea what you are talking about.  There is only one way to prevent STD’s!  Abstinence for singles and monogamy for married couples.  There is no other full proof way!  People like her just want to justify their behavior by making God’s plan to sound old fashion or outdated.

What do you think?

I wrote last week about the Day of Silence for homosexuals that is being crammed down the throats of public schools by the political correctness police. I have no idea why we need to disrupt school to make a political statement but they feel they need to force their beliefs on all of us.

So, I’ve decided to start a Day of Silence for those who decide to remain sexually pure before marriage. Before you laugh you need to understand this is a persecuted group. They are ridiculed, taunted, bullied and even abused physically at school. How do I know? Because I made a commitment to wait until I was married to have sex. I did too. I don’t regret for one moment the decision I made.

Was it easy? No. There were girls in my school who actually made it their mission to “get” me. By God’s grace, they failed. Guys that heard I was “waiting” would make fun of me and try their hardest to get girls to come on to me. I was harassed by sex craved people at work too. When I worked at Hardees the workers would hold up the peace sign for me because I was a virgin. I was laughed at and mocked. They even harassed the girl I was dating at the time.

I grew up in party town USA–Tuscaloosa, AL, home of the University of Alabama. One adult publication ranked their top ten party schools every year. They said they couldn’t rank Alabama and Ole Miss because they were professionals. Alabama made “Animal House” look tame. I delivered pizzas to the University and I can’t tell you how many propositions I had made towards me. However, I made a commitment to God to remain pure. I was called a “wuss” and other choice words by many. You can say that words don’t hurt but they do. I had very few friends in high school because I did chose to remain pure.

I can’t imagine how much harder it is today. With misguided groups like Gay, Lesbian and Straight Education Network (GLSEN) and others if you disagree with them you are a “homophobe,” a bigot, racist, and other words. I could care less what a grown adult does in their own bedroom. That is between them and God. But I don’t like their lifestyle being shoved in my face. It is offensive to me. I don’t mock you.

So, because we have children, teenagers and young adults who are being persecuted, ridiculed and mocked by those who can’t keep their pants, skirts and dresses on, I have proposed a Day of Silence for those who will remain Sexually pure. For those who have already slipped, God gives grace and you can begin today and have be a “regenerated” virgin. It is never too late to be sexually pure. Begin today. So the date is April 24th. I want to encourage all who believe in morality and virtue to remain silent on April 24th to raise awareness of those who want to remain sexually pure and the abuse they take by those who think sex isn’t special.

What do you think?