To help teens translate good intentions into real life abstinence, Care Net of Dane County is re-launching its LifeWise abstinence education program to come alongside parents and churches to help them discuss sexuality with teens and effectively promote sexual abstinence. Recent changes in the Wisconsin sex education law have now made the mission of LifeWise even more critical.
Religious beliefs affect sexual attitudes but not behaviors. In other words, many evangelical teens are doing it, and feeling guilty about it, according to Hannah Rosin in a provocative article entitled, “Even Evangelical Teens Do It—How Religious Beliefs Do, and Don’t, Influence Sexual Behavior,” summarizing research reported by Mark Regnerus, Associate Professor of Sociology at the University of Texas at Austin, in his 2007 book entitled, Forbidden Fruit: Sex & Religion in the Lives of American Teenagers.
However, the 16 percent of American teens who describe religion as ‘extremely important’ in their lives are different. “When these guys pledge, they mean it,” Rosin says. She goes on to describe teens who date for a year, are alone numerous times in a car or at the movies, and still stick to what’s known in the Christian youth literature as ‘side hugs’ to avoid excessive touching.
Parents help. However, “when evangelical parents say they talk to their kids about sex, they mean the morals, not the mechanics. In a quiz on pregnancy and health risks associated with sex, evangelicals scored very low.”
Care Net’s LifeWise program
To help young people delay sex until marriage, LifeWise uses research-based, proven strategies such as:
- Incorporating a longer series of lessons that gives teens multiple opportunities to personalize information so that life decisions take deeper root.
- Using programs that incorporate parent discussions in order to build on the most important protective factor of all—parent-child connectedness.
- Recruiting and training college students who embrace abstinence to serve as educators because admirable role models help build a teen’s belief in his or her own ability to make and keep a similar decision.
- Teaching the specific benefits of delaying sex until marriage and the health risks of having multiple sex partners.
- Helping teens identify their faith as “extremely important” by building a deeper understanding of God’s love.
- Using fun, engaging activities that keep teens coming back.
- Training and presentation opportunities
On February 11 and 12, 2011, Care Net will be holding its first Lifewise training session on UW Campus. Volunteer college students need to commit to teaching at least one 8-lesson course during the spring semester. Ideal candidates will be confident college students who are delaying sex until marriage. This doesn’t mean they have never had sex, just that they are now waiting until marriage. To apply or to receive more details call or text Ann Miller at 410.504.4178 or email her at lifewise@carenetdane.org.
Also call Ann if you are interested in having the Care Net Lifewise program at your church.
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This Sunday, January 23rd, is Sanctity of Life Sunday. On January 19th, U.S. Rep. James Lankford of Oklahoma, gave an eloquent pro-life statement on the floor of the House of Representatives. It can now be seen here on YouTube.