Sexual Healing

I just came across an article in YOUTH TODAY, the February '09 issue of this journal for youth work, that analyzed the impact of the George W. Bush legacy on youth work. Remember that the world of "youth work," involves community, government, education, and faith-based initiatives. So they looked at areas such as after-school programs, health, juvenile justice, employment, child welfare, etc. . .

One of the interesting graphs showed that the government invested $40 million in Abstinence Educaiton funding in 2000, the beginning of the Bush Administration and an estimated $147 million in 2008. During this same period, the percentage of 9th through 12th graders reporting ever having sexual intercourse went from 45.6% to 47.8%. For our extra $100 million PER YEAR, which would be approximately half a billion dollars total, we actually INCREASED the number of students having sexual intercourse through abstinence education.

Statistics also indicate that students who make an abstinence pledge of some type in their teen years are less likely to use birth control and more likely to contract an STD. However, there is no quantifiable statistical difference in whether they will have premarital sexual intercourse from those who do not make a "purity pledge." In other words, "purity pledges" may delay sexual activity, however, when it does happen (and it seems it will happen for about half of our students) they participate in much riskier behavior.

DON'T GET MAD AT ME . . . YET! I'm just the messenger. What does this mean? I do not fault the Bush Administration, the effort had good motives and good intentions. On the other hand, I do not fault more liberal politicians or youth workers who want full sex education programs that teach young people about birth control. Again, both sides WANT what they believe will benefit young people. I fault US . . . the youth workers who SHOULD BE TEACHING ABOUT SEX!

Apparently, we ARE NOT DOING OUR JOBS! More funding does not make a difference, abstinence education does not make a difference, and all inclusive sex education does not make a difference. The extremes of "Just say no!" and "Anything goes!" are not working. There has to be a better approach. It is more than biology and health class issues, it is more than social and behavioral issues. At the core . . . it is a personal and theological issue! If it is reduced to biology, it makes us mere animals. If it is behavioral, it makes us pietists. If it is theological, it makes us God's creation! We need a better THEOLOGY OF SEX . . . one that helps us understand ourselves, each other, and our Creator.

Maybe that's another issue . . . we don't have a good grasp on our own sexuality and are uncomfortable helping others deal with their's. Maybe we are still dealing with our own choices in this area and don't feel qualified to help someone else walk through their own. Again . . . if we start with a THEOLOGY OF SEX, we will understand how God designed His creation, how we can decide to follow His intentions and will, and how we can receive His "sexual healing" . . . my apologies for the Marvin Gaye reference, I couldn't help myself.