When do babies start to have brain development?
As early as 6 weeks from the moment of conception, a babies's brainwaves can be detected, as well as a heart beat. A baby actually has had a heart beat since 21 days. Most women find out that they are pregnant between 6-8 weeks after the moment of conception.
Friday, February 27, 2009
Wednesday, February 25, 2009
40 Days for Life
Today begins 40 Days for Life which is a Pro-life movement happening across the nation where people volunteer to quietly and peacefully pray outside abortion clinics. To read more about this movement, click here.
Friday, February 20, 2009
Men and Half-Dressed Women
On Feburary 17th, 2009, The Daily Princetonian published an artical about a new study conducted to discover whether or not men view scantily dressed women as objects. The findings were insightful and worth a look. Click here to read article.
Thursday, February 19, 2009
Did you know?
Studies show that 15-19 year old males use condoms consistently:
A. 90% of the time
B. 75% of the time
C. Less than 50% of the time
D. Less than 35% of the time
The answer is C. Males between the ages of 15-19 use condoms consistently less than 50% of the time.
A. 90% of the time
B. 75% of the time
C. Less than 50% of the time
D. Less than 35% of the time
The answer is C. Males between the ages of 15-19 use condoms consistently less than 50% of the time.
Tuesday, February 17, 2009
Weekly Quote
"Chastity is the joyous affirmation of someone who knows how to live self-giving, free from any form of self-centered slavery. The chaste person is not self-centered, not involved in selfish relationships with other people."
From The Truth and Meaning of Human Sexuality
From The Truth and Meaning of Human Sexuality
Friday, February 13, 2009
Question Box Friday
How many STDs are there?Today, there are more than 25 different Sexually Transmitted Diseases. In the 1970's there were only 2 significant kinds.
Why such an increase over the last 40 years? The 'safe sex' mentality is partly to blame. Teenagers and adults alike are given a flimsy latex condom and told that they are "protected." In scientific writing the word "protect" can mean anything from somewhat better than nothing to complete safety from a risk factor. Condoms to not take away the risk of contracting an STD, they merely reduce someone's risk.
With 100% condom use, which means that someone uses a condom everytime they have sex and use it properly, condoms have the below failure rates:
Gonorrhea and Chlamydia: 50 %
Syphilis: 50% to 69%
HIV/AIDS: 15%
Herpes II: 60% (with 65% condom use)
HPV: No proven clinical protection
Trichomoniasis: No proven clinical protection
Wednesday, February 11, 2009
Two Biggest Reason
In High School, Thom and I do an activity called "The Two Biggest Reasons" where we break the classroom up into pairs and each pair is given an index card. They are given a few minutes to write down on the index card the two biggest reasons they think people do not save sex for marriage. I then collect the cards and read them out loud anomiously. We write their answers on the board. We then take a look at the most frequent answers and have a discussion on whether or not these are good or bad reasons to have sex before marriage. The most common answer we get are:
(1) Peer-Pressure/Popularity
(2) Pleasure/Feels good
(3) Excitement/Fun/Good pastime
(4) Love
(5) Curiousity
(6) Hormones
(7) To get and keep boyfriend
(8) Media influence
What do you think? Are any of these reasons good reasons to have sex before marriage? Why or why not?
The answer is "no." None of the above reasons are good reasons to have sex before marriage. Why? Let's take a discuss:
(1) Peer Pressure/Popularity: If we made all of our life decisions based on what the people around us were doing, we would never accomplish the things we want to do. There will ALWAYS be “cool” people who do things that aren’t smart. At some point we have to decide to do what we know is best for our life. If the worst thing that happens to you from practicing chastity is someone calls you a loser, then you’re in pretty good shape. Compare that to the worst thing that could happen to you if you DON’T practice chastity.
(2) Pleasure/Feels good: Yes, sex is pleasurable. God made it that way so that the human species would reproduce. But sex can be so much more pleasurable if you don’t have to worry about all the stresses of having sex outside of marriage. This goes along with the next one too…
(3) Excitement/Fun/Good pastime: Even though there may be a few moments of pleasure, ultimately, its not fun to worry about getting sexually transmitted diseases, getting your girlfriend pregnant, worrying that people will find out, losing your reputation, breaking trust with your parents, turning your back on God, or having emotional baggage that you will have to carry with you for the rest of your life. Ultimately, sex is only REALLY enjoyable inside marriage where you are free from all of these problems.
(4) Love: Many people think that sex will be a sign of true love, or they are seeking to gain someone’s love by having sex with them. But the fact is that real love would NEVER put the beloved at risk. Real love wants what’s best for the other person, and sex outside of marriage ALWAYS puts the other person at risk. A real sign of the love is the willingness to wait, to make a thousand sacrifices, to walk a thousand miles for the beloved. Not just to get whatever feels good here and now regardless of the consequences.
(5) Curiousity: You can’t have BOTH the experience of being sexually promiscuous before marriage AND have the experience of giving the gift of yourself totally and completely, with the purity of your virginity, to your husband/wife on your wedding day. You CAN’T have both. BUT, you CAN have BOTH your curiosity about sex satisfied AND be pure for your spouse if you save sex for marriage. Why not choose BOTH? Why lose the chance to know what it would be like to offer yourself completely to your spouse, just because you want to know what sex is like? You’ll be able to know that, just have a little patience and then you’ll be able to have the best of both worlds.
(6) Hormones: This is a real struggle for many people, especially teenagers. But here’s the deal: we are humans, we are not just animals. We are not just our instincts or our urges. We have REASON and FREEDOM and INTELLECT and SELF-CONTROL. We can control our bodies because we have the intelligence to do so. That’s one of the things that separate us from the animals. Some people want to believe that it’s impossible to save sex for marriage because of hormones, but that is proved untrue by the millions and millions of people who have been virgins when they got married.
(7) To get and keep a boyfriend: If a relationship would die without sex, then let it.
(8) Media Influence: No doubt there are images all over the place that encourage us to give in to sexual lust and desire because there are no consequences. But we have got to be smarter than the TV. MTV thinks it makes the trends that teens follow. They think you guys are a bunch of brainwashable idiots. I believe you guys can think for yourselves and can make good decisions.
(1) Peer-Pressure/Popularity
(2) Pleasure/Feels good
(3) Excitement/Fun/Good pastime
(4) Love
(5) Curiousity
(6) Hormones
(7) To get and keep boyfriend
(8) Media influence
What do you think? Are any of these reasons good reasons to have sex before marriage? Why or why not?
The answer is "no." None of the above reasons are good reasons to have sex before marriage. Why? Let's take a discuss:
(1) Peer Pressure/Popularity: If we made all of our life decisions based on what the people around us were doing, we would never accomplish the things we want to do. There will ALWAYS be “cool” people who do things that aren’t smart. At some point we have to decide to do what we know is best for our life. If the worst thing that happens to you from practicing chastity is someone calls you a loser, then you’re in pretty good shape. Compare that to the worst thing that could happen to you if you DON’T practice chastity.
(2) Pleasure/Feels good: Yes, sex is pleasurable. God made it that way so that the human species would reproduce. But sex can be so much more pleasurable if you don’t have to worry about all the stresses of having sex outside of marriage. This goes along with the next one too…
(3) Excitement/Fun/Good pastime: Even though there may be a few moments of pleasure, ultimately, its not fun to worry about getting sexually transmitted diseases, getting your girlfriend pregnant, worrying that people will find out, losing your reputation, breaking trust with your parents, turning your back on God, or having emotional baggage that you will have to carry with you for the rest of your life. Ultimately, sex is only REALLY enjoyable inside marriage where you are free from all of these problems.
(4) Love: Many people think that sex will be a sign of true love, or they are seeking to gain someone’s love by having sex with them. But the fact is that real love would NEVER put the beloved at risk. Real love wants what’s best for the other person, and sex outside of marriage ALWAYS puts the other person at risk. A real sign of the love is the willingness to wait, to make a thousand sacrifices, to walk a thousand miles for the beloved. Not just to get whatever feels good here and now regardless of the consequences.
(5) Curiousity: You can’t have BOTH the experience of being sexually promiscuous before marriage AND have the experience of giving the gift of yourself totally and completely, with the purity of your virginity, to your husband/wife on your wedding day. You CAN’T have both. BUT, you CAN have BOTH your curiosity about sex satisfied AND be pure for your spouse if you save sex for marriage. Why not choose BOTH? Why lose the chance to know what it would be like to offer yourself completely to your spouse, just because you want to know what sex is like? You’ll be able to know that, just have a little patience and then you’ll be able to have the best of both worlds.
(6) Hormones: This is a real struggle for many people, especially teenagers. But here’s the deal: we are humans, we are not just animals. We are not just our instincts or our urges. We have REASON and FREEDOM and INTELLECT and SELF-CONTROL. We can control our bodies because we have the intelligence to do so. That’s one of the things that separate us from the animals. Some people want to believe that it’s impossible to save sex for marriage because of hormones, but that is proved untrue by the millions and millions of people who have been virgins when they got married.
(7) To get and keep a boyfriend: If a relationship would die without sex, then let it.
(8) Media Influence: No doubt there are images all over the place that encourage us to give in to sexual lust and desire because there are no consequences. But we have got to be smarter than the TV. MTV thinks it makes the trends that teens follow. They think you guys are a bunch of brainwashable idiots. I believe you guys can think for yourselves and can make good decisions.
Monday, February 9, 2009
Friday, February 6, 2009
Question Box Friday
What should I do if my boyfriend is pressuring me into having sex?
Tell your boyfriend "No." Explain why you don't want to have sex with him. If he continues to pressure you, leave the situation and dump him as your boyfriend.
The gift of your sexuality is such a precious, intimate and powerful gift that only one man is worthy enough to recieve: your husband; the man who truly loves you and has proven his love for you by the sacrifices he is has made in order to put your best interest before his own. Sex before marriage is never an expression of love because it always places the beloved at risk. True love would never put the beloved at risk.
I know this can be hard to hear and I know that peer-pressure is a big deal, especially in high school. I know you want to have a boyfriend because it makes you feel good and makes you feel of worth, but you are very special and of great value and worth to God, your family and friends and Thom and I. You don't need a boyfriend to prove that. You are special because you are made in the image and likeness of God and you are His precious daughter. You deserve to be respected as such and anyone who is pressuring you to have sex with him does not have your best interest in mind. He only has his own selfish desires in mind and you deserve more than that. You deserve to have a boyfriend that really cares about you and respects you. So stay strong in your values and morals and don't let anyone manipulate you into something that goes against them!
Tell your boyfriend "No." Explain why you don't want to have sex with him. If he continues to pressure you, leave the situation and dump him as your boyfriend.
The gift of your sexuality is such a precious, intimate and powerful gift that only one man is worthy enough to recieve: your husband; the man who truly loves you and has proven his love for you by the sacrifices he is has made in order to put your best interest before his own. Sex before marriage is never an expression of love because it always places the beloved at risk. True love would never put the beloved at risk.
I know this can be hard to hear and I know that peer-pressure is a big deal, especially in high school. I know you want to have a boyfriend because it makes you feel good and makes you feel of worth, but you are very special and of great value and worth to God, your family and friends and Thom and I. You don't need a boyfriend to prove that. You are special because you are made in the image and likeness of God and you are His precious daughter. You deserve to be respected as such and anyone who is pressuring you to have sex with him does not have your best interest in mind. He only has his own selfish desires in mind and you deserve more than that. You deserve to have a boyfriend that really cares about you and respects you. So stay strong in your values and morals and don't let anyone manipulate you into something that goes against them!
Wednesday, February 4, 2009
Did you know?
The media often portrays sex as all fun and games; without regrets or consequences, but a survey of 1,000 sexually active teens across America revealed that two-thirds of them wish that they had waited longer to have sex (77 percent of girls and 60 percent of boys).
Taken from Theology of the Body for Teens
Taken from Theology of the Body for Teens
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