Healthy Choices

WARNING:
SEX IS MORE SERIOUS THAN YOU THOUGHT
 
Sex is everywhere. Unless you're living in a bubble, there is no way to escape all of the message being sent by our culture regarding this issue. But what's the big deal? Why take time to read through the following information? Well, to be honest with you, IT MAY JUST SAVE YOUR LIFE... 
 
Casual or Sacred?
Some people say sex is recreational, something to do when you're bored, without meaning or values. It's nothing. Some people say it is supposed to be special, a significant step in a relationship, and an expression of love. It's everything. What's your opinion? What have you been raised to believe? How does your choice of friends, entertainment, and surroundings influence your perception of sex?
   
Baby Talk
Teen pregnancy has become another serious issue. Most teens get pregnant by accident. Some actually want to have babies. There have even been cases of girls getting pregnant without even going "all the way". And pregnant teens often have a lot more to be concerned about than pregnant adults. If you're sexually active, or thinking about becoming sexually active, you ARE AT RISK.
 
Sex Can Make You Sick
For years the number of diseases you can get from having sex with an infected partner has been on the increase. Did you know that 1 out of 4 sexually active teens will graduate from high school having (had) at least one STD? Some are curable, some are not. None are fun.
 
Is It Too Late For Me?
If you've already had sex, or are currently in a sexual relationship, it is never too late to turn around and walk a different path. It is never easy to undo our mistakes, and you may not be able to escape some of the consequences that come with having sex, but renewed virginity is a realistic and completely attainable goal!
 
If you want more information on renewed virginity, call us at 478-994-3173.
 
Relationships
Whatever your view is of dating, going out, etc... Relationships can be very complicated. One minute they are wonderful and beautiful, and the next minute they can be frustrating and painful. And when you bring sex into the picture, things often become more complex than before. The reason for this however, is pretty simple:  Sex is a big deal!
 
On television, people have sex all the time, and usually there aren't a lot of consequences. When there are, things are often taken pretty lightly, and by the end of the show everything returns to normal. TV is not reality. Unfortunately life is not so easy...
 
Sexuality is part of who we are as humans. And when your hormones start raging, let's face it, it's a pretty BIG part of who you are. But your sex drive is different from the other drives in your body. Your desires for food and drink, for example, are actual needs. If you didn't satisfy your desires, you would eventually die. While your desire for sex may FEEL like a need at times, you will never die from lack of it. Your sexuality is therefore something over which you have control. Deciding to have sex is a conscious choice that will always lead to consequences of some kind.
 
Depending on the reasons and circumstances under which one chooses to have sex, the consequences can vary. There is always the possibility of PREGNANCY and STDs, but sex is more that just a physical act. It involves the heart, mind and emotions in a big way. And remember, consequences can be good OR bad.
 
Sex is one way to feel close to somebody. Some people call this intimacy, intercourse is not the whole story. Having sex with someone is pretty much the most physically intimate thing you can do. But real, true intimacy is defined as knowing and being known deeply - A close connection developed over a long period of time.
 
Sex is supposed to be an intimate, emotionally bonding experience. It's a completely vulnerable, self-exposing act. Your body and your soul are revealed in extremely personal ways. This is not just something you share with everyone. That is why you've probably heard some people say that sex is reserved for marriage. Inside of a healthy, married, man & woman relationship, there is something crucial that is missing from every other relationship:  a lasting commitment. In the "death do us part" commitment of marriage, intimacy has the freedom to develop without fear of being rejected or abandoned.
 
Wouldn't it be nice to wake up next to the same person every day, create memories with them, and develop the kind of intimacy that will help you through the tough times? That kind of commitment is worth waiting for!
 
Renewed Virginity 
I don't get it...if you've already had sex, how can you become a virgin again?
Well, physically this isn't really a viable option. But Renewed Virginity has little to do with being a technical virgin. It has more to do with your mindset. If you've been sexually active, whether by choice or by force, whether you've done it once or hundreds of times, it is never too late to make a change in your life.
 
And that is what it means to become a Renewed Virgin: to seriously make a commitment to yourself, your future spouse, and to others who are close to you, to remain abstinent until marriage.
 
Sound too difficult? It's not. While it isn't an easy decision to make, it is definitely one that is worth it in the long run. And the long run may not be very long if you find yourself with something like HIV or AIDS.
 
If you would like help in becoming a renewed virgin, please call us or come by our center.
 
Sexually Transmitted Diseases
STD facts:
  • An estimated 12 million new cases of STDS are reported every year; 2/3 are among women and men under age 25. (That's 3 million teenagers!)
  • 45 million Americans are currently infected with an incurable STD.
  • Many teens, as well as adults, are indirectly exposed to more than one sexual partner each year because their partners have had sex with someone else. The greater the number of partners, the greater the chance of contracting one or more STDs.
  • 12,000 teens will get an STD in the next 24 hours.
  • Two-thirds of STD infections cannot be detected without a test.
  • Women who take birth control pills are ten times more likely to contract an STD.
  • Many STDs lead to infertility. The infertility rate in the U.S. has risen 500% in the last 10 years.
  • You can have an STD and deveop no symptoms for weeks, months, or possible years. STDs are contagious even if no symptoms exist.
  • Teens are much more susceptible to STD damage because they have a lower level of antibodies than adults.
  • STDs often cause chronic pain and permanent damage.
  • Because there is no systematic screening for STDs in the U.S., many go untreated and are passed on to partners unknowingly.
  • Many STDs can be transmitted through skin-to-skin contact alone, regardless of whether or not intercourse takes place.
The Problem with "Protection"
Sex is a powerful act. Many protect will say that Safe Sex or Safer Sex is the answer to preventing the transmission of Sexually Transmitted Diseases. Condoms are not fool proof, and experts say that even when used 100% of the time, 100% correctly, they cannot safeguard against many of the most dangerous STDs.
 
Instead of offering you false hope, we want to alert you to the reality that sex in this society is not safe, unless it is practiced within a lifelong, monogamous, marriage relationship.
 
Here's the problem with "protection":
Condoms may leak or break during intercourse. Statistics show condom breakage rates are as high 12% during vaginal intercourse. Slippage is also a concern. Condoms can partially slip off the penis during vaginal intercourse increasing the chances of pregnancy and disease. Also, if withdraw does not occur when the penis is still erect, the condom can slip off.
 
Condoms can also be ineffective because they are used incorrectly.
- Oil based products such as spermicide can weaken latex condoms.
- If condoms are used without allowing enough space at the tip to serve as a semen reservoir, they can break. The risk of acquiring HIV when using a condom is only reduced by 69%, leaving a substantial risk of transmission.
- Holes may be poked in the condom when opening it.
 
You need to consider the following:
- Condoms do not eliminate the risk of acquiring an STD.
- HIV virus is.1 micron in size, naturally occuring defects in condoms are 5 microns - fifty times larger than HIV.
- Nearly one in three will contract AIDS from an infected partner with 100% condom use.
- Only 14-16% of couples avoid pregnancy when using condoms as birth control. During a survey it was revealed that 15% of condom users became pregnant within the first year of condom use.
- Females have a significantly greater risk of acquiring an STD, with or without a condom.
- Condoms provide little, if any, protection against HPV, which is one of the most common causes of cervical cancer.
- There is no scientific evidence that condoms prevent transmission of most sexually transmitted diseases according to a report issued by the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services (HHS).
- There has been a 500% increase in the prevalence of genital herpes in white adolescents over the past 25 years.
- Studies show that only about half of sexually active adolescents report using a condom the last time they had sex.
- Less than half of sexually active adolescents know how to use condoms correctly.
- About 15% of couples who rely on condoms to avoid pregnancy will still get pregnant within the first year of use.
 
The only way to ensure that you are protected completely from an STD and unplanned pregnancy is to abstain from sexual activity. There is no guarantee condoms will work, but abstinence works every time!
 
Sources: "Condom Sense" brochure, The Medical Institute for Sex Health (1997)
Abstinence.net/newsevents.com, "Safe Sex Myth Exposed by Scientific Report" Austin Texas (Press release July 19, 2001) Tom A. Coburn, M.D.

©2007 - 2010 The Pregnancy Center - All Rights Reserved.
Church & Ministry Websites by NetMinistry.