Planned Parenthood, like all predatory animals, seeks to insert itself between the strong parents and the weaker young. It’s easier to pick them off that way. They do so by insinuating themselves into children’s lives with seeming care and concern for the welfare of teens and children in areas beyond sex; areas such as housing, employment, economic standing, etc. Mingled in all of that is the suggestion that sex is the determining factor and that Planned Parenthood can play a role in helping.
Once they’ve enured themselves to the children, they turn on them, teaching that traditional morality is anachronistic and taboo. They repeatedly talk in their literature of sex as ‘sex play’, removing the sense of the sacred, and its attendant responsibility. It’s just a game. Have fun. The child in the proverbial candy store.
In this first installment we look at one of several PP documents aimed at children:
Stand and Deliver: Sex, Health and Young People in the 21st Century
In this document, the first and most necessary step is to ascertain who PP’s target audience is. From the document,
Defining Adolescence
As most societies define adolescence and youth in terms
of both age and life circumstances, there is no universal
agreement on what is a ‘young person’. The national
legal age for political participation and the availability of
data on different age groups can also determine how
societies define youth. The World Health Organization
defines young people as those from 10 to 24 years of
age, including adolescents (10–19 years) and youth (15–24
years). IPPF uses the terms young people, youth and
adolescents interchangeably to refer to people who are
between 10 and 24 years. Defining all people under 18
years of age as a child is often not useful because it ignores
the circumstances of youth who are faced with pressures
and responsibilities that are usually reserved for adults.
Policies and programmes for young people should focus
not so much on age, but on the specific developmental
needs and rights of individuals as they transition from
childhood to adulthood.
Faith Religion and Sexuality
Involving young people from all regions of the world, IPPF
convened a meeting to give young people the opportunity to
voice their experiences of their own sexual and reproductive
health in religious contexts, and to learn about how to meet
young people’s needs. Culture, religion and traditions are
some of the biggest obstacles in implementing sexual and
reproductive health programmes for young people.
The meeting provided a space for young people to talk, and
to listen to each other, to share their concerns and consider
each other’s different approaches to addressing sexuality
within religious contexts. Young people said:
“My faith makes me feel connected to the most powerful force
in existence, it makes me feel comfortable deep inside.
My faith helps me to be more creative, more self-confident.”
“Faith and spirituality have their pros and cons. On one hand,
it puts up a set of rules and regulations which if followed
properly, make you a better person. On the other hand, it
curbs growth of some issues which are necessary for the
better upbringing of present-day adolescents.”
Young people’s sexuality is still contentious for many religious
institutions. Fundamentalist and other religious groups the
– Catholic Church and madrasas (Islamic schools) for example –
have imposed tremendous barriers that prevent young people,
particularly, from obtaining information and services related
to sex and reproduction. Currently, many religious teachings
deny the pleasurable and positive aspects of sex and limited
guidelines for sexual education often focus on abstinence
before marriage (although evidence shows this strategy has
been ineffective in many settings).63 The reality is, young
people are sexual beings and many of them are religious as
well. There is a need for pragmatism, to address life as it is
and not as it might be in an ideal world.
Each religion or faith must find a way of explaining and
providing guidance on issues of sex and sexual relationships
among young people, which supports rather than denies
their experiences and needs. By highlighting strong values in
faiths and religions, and overcoming stigma and stereotypes
that religious conventions perpetuate, communities and
leaders can help improve young people’s access to sexual and
reproductive health information and services, and so improve
their health and well-being.
Next time: Play, play, play.
Great post,Gerard.
What a crock of misinformation coming from Planned Parenthood. Their pretending to be an authority on religion, faith and values as they relate to human sexuality is an insult to religions around the world. Surely they have not studied what the Catholic Church teaches about sexuality. It’s positions have never been as well-articulated and clear as they are today.
The candy looks good. But I see now, I’ve been duped into eating it in the past! But seriously, great article. God bless. Adele
Thanks for posting. Being in youth ministry, we need to know what our kids are getting fed at school and in the community. I agree with Janet that they obviously either have no idea what we teach our youth about sexuality or wish to completely deny it. Keep doing what you do!
Adele,
You are by no means alone. The candy tastes better after marriage, and doesn’t give those tummy-aches either. 😉
Janet and Nicole,
Thanks, and stay tuned for more!
I blame deconstructionism.
This whole business makes me tear my hair out and worry about having daughters.
I’ve been reading a lot of your posts lately, I am from Mexico… and since abortion was legalized here I have been trying to explain my friends why this is a great wrong that has come upon us…
But many people talk just the way that this article says and at first it all seems to be kind of logic and reasonable… religion makes sex taboo and just brings repression to ones life, and with all the scandals the church is facing now it just seems they get to say, “told you so”…
Well many have been blinded by this, I was once, so I really really appreciate what you are doing, and now know that even if some things they say sound reasonable and are actually used by good people now that are misinformed… the truth is in God and you are giving us scientific proof of that… so I thank you for your wonderful words and I’ll keep learning from you to be prepared to defend Life
Becky,
Es bueno verte! Que Dios te bendiga.
Becky check out JP II’s theology of the body.
This will help to counter the “sex as recreation” attitude you encounter so much.
GeekLady, I have more than a few daughters and they are doing ok.
The thing is you get ’em while they are young and you tell ’em while they are young. 😉
Remaining chaste and saving oneself for marriage is a way of life. Self respect is an attitude.
Armed with prayer and a strong knowledge of true feminine sexuality, they will do just fine.
You don’t be prissy about it either. Being a virtuous woman or man takes courage and sacrifice.
Interestingly enough, it’s the Catholic churches that have pamphlets in their church entrance on PP’s abilities to lie, manipulate and misguide and numerous brochures on crisis pregnancy centers and boat loads of phone numbers so a woman in crisis can get help from domestic violence, rape, pregnancy etc. Yet we are so evil!