Teen Pregnancies are a problem in today's society because
many teens have no moral values regarding sex. The media uses
sex to draw the attention of teens and to convince them that
sexual activity is a part of the "normal" teenage
lifestyle. Many teens are also assured that premarital sex
has no consequences by several options available to help them
prevent or end unwanted pregnancies without their parent's
knowledge. For these reasons, teens see no need to choose
abstinence as a means of preventing pregnancies. However,
abstinence is the only truly reliable way to prevent pregnancy,
as well as disease and emotional scars.
Today's society no longer seeks to avoid premarital sex,
but instead to avoid pregnancy. Teens are encouraged to use
protection such as condoms or birth-control pills to prevent
becoming pregnant. In the event that these methods of protection
are ineffective, young girls are also given the option to
end their unwanted pregnancy without their parent's knowledge.
Therefore, teens are often able to prevent or end pregnancies
without choosing abstinence. However, these alternative methods
allow teenagers to become irresponsible and uncontrollable
because they are being taught that their actions have no consequences.
In addition to unwanted pregnancies, sexually transmitted
diseases are a risk when abstinence is not practiced. Most
teens are led to believe that condoms will protect against
these diseases. Therefore, they are not concerned with the
possible risk, assuming they use protection. Although condoms
can help protect against diseases, they are not completely
reliable. Abstinence is the only way to ensure complete protection
against sexually transmitted diseases.
Another outcome of premarital sex, which is generally overlooked
as a problem, is emotional scarring. Many people, adults and
teenagers alike, fail to acknowledge the emotional pain that
results from sex outside of marriage. Sex is designed for
one man and one woman who have committed their lives to each
other in marriage. When a couple abstains from sexual activity
until they are married, they are able to share a deeper connection
of love and trust than couples who do not choose to wait.
The reason for this is that the individuals who wait until
marriage have proven their faithfulness and commitment to
their future spouses and their marriage. However, when that
commitment is broken, or when sex is abused, the consequences
are often feelings of guilt and loneliness. No amount of "protection"
can help this problem. Therefore, abstinence is the only way
to guard against emotional scars.
In conclusion, the problem of teen pregnancies should not
be resolved by providing teens with means of having "safe
sex", but instead by emphasizing the importance of abstinence
and the consequences of premarital sex: Abstinence is not
only the best way to avoid pregnancy, disease, and emotional
pain, but it is also the most beneficial to individuals as
well as their future spouses.
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