Wednesday, August 26, 2009

Sex Education via Reality TV

Make Me a Supermodel, America’s Next Top Model, The Janice Dickinson Modeling Agency, The Bachelor and Bachelorette, The Bad Girls’ Club. What do all these shows have in common? They are giving our kids Sex Education via Reality TV.

Many teen girls are obsessed with becoming models, looking like models or with being considered desirable. Our magazines, movies and TV shows have taught them to be this way. And teen boys aren't totally unaffected either.

The contestants on these types of TV shows may know what they are in for when they sign up – but what about your kids watching TV? Some of the shows may initially be on late at night, but the stations replay the programs at many different times on other days of the week to draw more viewers.

On Bravo TV’s Make Me a Supermodel, Season One, the unusually beautiful contestants (males and females between the ages of 18-24) were directed to pose in near-nude, very seductive positions on a bed; in all combinations (including a requirement of girl/girl, boy/boy for those who were heterosexual), body parts touching, kissing, petting. They were prompted to become as sexually involved as possible.

One girl, rather self-conscious, had already been criticized in a previous episode for not wearing a thong and was intimidated into doing so for this episode.

For their runway appearance, they had to wear black leather bondage and discipline outfits and had to choose whether to be a submissive or a dominator. In the end, the models that went the furthest in both tests were congratulated while the more timid received poor reviews. All in the name of “this is how you become a top model.”

The Janice Dickinson Modeling Agency on Oxygen (not currently being aired after its first three seasons) also had the requirement for the models to get naked for photo tests. Dickinson sent 4 males (some gay, some straight) to a photo shoot where they had to be ninety percent nude with black leather sado-masichism paraphernalia. On another episode, she ruthlessly criticized several models who auditioned from Models For Jesus, making fun of their faith and saying their careers would be stalled by their prudishness.

On ABC’s The Bachelor and The Bachelorette, people are kissing multiple others in the same night, in hot tubs, scantily clad, and it is intimated that the finalists all have a night of sex. The shows claim they are strictly chaperoned, but teens at home may not know that. I've even heard adults question, "How they can have sex with so many people"? It's doubtful they do, but it is definitely suggested.

I can understand some photo shoots where models are artistically draped in thin materials. But there is modeling, there is art, and then there is just plain exploitation of our teens and young singles for the sake of the dollar.
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Tuesday, August 18, 2009

Masturbate Every Day! British Government Tells Teens

‘Masturbate every day’ is the advice given to British teens in a new pamphlet called “Pleasure.” The pamphlet was recently distributed by a Northern England branch of British government to parents, teenagers, teachers and youth workers, without warning and without asking parental consent. The theory is that if every teenager masturbates their way to orgasm regularly, they will delay having sex with someone else.

Now, we all know that people of pretty much any age over ten usually discover masturbation at some time or another. Even the Bible doesn’t address masturbation directly. But parents weren’t warned or asked before this pamphlet went out. This shows government disrespect for parental teaching at home and for families’ religious and cultural backgrounds. ABC News and the Huffington Post report that many within that U.K. community are raising questions against this government intrusion.

Granted, many parents avoid talking about masturbation and other sex with their children. But statistics prove that the last three decades of teaching kids more about sex in schoolroom settings hasn’t kept their curiosity down. Kids have become more likely, not less, to experiment with all varieties of sex.

A 1986 poll for Planned Parenthood by Louis Harris & Associates states:
"The truth is, Planned Parenthood's sex education programs have backfired, actually increasing teen pregnancies…teens who have taken comprehensive sex education courses have a fifty percent higher rate of sexual activity than their 'unenlightened' peers."

In 1989, Adams High School in Commerce City, Colorado became the first school in the United States to distribute free condoms on campus. Within three years, the birth rate among girls at Adams increased to 31 percent above the national average.

Our sex education systems here in the U.S. and in the U.K. are, unfortunately, based on research by Alfred Kinsey, who “discovered” that children are sexually prone and even babies can have orgasms. His methods of collecting this “information” are legally and morally questionable. But he is still the sex educator’s hero.

There are many old wives’ tales that simply aren’t true about the harmful effects of masturbation, like going blind. However, according to current information on the WebMD website, constant masturbation can limit a person’s capacity to achieve satisfaction with other sexual partners. A person often learns to stimulate themselves in ways their partners cannot.

Masturbation can become an obsession, as illustrated at Medhelp.org, where questions and comments are displayed from people seeking help for depression due to obsessive masturbation.

All this evidence may justify the Bible’s many verses in both the Old and New Testament about fleeing from lustful temptations and saving oneself for marriage.

Contact this blog's writer for sources connected to this article.
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Wednesday, August 12, 2009

Dear Addict - Do you have an Addiction?

Do you have an addiction you are trying to break free from? The disease of addiction is far-reaching. Drugs, alcohol and many other addictions don't recognize cultural or racial lines. Addictions are monsters who don't stay confined to certain neighborhoods or to people in certain walks of life. They are very hard to break.

Come see a friend who is lifting herself out of that cycle. Associated Content writer Kimberly Gray has started a website for addicts and recovering addicts like herself at http://www.dearaddict.ca. On her blog, she lists many sources for help and tells her story. She has 20-20 insight into the characteristics of addiction and its pull to keep people in its clutches.

As a writing peer of Kimberly's, I've seen her writing come out of nearly total black darkness into a marvelous light, relying on several tools as well as depending on God through a version of the Serenity Prayer and accepting His "Amazing Grace."

But Kimberly realizes she will need to consider herself an addict for life; and there is no one better than someone who's been there to help you find the sources you need. Many avenues of help are listed at her website. Stop off at either one of the above links today, and find a friend in Kimberly Gray.


(Ms. Young is not receiving any remuneration or other considerations for recommending Ms. Gray's website.)
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Tuesday, August 11, 2009

Protesting Obamacare in Town Halls - Is it "Unamerican" to Protest?

A cry is being heard from far-left liberals and Democrats that it's "un-American" to protest President Obama's proposed health care plan in the current Town Hall settings.

That statement in itself is the most un-American statement they've uttered yet! The First Amendment to the U.S. Constitution says:
"Congress shall make no law respecting an establishment of religion, or prohibiting the free exercise thereof; or abridging the freedom of speech, or of the press; or the right of the people peaceably to assemble, and to petition the Government for a redress of grievances."

Let's concentrate on that second half which I've bolded; will we soon see it change, like we've seen the non-existent phrase "separation of church and state" added to the Amendment's first half? What -- will someone soon be adding "the people do NOT have the right to assemble" and convincing us that the founding fathers left out a word?

Peaceably is the key word here. There are factions ruining it for all of us by shouting in threatening manners at the Town Hall meetings. But that still doesn't mean that we should all get accused of being sent by drug companies or paid off by the Republican party to appear at the meetings, which citizens are being invited to do.

When elected officials walk out of Town Hall meetings just because they're booed, or they cancel scheduled meetings and push them up to a time too close for people to free their schedules, as is happening in some cities, you are being denied your freedom of speech and your right to assemble with grievances.

That is the direction the country is going. Angry mobs? We ain't seen nothin' yet.
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Wednesday, August 5, 2009

"Fireproof" and "The Love Dare" Can Save Marriages

The Love Dare , the book inspired by the fictional journal in the movie “Fireproof,” debuted at No. 4 on the New York Times Bestseller List in October of 2008. “Fireproof” itself – a small budget film produced by a church – was the No. 3 movie in America after its opening weekend, and it only showed in approximately 900 theatres.

It proves people do want better marriages (see my other article here under 20-20 on Trends - "Is Your Marriage a Trial Marriage?).

Since the release of the movie Fireproof and The Love Dare’s 40-day journaling challenge toward a better marriage, countless stories of saved marriages have materialized. Churches and counselors all over the country are reporting that couples where at least one person wanted a divorce have seen improvements in their marriage since they took The Love Dare challenge.

If you’re a guy who thinks Fireproof is a girlie movie, think again. If you’re a woman who thinks she could never get her man to sit down and watch this or do the book challenge, just give it a try. Both the book and movie DVD are available at online outlets and in stores.

Actor Kirk Cameron (of “Growing Pains” fame) stars as a fireman whose marriage is just about on the rocks. There is plenty of macho-man fire action (running in and out of burning buildings, etc.) and even some guys’ locker room humor. At the end of his wits after huge fights with his wife (portrayed by Erin Bethea), he confides in a workmate and then in his father, who introduces him to “The Love Dare” journal.

Based on the Judeo-Christian values of the Bible and God’s desires for how to build great marriages, with a little faith and a little insight these marriage principles could be applied to marriages of all faiths...and maybe even lead to faith in God.

See my full reviews of “Fireproof” and “Fireproof Is a Movie for Tough Guys, Too” at Associated Content.
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