Senate panel cuts abstinence funding

Posted at The Washington Times.

A Senate appropriations panel voted this week to cut the funding of a major abstinence program, setting up a battle with House appropriators, who voted recently to increase the funding.

The Community-Based Abstinence Education (CBAE) program, which awards competitive grants directly to organizations that want to teach abstinence education, currently receives $113.4 million.

This week, the Senate Appropriations subcommittee on labor, health and human services, education and related agencies voted to cut CBAE funding by $28.5 million, to $84.9 million.

This contrasts with the House Appropriations subcommittee's vote this month to raise CBAE funding by $27.8 million, to $141.2 million. The full House Appropriations committee has not acted.

The same lies and misrepresentations are littered throughout this article. Statements such as "overwhelming evidence that these [abstinence] programs are ineffective and based on narrow right-wing ideology", and a request to "fund HIV prevention based on science and proven effectiveness", and claiming that studies "conclude that abstinence-only programs do not work".

In order to make statements like these, they have to ignore studies that show just the opposite. There is no "overwhelming evidence" that abstinence-only programs don't work. There has been a great deal of discussion with reports supporting both sides of the debate depending on who conducted the study and compiled the report. Reports that were neutral in nature have been used on both sides of the debate to support their case.

My question is, "what is right?" What do you think that your child should be taught by adults? That premarital sex can be safe and fun or that it is wrong and dangerous? Do you want adults to give your child a false sense of hope that they can avoid the physical and emotional consequences of immoral behavior, and that there are no spiritual consequences? If you think that you are protecting your child from harming themselves by allowing them to be taught the message in these "comprehensive" programs, think again.

Here is a report from the National Abstinence Education Association that shows what is being taught as a part of this curricula. - STRAIGHT FROM THE SOURCE

Here is a report on a study that was conducted by the Administration for Children and Families (ACF) and the Department of Health and Human Services (HHS) for the US Senate. This report clearly tells a different story than those who are applauding Sen. Tom Harkin (D-IA) for being able to see their side of the story while ignoring the truth. - REVIEW OF COMPREHENSIVE SEX EDUCATION

Major Study Reveals Overwhelming Bias of "Comprehensive" Sex Education

Posted at Lifesite.Net

U.S. Appropriations Committee votes to increase funding to abstinence education

By Elizabeth O'Brien

WASHINGTON, DC, June 18, 2007 (LifeSiteNews.com) - The United States House Appropriations Committee reviewed a report that reveals the overwhelming pro-contraceptive bias within "comprehensive" sex-education programs, reported the Washington Times last week. The Committee read the report on Thursday before voting to increase abstinence-education funding.

The new bill will provide an extra $27.8 million dollars for the Community-Based Abstinence Education Program, raising its total to $141 in funding, says the Times. The same amount will also go towards the Title X family-planning programs, making a total of $311 million.

Earlier in 2005, Senators Tom Coburn of Oklahoma and Rick Santorum of Pennsylvania asked for an official report on sex-education in order to ensure that government dollars were being used wisely. As a result, the Department of Health and Human Services' (HHS) Administration for Children and Families (ACF) made a detailed and methodical investigation of nine of the most common "comprehensive" sex-education programs.
According to the National Institute of Health, Comprehensive Sex Education (CSE) is defined as "teaching both abstinence and the use of protective methods for sexually active youth." The final HHS report, however, found several vital areas of bias.

The report states, "Of the curricula reviewed, the curriculum with the most balanced discussion of abstinence and safer-sex still discussed condoms and contraception nearly seven times more than abstinence."
The "Reducing the Risk" program, for example, is medically accurate, but fails to point out the high risk of STD infection for condom users.

In "Be Proud! Be Responsible!", there are 495 references to condoms compared to 77 references to "abstinence" or "things that are 100% safe/effective". This program also makes a serious medical error. It states the following inaccuracy: "When they are used in conjunction with a spermicide such as Nooxynol-9, condoms become even more effective in preventing disease transmissions."

"Be Proud! Be Responsible!" gives examples of different ways to enjoy sex with the least possible risk of infection. Referring to these suggestions, the text claims, "In order for a curriculum to effectively reduce adolescent risk of HIV infection, it must dispel beliefs that condoms interfere with sexual pleasure." Similar to many other programs, however, it fails to adequately outline the dangers of condom failure.

In another major American curriculum, "Making Proud Choices," the text makes 650 references to condoms and only 18 to abstinence.

The report concludes that modern curricula seek to "lessen risks" rather than work at "avoiding sexual activity", and this may explain why they are "more effective at increasing condom use than at delaying sexual debut."

The recent study, released by Dr. Weed of the Institute for Research and Evaluation, clearly shows, however, that condoms and other forms of contraception do not protect sexually active adolescents from the serious emotional trauma that is associated with pre-marital sexual activity. Educating young people about abstinence is the most effective method of protecting them from disease, heartbreak, teen pregnancy and sexual violence (See http://www.lifesite.net/ldn/2007/jun/07061304.html ).

The consequences of sin cannot be mitigated. "Comprehensive" sex education attempts to arm children with mitigations to reduce the horrible consequences of fornication. What children need is a consistent message from those in authority, from those whom they respect and honor, that abstinence until marriage and monogamy after marriage is the only way to avoid the emotional, physical, and spiritual consequences of premarital sexual relationships. If you are not teaching this to your children, you are leading them on a path to destruction. If you are allowing others to teach your children how to engage in casual sex, and allowing them to lie to your children and teach them that it can be done "safely", you are not doing any better and will ultimately be held responsible.

If you think that there is nothing you can do or that "kids will do it anyway", you are sadly mistaken, and have surrendered to the enemy of your children's soul. If you are thinking that "I did it, so I would be a hypocrite if I told my kids not to", you are very wrong. It is not hypocritical to recognize the error of decisions that were made as a child and to try and pass the knowledge of the consequences of those decisions to your children. Your experience can be a valuable tool in adding the concern and passion that is needed to effectively persuade children to remain on the path of purity.

"Comprehensive" sex education is the current wave of change in public school systems. It's a tsunami to the lives of our children. It's end result will be the death of countless many. If you think that I'm exaggerating, watch the number of abortions that are performed in this country rise, watch the number of suicides among young people in this country rise, watch the number of young people living a moral Christian life plummet over the next several years. However, if you spend too much time watching and don't act soon enough, it may be too late.

“Comprehensive” Sex Education is Ineffective: Abstinence Works, Major National Study Shows

Posted at LifesiteNews.com.

SALT LAKE CITY, Utah, June 13, 2007 (LifeSiteNews.com) – One of the largest and most comprehensive studies of teen sex education, conducted by Dr. Stan Weed of the Institute for Research and Evaluation in Salt Lake City, shows why abstinence is the most successful method of preventing physical and emotional complications resulting from pre-marital sexual activity. The study followed the education and behavior of over 400,000 adolescents in 30 different states for 15 years.

The final report, entitled “Abstinence” or “Comprehensive” Sex Education? begins by pointing out the flaws in a national study on abstinence released by Mathematica Policy Research, Inc. Conducted in April 2007, this previous study examined the progress of teens who participated in four different abstinence education programs. The final report indicated that abstinence education was ineffective and that young adolescents should receive “comprehensive” sex education, that is, sex-education that teaches about various sexual behaviors and “safe-sex” methods.

[snip]

Dr. Stan Weed told LifeSiteNews.com: “Within the United States, sexual activity rates have been going down among teenagers for about the last 12 or 13 years, and that coincides with when the abstinence education started. Abortion, pregnancies and out of wedlock births rates have also been going down among teens during that same time period. However, pregnancy, abortion and out of wedlock births have been rising for the older age group, between 19-25, a group that has not been targeted by abstinence programs.”

Outlining these limitations and the report’s inaccuracies, Dr. Weed highlighted the problems that sexually active teens encounter and the failure of “comprehensive” sex education to remedy such issues. These include teen pregnancy, STD’s and poor emotional health. Sexually active young people are also more often physically assaulted or raped.

“Comprehensive” sex education also fails to explain the limitation of condoms, said the recent study, pointing out that “many consequences of teen sexual activity are not prevented by condom use.” Condoms are never a total guarantee against STD’s, and so there is no kind of truly “safe” sex outside of marriage. Secondly, despite 20 years of sex education, young people even fail to use condoms consistently. Most importantly, however, condoms do nothing to prevent the heartbreak, depression and low self-esteem caused by sexual activity.

It's hard to argue with facts, and impossible to argue with truth. Abstinence until marriage and a truly monogomous relationship in marriage is the only fail-safe method to prevent ALL of the problems associated with fornication and adultry. Problems that are physical, emotional AND spiritual.

Perspectives: Research-based realities

Here is an excellent article that shows some statistically established information that is irrefutable and not what the leftist activists want you to hear.

Excerpted from OneNewsNow.com.

Statistics on sex confirm what the ordinary person knows. Teen sex is a problem. We see the problem in our daily lives, but numbers and statistics define the problem.

Numbers and statistics also drive the work to cure the problems resulting from teen sex. Give us a cure, we are told. But make sure it is research-based.

This demand for research-based education is great news for abstinence educators. Research gathered over the past 40 years supports the truths taught in abstinence classes around our country. Consider what research has proven: (click here to read the article)