Tag Archives: Sexuality

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New Hampshire legalizes gay marriage

“New Hampshire on Wednesday became the sixth U.S. state to authorize gay marriage, deepening a New England niche for same-sex weddings and the spending that comes with them.” (more from article)

How do you go about thinking about the issue of gay marriage and homosexuality?

here is a previous blog with some thoughts and links.

Also, there is a forthcoming book, The Complete Christian Guide to Understanding Homosexuality, which looks very promising as well….

(from amazon) Product Description

One of the hot–button issues of our day is fully addressed in this comprehensive new resource on homosexuality. This well–researched and highly readable guide is the perfect go–to manual for families, church workers, counselors, pastors, civic leaders, schools, and those who themselves struggle with same–sex attraction.

Readers will find the answers to these and many more important questions:

  • What is homosexuality?
  • Is the tendency for homosexuality genetic?
  • How should the church respond?
  • What’s the proper response when a relative or friend announces they’re gay?
  • What are the legal and civic ramifications of homosexuality?
  • Should homosexuals serve openly in the military?
  • What about gay marriage and adoption?

Authoritative authors Joe Dallas (Desires in Conflict, When Homosexuality Hits Home) and Dr. Nancy Heche (The Truth Comes Out) tackle the hard questions about same–sex attraction in this helpful volume.

Another helpful book is God’s Grace and the Homosexual Next Door: Reaching the Heart of the Gay Men and Women in Your World by Alan Chambers

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Octuplets and the Question of Reproductive Ethics

I have been recovering from the flu–yuck–but have been following the story of the Octuplets born last week.

Basically, “the fertility doctor who helped a California woman have 14 children, including octuplets born last month, is facing a state investigation on top of harsh criticism from medical ethicists.”

This raises some good questions. If we can do something, should we? Furthermore, who gets to decide? At what point does one’s desires become trumped by ethical norms?

In light of that here is a link to An Overview to Reproductive Technologies. This will help orient you to the field, some of the procedures available and how they work as well as the ethical questions involved.

My professor for bioethics–Dr. Scott Rae–weighed in on the story in an article and I think his assessments are helpful:

Scott Rae, a fellow of the Centre for Bioethics and Human Dignity, said the case was neither a miracle nor cause for celebration. “The decision to implant eight or more embryos is indefensible,” Dr Rae said. He applauded the woman’s decision not to destroy any of her embryos, but suggested they could have been donated to other infertile couples.

Here are some other helpful articles to help us think ethically about decisions in our society.

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Survey: Teens sharing nude images online

From the article…Recent survey finds that s_x, tech and teens make bad bedfellows

“When it comes to sex, tech and teens don’t make the best bedfellows. As tech-savvy teens become increasingly fluent with new technology, from social networking sites to tricked-out new cell phones, research finds the negative consequences stacking up.” (click here to read the rest of the article)

Choices have consequences. It is important for parents and teens to understand the opportunities and pitfalls of technology…exploitation and experimentation are only a text away.

This does not bring life…it may bring a laugh to some or a cheap thrill to others…but it does not lead to life. We must help our teens and students find a better way. Sexuality is a beautiful thing–God designed it to be enjoyed in the context of a committed, lifelong relationship. We live in a society that has confused lust for love and the consequences are painful and real.

One more sobering, though unsurprising insight from the article:

“Real life imitates life online. What teens and young adults are doing electronically seems to have an effect on what they do in real life: Nearly one-quarter of teens (22 percent) admit that technology makes them personally more forward and aggressive. More than one-third of teens (38 percent) say exchanging sexy content makes dating or hooking up with others more likely and nearly one-third of teens (29 percent) believe those exchanging sexy content are “expected” to date or hook up.”

This article does offer some helpful suggestions to parents like…

“Consider limitations on electronic communication. The days of having to talk on the phone in the kitchen in front of the whole family are long gone, but you can still limit the time your kids spend online and on the phone. Consider, for example, telling your teen to leave the phone on the kitchen counter when they’re at home and to take the laptop out of their bedroom before they go to bed, so they won’t be tempted to log on or talk to friends at 2 a.m.”

If a teenager or student has no boundaries on cell phone, texting or internet usage, then that is not good for their health, saftey, or ultimate hapiness. In many cases students are addicted to texting and online social networks…they literally can’t go without it. Again, I am not agaisnt technology–I use facebook and have a blog and a website and send text messages–but we must learn to use technology isntead of being used by it or being consumed by it.

Also check out….5 tech secrets parents need to know ” Love it or not, Mom and Dad, technology isn’t going away. Here’s how to keep up with what your kids are using it for.”

I have tried to offer a positive vision of life for teenagers / students in Welcome to College: A Christ-follower’s Guide for the Journey.

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Study: Sex on TV linked to teen pregnancies – Watching lots of racy shows can affect adolescents over time

Should we really be surprised by this revelation? It’s just TV right, how harmless can it be???

“In the world of television programming, sex sells — perhaps a little too well with young viewers, a new study suggests.”

“The RAND Corp. study is the first of its kind to identify a link between teenagers’ exposure to sexual content on TV and teen pregnancies. The study, released Monday and published in the November edition of the journal Pediatrics, found that teens exposed to high levels of sexual content on television were twice as likely to be involved in a pregnancy in the following three years as teens with limited exposure.”

Click here to read the whole article…