Abstinence is Unrealistic

Everyone knows that Sarah Palin’s daughter, Bristol recently delivered a son. The unwed mom is 18 and is allegedly engaged to her boyfriend. So here’s my thing…

Bristol’s mother ran on an “abstinence only” platform when she became governor of Alaska. While I agree that stuff happens, sex isn’t typically one of those things. Unless you are sexually assaulted or inebriated, you don’t just find yourself a victim of surprise sex. One thing, as the saying goes, doesn’t really lead to another.

In a recent article, Governor Palin was reported as saying abstinence is not a realistic expectation for everyone. Her daughter apparently echoed those sentiments. I know that abstinence teaching has been under fire since its inception. While abstinence is difficult, it is NOT unrealistic.

Doing right is never easy. Our human nature is sinful, and doing wrong seems like more fun. However, not teaching abstinence just because it’s hard, is a huge cop-out and a disservice to young people everywhere. There are days when I find it hard to drive without wanting to run someone off the road. There are times when I’ve wanted to tell my supervisor that he has no idea what he’s doing. Perhaps there are times when I would like to take my husband and make out with him in the back of church. But I don’t do these things because there are rules and standards in place.

Abstinence is no different. I have 2 children, and we will teach them to abstain until they are married. We will educate them thoroughly. Will is be easy? No. It wasn’t for us. Neither were most of the other things my parents expected of me. Is indulging myself more fun? Absolutely. But there are always consequences. Always. I have more faith in my children than to say, “I expect you to obey, but if it’s too hard, feel free not to do it.” Give me a break. Who decides which of God’s laws to obey? Do we only follow the easy ones?

At what point do we as parents set godly standards for our children and expect them to abide. I realize that people make mistakes, I make plenty. But I can not lower my standards as a result of my failures. I believe that children, just like adults, are capable of rising to meet high standards. We see it everyday. If nothing is expected, that’s what we get. Few people excel when no one has expectations for them.

While I applaud the Palins for giving the child a chance at life, I would like to see the Republican governor stand firmly behind her previous statements and not adjust them to fit her daughter’s current circumstances. I’m hoping that this article is only a snapshot of how where she stands. Technically speaking, abstinence is not realistic for ANYONE. It requires discipline…. Just like everything else in life.