One in four girls

My dad showed me the following article today.  “No encouragement is needed.”  Heh.  I am scared of having a child of my own…I’ve hadn’t had sex yet, but it seems like my child will likely fall into having premarital sex at this time in our society.  I don’t know how politics would be most effective or how I would go about teach her (and him) to behave otherwise…..

Editorial:  March 14, 2008, 10:05PM
Copyright 2008 Houston Chronicle
One in four girls
Shocking study on sexually transmitted infections in young females must be a wake-up call for teen health

Texas Gov. Rick Perry was right. Members of the Texas Legislature who last year shot down his plan to require that schoolgirls be vaccinated against the human papillomavirus were shortsighted. The evidence for this is a shocking statistic: One in four American girls and young women are infected with at least one of four common sexually transmitted diseases, including the cancer-causing HPV.

This jaw-dropping conclusion was the finding of a recent federal study into infection rates of sexually transmitted diseases among girls aged 14 to 19 who participated in a health survey conducted in 2003-04. The teens were tested for HPV, chlamydia, trichomoniasis and genital herpes.

Researchers with the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention found that 18 percent of the young women were infected with human papillomavirus, which can cause cervical cancer. Another 4 percent carried chlamydia, which can lead to infertility. Another 2.5 percent of the young women were found to have trichomoniasis, and 2 percent had genital herpes.

An astonishing 50 percent of black teens studied were infected with at least one STD. The figure for white teenagers — 20 percent — was also high.

The inescapable conclusion is that teens need more help in avoiding the serious consequences of having sex before they are ready and without adequate protection.

Last year, Gov. Perry called on Texas to mandate that sixth-grade girls receive the only vaccine approved to prevent HPV as a means to cut their risk of getting deadly cervical cancer. The outcry from Texans to Perry’s executive order was as ferocious as lawmakers’ speed in shooting it down.

Some parents expressed fear that the HPV vaccine would encourage young girls to have sex. The results of the CDC study show conclusively that no encouragement is needed. Lawmakers should look again at requiring the vaccine before girls become sexually active. It would be a sensible means of improving public health.

But this time, public health officials ought to lay the groundwork first by addressing other concerns surrounding this important immunization. Among those concerns is that the maker of the FDA-approved inoculation, called Gardasil, has had undue influence in states’ decisions to make the vaccine mandatory. Also, blanket vaccines would be expensive and might not be safe. In clinical testing, however, Gardasil was found to be virtually 100 percent effective against four strains of HPV over a five-year period.

Meanwhile, as the study pointed out, HPV is only one of a host of sexually transmitted diseases that plague young people. That’s one of the reasons most younger teens simply should not have sex. From the standpoint of emotional maturity, that probably goes for a large percentage of older teens, as well.

The problem is that few teens give the “decision” to have sex much thought. They just do it.

That’s why adults have to do more, and in an organized and consistent way, to help young people navigate the treacherous territory of early sexual intercourse. Teens who have sex should know how to protect themselves from potentially devastating sexually transmitted diseases — not to mention unintended pregnancy.

This groundbreaking study shows how pressing is the need for sound public policy on teen sexual health — policy based on data and demonstrated best practices rather than emotion.

The Poverty and Justice Bible

March 14, 2008, 6:25PM
Religion Commentary by the Rev. Ken Gurley
Living up to God’s command
New Bible shines a light on the Scriptures’ call to serve the poor

Nearly 3,000 silent sentinels stand guard over the poor. Stationed throughout both the Old and New Testaments, these Scripture verses remind each believer of his or her responsibility to help the less fortunate.

The U.K. Bible Society is shining the spotlight on these 2,848 passages in The Poverty and Justice Bible. The new release of the Contemporary English Version translation highlights in bold orange ink the verses devoted to recognizing and meeting the needs of the poor.

The society’s search for the many biblical references to the poor was prompted by a question from best-selling author and megachurch pastor Rick Warren, who recently has emphasized Christian responsibility to the vulnerable and indigent.

“I went to Bible College, two seminaries and I got a doctorate,” Warren said in an interview with Christianity Today. “How did I miss God’s compassion for the poor?”

Christians have traditionally been friends of the poor. As Jesus ministered to and befriended many economic and societal outcasts, so have his followers.

Remember Katrina? Houston leaders stepped forward and shouldered a huge load in the plight of the evacuees, as did the area’s community of faith. Hundreds and thousands of churches and ministries in this area sacrificed greatly to care for the hurting.

The point of The Poverty and Justice Bible, however, is that compassion should not be spasmodic, but a steady current of caring concern.

Congratulations to the Bible Society for publishing this volume, which brings to mind a few observations and points for discussion:

• How can we reconcile these passages with our Lord’s statement, “the poor you will always have with you” (Matthew 26:11)?
• Historically, churches that emphasize righting social wrongs tend to de-emphasize the preaching of the Gospel. Jesus said that man does not live by bread alone but by God’s Word as well (Matthew 4:4). Does focusing on an urgent need (poverty and injustice) eclipse meeting the important need (salvation)?
• Heaven was talked about a lot in years gone by. Does our present preoccupation with remedying social ills reveal a greater grip on this earth than Heaven? Or is this justified?
• Christ’s most withering criticism was saved for Laodicea, one of the Seven Churches of Asia (Revelation 3:14-21). Blessed with material possessions, the church did not realize how impoverished in spirit it was. Is there ever a time when poverty can be more of a blessing than a curse?

The Rev. Ken Gurley is pastor of First Church Pearland, an independent Pentecostal congregation. He writes “A Pentecostal Perspective: Seeing Life Through the Spirit,” a blog at HoustonBelief.com.