The Trouble with Christian Sex?

[Sunstone]

Robert Ashghar has posted an essay that he believes identifies three problems with Christian sex. Does his analysis have any merit? If so, what merit? If not, why not?

[Reverend Rick]

the Washington Post reported in 2005 that "although young people who sign a virginity pledge delay the initiation of sexual activity, marry at younger ages and have fewer sexual partners, they are also less likely to use condoms* and more likely to experiment with oral and anal sex," according to researchers from Yale and Columbia Universities."

How does one go about becoming a researcher?

Why would anyone agree to such a personal survey?

I believe the data is wrong because anyone who would engage in such a personal survey would not be a "Normal Christian".

[Reverend Rick]

Originally Posted by Sunstone

Does his analysis have any merit? If so, what merit? If not, why not?

Singling out Bristol Palin shows bias from the get go.

I believe only the promiscuous Christians would ever fill out such a survey.

Such personal questions about young people would not get full participation of the celibate majority.

According to most Christians, making a technical distinction of virginity would not fly. This sounds more like a Clintonesque type of reasoning than a Christian one.

[ChristineES]

I usually find problems with these studies and surveys (you might already know this from another thread I participated in). You can only interview so many people in a survey and it is only a tiny percentage of all the people in a certain situation.

The other problem is that even if a child is raised a certain faith or religion, it does not necessarily mean that the child actually follows that religion or faith (and no, I am not saying that Bristol Palin is not a true Christian or anything, I am speaking generally). I know this by experience, after all, I was raised by an atheist and I never was an atheist (from the time I was nine I was agnostic and when I was nearly 18 I became a Christian).

[Falvlun]

Originally Posted by Reverend Rick

How does one go about becoming a researcher?

Generally, you get your Phd, or work with someone who has a Phd, and you get your research published in a peer reviewed journal.

Originally Posted by Reverend Rick

Why would anyone agree to such a personal survey?

I believe the data is wrong because anyone who would engage in such a personal survey would not be a "Normal Christian".

Au contrair. I would think that someone who is celibate would have even more reason to fill out such a survey. Afterall, they have nothing to hide or be embarrased about. They would probably be a bit proud of their accomplishment as well, and would like to show that abstinence works and is a viable option if one merely has the fortitude and faith to do it.

Originally Posted by Reverend Rick

Singling out Bristol Palin shows bias from the get go.

Not really. She is a child of a well-known abstinence-only supporter, and she's a teenage mother. I mean, she's a poster child for why, even with strong support from family back home, abstinence-only education tends not to work.

Originally Posted by Reverend Rick

According to most Christians, making a technical distinction of virginity would not fly. This sounds more like a Clintonesque type of reasoning than a Christian one.

It's been a while since you were in highschool, hasn't it? This type of reasoning is rampant among my generation. You are considered a virgin until you have penis-to-vagina intercourse. Everything else is fair game, and you can still claim your purity.

Originally Posted by ChristineES

I usually find problems with these studies and surveys (you might already know this from another thread I participated in). You can only interview so many people in a survey and it is only a tiny percentage of all the people in a certain situation.

I understand your concerns; no survey should be taken as knock-down proof of anything. But, that said, there are standards in the survey business which minimize the sampling error.
Additionally, the results for this topic are pretty consistent across mulitple different surveys. I would think it a pretty trustworthy analysis at this point.

[Karl R]

Originally Posted by Reverend Rick

Why would anyone agree to such a personal survey?

Why wouldn't someone? As long as there's a reasonable assurance of anonymity, I would.

Originally Posted by Reverend Rick

I believe the data is wrong because anyone who would engage in such a personal survey would not be a "Normal Christian".

Please define "Normal Christian."

As far as I know, the bible doesn't prohibit responding to surveys. Nor does it prohibit discussion of sexual values and practices.

Originally Posted by Reverend Rick

I believe only the promiscuous Christians would ever fill out such a survey. Such personal questions about young people would not get full participation of the celibate majority.

As a teenager I would have filled out that kind of survey. I was a virgin until after college.

And while the celibate might have constituted a majority at the teens at my church, I think it was a rather small majority.

Originally Posted by Reverend Rick

According to most Christians, making a technical distinction of virginity would not fly.

In the past several years I've dated a few christian women who believed in "no sex" before marriage. There's always some technical distinction of what counts as "sex" and what doesn't. It's often a fascinating discussion, and the technical distinction may change during the relationship.

I've also dated several christian women who thought that sex before marriage was just fine. Those individuals practiced safe sex.

Reverend Rick,
You may find this surprising, but most women are more willing to openly discuss their sexual behavior with their boyfriend than with their pastor.

These were women ranging from their late 20s to early 40s who attended moderate to conservative churches. There wasn't a lot of consistency even when dating women from the same church.

[AxisMundi]

Originally Posted by Sunstone

Robert Ashghar has posted an essay that he believes identifies three problems with Christian sex. Does his analysis have any merit? If so, what merit? If not, why not?

For many mainstream religions, sex is a theopolitical device intended solely to build on the power base (numbers of adherents) and to litterally grab the adherents by the shorts.

Unfortunatly, the unnatural limitations and ideals placed on sex can lead to certain psychosis and undesirable sexual hang-ups.

[Walkntune]

It was a very shallow article written from some who sounds like they don't know the difference between having sex and making love.The different aspect of taking what you can from someone or wanting to share yourself with some because you love them has so much more to say then what she even touches on.