Since the sexual revolution of the 1960s there has been a staggering increase in the number of teen pregnancies, unwanted pregnancies, abortions and at-risk sexual behavior to the point that we now have an epidemic of sexually transmitted diseases (STDs).

“Safe” sex education taught teens to put a condom on a banana, and our young people bought the lie that condoms would prevent an unwanted pregnancy and STDs. Planned Parenthood facilities now have drive-up windows in some cities to make it easier for teens to pick up their condoms. But something’s not working! Current statistics indicate that 800,000 teenage girls will become pregnant every year. One out of every five girls today becomes pregnant before her 18th birthday.

Twenty years ago, there were two primary forms of what was then called venereal diseases – syphilis and gonorrhea. Today, there are more than 25 significant and different sexually transmitted diseases. Every year, more than 15 million Americans contract a new STD infection – and 3 million of them are teenagers. This means that every day, 8,219 teens contract a new STD. That’s 342 every hour, or one every 10 seconds.

By the time teens are 18 years old, 20 percent will have contracted an STD. Multiple partners and more frequency of sexual activity have caused the STD epidemic to reach staggering proportions. Clearly, the messages our teenagers have received from liberal, pro-abortion advocates have caused an increase in disease, death and trouble for our children.

The Bible has one clear message when it comes to sexuality: save sex for marriage. The only guaranteed way to avoid an unwanted pregnancy or an STD is to practice abstinence. Abstinence is the intentional decision not to engage in at-risk sexual behaviors. These behaviors include any activity that brings you in contact with another person’s genital body fluids. Following the guidelines of this definition will lead to positive, healthy outcomes for our children, and will start them down the right path for a successful, fulfilling married life.

Teaching children that their bodies are the temples of the Holy Spirit from a young age is key to personal responsibility. Waiting for sex until marriage is a commitment to purity – to being holy vessels God can work through. Children should be taught that they should be holy and consecrated – set apart for a divine purpose – at an early age.

Too many of our children have made unwise, unhealthy choices that prevent them from fulfilling God’s plan and purpose for their lives. Proper parental supervision and information on biblical sexuality at the appropriate time is key. The primary teacher of this material must be the parent, followed by reinforcements within the church. Church youth groups must talk about abstinence.

The truth is that the majority of teens (52 percent) are not having sex! A national survey by the Kaiser Foundation found that 75 percent of teens say it is “cool” to be a virgin, and more than half of those surveyed have been in situations where they could have had sex, but chose not to. Many children are realizing the risks of being sexually active and the benefits of abstaining.

It’s important for parents to teach children that so-called “safe” sex is not safe! Condoms have been held up as the answer to the sexual crisis among our teenagers, but it’s an inferior answer. Condoms have a failure rate with teenagers of at least 20 percent. Would you take a one in five chance that your airplane doesn’t arrive at its destination?

Abstinence-only education centers on relationships, life skills, respect for self, respect for others, refusal skills, self-control, avoidance of pregnancy and unwanted diseases. It gives a healthy view of marriage as something to be cherished and important enough to save oneself for.

During the administration of President George W. Bush, record amounts of money have been granted for abstinence-only education in the public and private school systems. In recent months, it’s been fashionable for “enlightened” politicians at the state level to refuse these funds, so they don’t have to communicate the abstinence-only message – even though it’s the only guaranteed way to remain disease-free and pregnancy-free until marriage.

CMC supports both the federal availability of abstinence-only education and the use of abstinence-only education programs in public schools.