Mike,

>>If we all agree that peer pressure works in one direction, why not the other?
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>I'm not disagreeing that we can't use peer pressure to propogate our views. I'm simply asking why we need to. We can use peer pressure to get kids to become terrorists or suicide bombers just as easily as we can use peer pressure to get kids to abstain from sex. The question we're asking is... why? Why teach kids that affection is bad? Why teach kids that pleasure is bad? I'm not advocating that 8 year olds run around fondling each other, simply that we're open and honest about it so we will have informed teens when the time comes, as opposed to being closed and oppresive about it resulting in confused, uneducated perverts trying to get off their rocks.

Well, you see.. From my pov the act of sexual union is so sacred and precious that it deserves the most careful nurturing. Teaching kids that this is valuable is IMO not a bad thing. Making it 'common' is.

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>>Besides, I've alrady pointed out that this has worked in the past. The big differences is that today's youth has much less support from their communities in terms of morals and proper behavior.
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>Well, I suppose we just disagree on morals and "proper" behaivor. If you can convince me that consensual human pleasure is improper for any reason outside of biblical ones, I will see it your way, but until then, I'm not convinced attitude or morals need to be changed. The actual precautions take defintly shoudl be readdressed, more publically and honestly.

Well, we've been down this road before and we just disagree.

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>I noticed you did not address the side effects of sexual depravation. If you're not familiar with the church's situation, here is a good starting point:
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>http://www.cnn.com/2002/US/03/15/archdiocese.editorial/index.html

Oh, sorry. I've been busy. Personally, I cannot find any scriptural justification whatsoever in the Bible for celibacy except where Jesus indicates that for some it is a gift from God. Paul thought (in those very troubled times) that remaining single was better but he also recognized that it wasn't for everyone. I don't have the gift of celibacy. <g> I think the Roman Catholic Church has substituted tradition for dogma and I think they're dead wrong. (I think I just made about 1 billion people mad at me there.. <g>) I think that the wrong-headed teaching has led to this situation.

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>>I find that there are precious few individuals that are willing to undergo the pain of that level of self examination Mike.
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>Yeah. Its those pesky beliefs again ;-)

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