According to the U.S. Census Bureau, audio and video stimuli will continue to dominate our lives and culture.  It is estimated that this year, in the U.S., people will spend the equivalent of 65 days in front of the TV, 41 days listening to radio and a little over a week on the Internet.  Adults will spend about a week reading a daily newspaper and teens and adults will spend another week listening to recorded or streaming music.

Sexually Degrading Music

Much of the music that adults and teens hear contains sexually degrading lyrics.  A recent study of U.S. teens has revealed that music which depicts women as sex objects and men as insatiable studs may encourage some teenagers to become sexually active.  Teens listen and begin to think that those attitudes and behaviors are normal.  The music influences the moves. Unfortunately, the sexual behavior of teens doesn’t end in the bedroom.  It can add to our taxes and welfare roles for generations.

Dr. Steven Martino, the study’s lead researcher, recommended that parents talk with their children about the subject.  Help them to think critically about the lyrics they hear, rather than just accepting them.  Christian parents may want to study scriptures, like 1 Corinthians 6:12—20 in a contemporary version, with their teens, and even pre-teens, to help them understand Biblical boundaries and establish relational standards.

Abstinence and Faithfulness Work

Recently, the federal Department of Health and Human Services announced the good news that more teenagers are choosing abstinence over sexual activity, which can lead to sexually transmitted diseases, unwanted pregnancy or emotional and societal responsibilities, for which they are not prepared.  Young people want moral boundaries and parents, along with church and civic leaders, should not be hesitant to boldly state the obvious: only abstinence until marriage (and sexual faithfulness afterwards) provides 100 percent protection against premarital pregnancies and sexually transmitted diseases.

Dr. Bill Maier, psychologist in residence at Focus on the Family, warns against normalizing unhealthy sexual behavior saying, “Girls who are sexually active experience a higher incidence of clinical depression and women who’ve had multiple sexual partners report the highest levels of sexual dysfunction.”
That is why abstinence-until-marriage education is vital to the well-being of the nation’s youth.

Those concerned with countering our culture’s negative influences can counsel and encourage teens, singles and married couples to find fun and fulfillment doing life God’s way.  In this way, they may redeem the failures of the past and release God’s promises and blessings for the future.

Gary Curtis is the General Manager of KTLW-FM, heard at 91.9 FM in our area.

For more information visit our website at www.ktlw.net