Bristol mentioned she wanted to be a advocate for teens. I'm not sure what she meant by that seeing how she just had a baby and no one would ever want her to say, "I wish this would have never happened." How would you explain that to your child? That is all we need in the world is another child whose parents wish they were never born. So, what is she going to encourage people to do? Is she going to say, "Don't do what I did?" "Do what I did, but wait 10 years when you have a house and a degree?" (that was her comment of what she wished would have happened.) I didn't know being 10 years older and having a house and a degree would be the o.k. to have a baby.
When Bristol Palin said, "Abstinence is the best method, but it is unrealistic for teenagers," I was saddened. It made it sound like teenagers have no self control and don't care for anyone but themselves. She also said in a statement when asked, if she had thought about abortion and if her mom told her she couldn't, Bristol said, "I don't do what my mom says, I make my own mind up about things." Case closed. It's a good thing she has her mom, dad, sisters, brother, grandmother, great-grandmother helping her with the decisions that she has made. Truly, it is a blessing that she has the family she does and I am thankful she has that. They will work together to make the best out of the situation.
Now to my main reason for needing to write this post. Why is abstinence unrealistic for teenagers? I personally didn't think it was, but that seems to be the thing you hear constantly.
Every teen, young adult and unmarried person, needs to decide now, not later, not when you meet someone, but now, what you believe in? What are your standards? What will you do and won't do? After you answer those questions, ask yourself, Why? Why do you believe what you do? Is it because someone said so? Is it because of the things you have seen in other people lives? Is it because God said so?
If you are a Christian, there was a time and place where you put all your faith and trust in Christ. You actually believed the scripture that talks about how you must be born again to see the kingdom of heaven. Why then, when it comes to the commands of saving yourself for your future wife/husband, do we think that is unrealistic. God said it. Why do some pick and choose out of God's Word what works and doesn't work?
Hopefully, you have your answer as to what you believe in and why. Now, do you think it is going to be easy? You must have a plan.
What do you allow into your mind? Are you careful what you watch on television? When you go to a movie, are you selective in the things that you watch? What about the music you listen to, is it filled with lyrics that fill your mind with the wrong thing? What are you reading?
When you go on a date, where do you go? What do you do with your time? Are you careful to not be alone all the time? Do you have the mindset that you are also protecting the person you are with?
If you are capable of doing the following, yes, abstinence is realistic. Many people have accomplished it and you can to.
I am very thankful that as a teen, I had teaching and I set my mind of what I wanted and didn't want. I was one of those that actually married as a virgin and the entire time I dated my husband, I trusted him. That is what attracted me to him, I felt safe with him and I knew that he cared and loved me enough to honor me and my beliefs.
So, all that to say, don't decide after it is too late what your standards are. Set them now, know what you believe and why. You are worth the wait.
