Pre-Marital Abstinence

1. Young people's values are, indeed, derived from people and things around them, and normally things thatthey are involved in or part of on a daily basis. This would indeed be family and faith. But a purity ball doesn't neccesarilly represent the girl's choice, persay, but the influence of her father and the subsequent faith of her family. So is this the choice of the girl or the only option she has been given? Does she even have any other option? Normally, the answer is no. Does forcing a set of beliefs on your young daughter with no disregard for what she may want or what she may want to do seem to be best for her? This is the ultimate 'daddy's little girl' example in the form of a pledge from the girl saying that she is basically the property of the men in her life. Where is the promotion of free thought and making decisions on your own? Independence, anyone? I think not. Therefore, the abstinence is detrimental because it has been imposed on them by the 'family and faith' around them. And since Abstinence has been proven not to work in any sense whatsoever (. http://www.washingtonpost.com......), these girls, actually really boys OR girls, that either take part in purity balls or pledge abstinence are being set up for failure on an intellectual level. That is, indeed, detrimental. Now, Pro says that teens are CAPABLE of having their own values, but I ask this: where in this lovely scenario is there an example of free thought? Does pledging yourself to the men in your life giving you the chance for free through or to develop values on your own? Not while you are being itemized by a pledge. it doesn't. Really, abstinence PLEDGES aren't the right choice for ANYONE, whether they hold values or not, because they simply don't work, and therefore recklessly endanger the pledgers to STDs and parenthood where they could have been protected by birth control. As far as my statement on birth control methods, they CAN be as good as abstinence in protecting thier users from STDs or getting pregnant. IF this were untrue as Pro states, then why doesn't someone get an STD or become a parent every time they use a condom? They CAN be just as useful as preventing pregnancy. That is why most people use them AND is also why it is encouraged they be used. And really, as according to (. http://www.washingtonpost.com......), abstinence isn't really that effective at all. Birth control: 1. Abstinence: 0. Why? Becuase birth control works. According to many christians, miracles happen every day. And this specific miracle supposedly happened just as I am writing this arguement here today, so it is therefore, according to the Bible, counted as an occurence that DID occur. Therefore, it is a case in where abstinence AND birth control failed. Please extend that arguement. In no way, shape, or form does abstinence work for ANYONE becuase, again, according to (. http://www.washingtonpost.com......), it doesn't work in general, and also limits the knowledge of the pledger so they do not know of any other birth control method, thus completely destroying its premise entirely. Again, this proves it is detrimental. And that translates into them having unprotected sex because they simply don't know about birth control. Don't take my word for it! Read the study that has the facts . .. facts that say abstinence simply fails at its premise entirely. SINCE hormones supercede everything esle, and since abstinence pledgers tend to be absent of knowledge on birth control, those hormones overpower thier weak pledges and yes, do sometimes lead them to have sex, which TENDS to be unprotected because of abstinence. Therefore, it is detrimental to them because they are now at risk for STDs and pregnacy BECUASE OF ABSTINENCE. Now, in my opponent's sixth contention, she admits the fact that teens who choose abstinence are uninformed. ". .. Con did not negate or argue against any of them. Instead, he just said that many people make uninformed decisions in choosing abstinence. I agree. " Really? You agree that people who choose abstinence are un-informed? And you think that is a good thing? That proves in and of itself how abstinence CAN be detrimental to the group it is normally imposed on. Thank you for supporting my case :) . And never, ever is it the 'right choice' because, again, it simply doesn't work. Therefore it is entirely, truely, wrong. And yes, teens are very very cruel to people whether or not they are sluts, gay, of a different race, or of a different religion. So really, abstinence, to teens, is really only good or bad depending on what views they have either been taught or have learned. .. well, abstinence will always be good to the pledgers because those beliefs have been hammered SO hard into their head they really have no choice but to agree, so that point, in my opinion, is null and void. And being against sex ed doesn't negate the fact that the pledgers are uninformed, misguided, and are ultimately being forced into a mistake that could potentially (and most likel) eill ruin their life if they have no outside input besides their controlling, useless pledges. / Time, dinner is on the table, headache . .. I await my opponent's tesponse!