Sex Before Marriage and Multiple Sex Partners Causes Economic Stress, Unwanted Pregnancies and STDs

I will start the third round by thanking my opponent for their argument and for the professionalism they showed. It's always nice to be able to engage in a civil debate, no matter the subject matter. Con pointed out that my definition of economic stress was a bit off point, stating that my example of economic stress isn't the normal idea of most people when they think of economic stress. I will counter point that my example is indeed broader than he admits. Economic stress is when people struggle financially, yes, but also when people are forced to pay for something they cannot really afford, such as other people's insurance and doctor visits. The more money that is being forced out of American's pockets, the less money they have to spend on their own needs, such as house payments, groceries, car payments, etc. Economic stress means a lot of different things. . http://brown.edu... Con's argument that a ceremony does nothing to decrease the threat of STDs is correct. I agree with this. However, it is more likely that if one does get married, he or she will be less likely to "sleep around. " So does marriage help to prevent the spread of an STD or help curb it? I believe it does. I do understand that marriage is not a "safe zone," however. "Between 2006 and 2010 married couples gave birth to nearly 3 million unintended children," As con has pointed out, married couples give birth to millions of "unintended children", but "unintended children" doesn't necessarily mean unwanted. And just as with STDs, marriage can HELP detour unwanted pregnancies, because a couple who dedicates themselves to the bond of marriage are more willing to start a family. Pregnancies are much more welcome than if they were not married. Pregnancies are less likely to be unwanted and more likely to be welcomed. And thanks to programs like Medicaid, average Americans with jobs have to flip the bill for unwanted children. The more government programs instituted, the more tax dollars are being spent. . http://townhall.com... "However again because of the phrasing of the proposition they have successfully proved that yes, sex does lead to unwanted pregnancies. This is a virtually impossible point to contend although it is notable that polygamy and pre-marital sex are not by definition the causes. Alcohol, poor sex education and the ineffectiveness of contraceptive devices undoubtedly play a significant part. " I agree with con's argument that alcohol, poor sex education, and the ineffectiveness of contraceptive devices play a part in unwanted pregnancies. I don't agree with his logic that marriage does nothing to limit unwanted pregnancies or STDs. As I have stated marriage does a lot to limit these problems. And since marriage can detour the spread of STDs and limit unwanted children, it also helps ease up on economic stress of having to pay for other's mistakes. Con also points out that it isn't polygamy and pre marital sex that causes the spread of STDs or unwanted pregnancies, but essentially the embarrassment of using a condom. I find this to be silly, because public schools, while I disagree with most sex education, are doing a lot to curb embarrassment of using condoms and other contraceptives. Most young people today don't think twice about using these things. I believe American's attitudes toward contraceptives are generally good. . http://www.guttmacher.org... While having sex with only one person and only in a marriage may not completely erase economic stress due to government programs paying for unwanted children and cures for STDs, it does ease it quite a bit. Because of multiple sex partners and engaging in sexual intercourse before marriage, there are more unwanted pregnancies and more cases of STDs. The government introduces more social programs which cost tax payers more money and in turn more financial responsibility for the average working American. Stress on our economy goes up. "Another factor to consider is the economic advantages of sex before marriage and having multiple sexual partners. Bars, nightclubs and alcohol all contribute significantly to the economy, the alcohol industry alone contributed $400 billion in 2010" I would also like to point out that if it were not for bars and nightclubs, we wouldn't have nearly the amount of STDs or unwanted pregnancies. Bars and nightclubs, while highly entertaining and sometimes enjoyable, don't bode well when it comes to preventing STDs and unwanted pregnancies. Social outlets such as these only increase the risk. And con's argument that sex is fun and curbs depression, doesn't really help with unwanted pregnancies and STDs. The more sex partners one has, the higher the risk for STDs. And STDs don't help with depression. They might be a contributing factor. And making it illegal to engage in sex with multiple partners or have sex before marriage isn't the answer, but maybe incentives. Maybe if churches and other religious groups donated money or other incentives to those who decided not to have sex with multiple people or before marriage, it would encourage people not to. Maybe not completely eradicate the problem, but significantly reduce it.