I see it too, noodle. Mostly I think it's because news travels faster now than it did 50 years ago. Hell, it's even faster than it was when I was a pup. Speaking of when I was a kid, there was a nutjob across the river from us that baked his baby in an oven. That made the local newspaper, but it didn't get on statewide TV, and it didn't get on national television. Today, it would be part of the national news cycle for at least a week. The good old days weren't. We were just ignorant of the evil that was out there.

I don't like having to explain everything. I'm too verbose as it is.

Yes. Stretching out your ass isn't something invented in the past 50 years; in fact it has been official government policy on occasion. At least this guy was probably willing.

I get your point, UT. But we still have the highest teenage pregnancy rate of any industrialized nation. Suicide is the third-leading cause of death for people between the ages of 15-24, despite a slight recent decline and a massive anti-suicide campaign.

Sexual openness isn't necessarily the great progressive windfall you might think, according to the National Longitudinal Survey of Adoles*cent Health, Wave II, 1996., which shows a link between teenage sexual activity and depression:

And anyway, it's more than just who's having sex or not. It's an attitude. Like glatt said, it may just be that because of improved communication, we can see the bad stuff that's out there more easily. It doesn't mean EVERYone is participating in it. But it's becoming more acceptable, maybe because we're tired of fighting it.

By the way, remember the big stink over abstinence being taught in schools? I'll give birth control its due, but abstinence is a huge factor in the decline in teen pregnancy. That works against my "kids these days are going to hell in a handbasket" theory. But the reaction of the left-wingers who were afraid that teaching abstinence was going to turn us into a theocracy is the attitude I was originally speaking to.



Oh, I forgot to make another point earlier. MY NIPPLE WAS THE FIRST ONE ON THE CELLAR. And it had a porn border. Don't accuse me of being stodgy. I'm just observing.

No. I remember a lot of talk about abstinence-only education, though.Then you're a step beyond the people who were pushing abstinence-only education, against whom the big stink was raised.Again, it was abstinence-only education that raised the objections.

Dig if you will: it's not a push to eliminate God you observe, it's a push to eliminate God-only (if I may borrow, and extend upon, a device...)

A cultural monopoly cannot claim persecution simply because they are being asked to play by the same rules as everyone else. >>>>>>> :2cents:

Wait.

There's a push to eliminate God-only? I thought there was no conspiracy. I'm taking notes as fast as I can, stop switching up on me.

And what cultural monopoly are you referring to? I thought we were a secular nation. And don't push your rules on me. I'm not a numbah! I am a FREE MAN! :lol:

Thread is dead. It'll come up again in a week or two, let's take a break. Prediction: another school shooting before Christmas. xmas. whatever.

You say po-tay-to, I say po-tah-to.

You say "only the Christians have to keep their opinions private" I say... blah blah blah . . . dinner is ready.

So entertaining...

Teen suicide could be high for a couple of reasons

Kids feel like a failure because they don't meet their parents' religious/moral standard.

Pressure to excel, no chance to be a kid.

Over-supervision due to parents fear of abduction.

The disparity between rich and poor. On TV, kids see lifestyles that are way above average, and despair.

Don't feel too bad. In Australia, suicide is the leading cause of death for males in that age group.

If you are Christian you follow the teachings of Christ.

That seems to be the standard definition. But...

#1: Not everyone who follows the teachings of Christ is a Christian.
#2: Not everyone who is a Christian follows the teachings of Christ.

In both cases, I respect the wishes of the individual, regarding what they define themselves as.

Then a whole lot of people who call themselves Christian should stop. 'Cause they aren't. And they don't.