OMG! Are you watching 60 Minutes?

[in_cog_ni_to]

The guy who started a program, "The Silver Ring Thing" (wacko, abstinence preaching, Christian group) was just asked, "If a teenager comes to you and says "I am going to have sex.", do you give him a condom or do you advise him to use a condom?" He says, "Let me go one step further. My daughter comes to me and says she is going to have sex, will I tell her to use a condom? NO, I would not." &^%!@#$%$#@!@#$%^&*(

WHAT THE FUCK ARE THESE NUT JOBS DOING TO OUR KIDS???????????!!!!! I am so damn appalled at this. It's indefensible behavior for adults to NOT advise kids to use condoms. OMG. I can't believe this. :cry:

[in_cog_ni_to]

1. 88% of the kids in this program BROKE their PLEDGE!

88% probably had sex with NO condom. :(

[bvar22]

36. the other 12% lied!

:)

[Hamlette]

37. or would have done it anyway.

I'm guessing there are a few people who wait until marriage. I would have thought higher than 12%. Giving the program credit for it is nonsense. Can't prove cause and effect.

This show completely freaked me out. Where's my country indeed!

[bvar22]

41. From my experience in high school,

there were about 10% that couldn't GET LAID even with a credit card in a Nevada whorehouse.

[Straight Shooter]

2. Believe me, his daughter would NEVER tell him what she's going to do.

Did he add, "I didn't use a condom when I had premarital sex, why should she?"

[yankeedem]

3. I'm watching it also

Nothing I didn't know, reading alternative press. Hopefully, it gets through to reasonable people what we're doing to our kids.

And I would be $$$ that this wacko preacher's daughter is going to be catting around with everyone at whatever university she ends up at. Without protection, I may add.

[me b zola]

17. AND....

when she ends up pregnant, he will make sure she gets an abortion.

[Syncronaut Seven]

23. No, More likely

Cast the daughter out and raise the baby as a warrior for god.

[knitter4democracy]

27. He won't even know about it. Trust me.

I went to a "Christian" college. There were many secret abortions there because if a girl was found out to be pregnant, she was kicked out of the college along with the father (if he were a student). Many just got secret abortions they never revealed to a soul. Just ask the people at Planned Parenthood in town.

[KaliTracy]

33. privacy rights -- planned parenthood wouldn't breath a word (as it should

be).

[knitter4democracy]

34. I had a couple of friends who went there when they found out.

They got preggers and went to get some help, and the counselor asked them if they were from the Naz or from Kenyon. When they said they were from the Naz, the woman smiled and said, "We see a lot of you guys in here."

It's an underground, but it's there.

[FreedomAngel82]

4. They are insane

You can teach kids about that but you should also teach about condom's, birth control, morning after, diseases etc. What if you had sex and knew shit and had a disease and didn't know it until it was too late to cure it? Today at my church in the college class we talked about this story in proverbs where this guy gets himself in trouble on purpose with a sudecer and he ends up dead and all that. Basically the whole purpose of the lesson was to not let yourself get too close to the edge of something negative to where you can get yourself into trouble. I think kids need to learn to have a good example to follow in life and knowledge of sexual education as well.

[EFerrari]

5. I reading this, just don't have much to add. We did our whole column

on this travesty last month. We're paying for our kids to get STDs, AIDs and deal with unwanted pregnancies and other nice traumas like early marriages that don't have a chance in hell.

With you on this one, completely and I cannot watch this. My head will explode.

[underthedome]

9. STD's & AID's is the punishment from god for having sex before marriage

Or so some of these wackjobs believe.

[in_cog_ni_to]

15. So, let your own kids get AIDS or STD's??

Sometimes I think they are deliberately trying to control our population by keeping the elderly sick and unable to afford meds and deliberately sending our kids out to get AIDS. :cry:

[Tux]

44. Basicly

The fundie leaders want healthcare but only for the wealthy. If the masses are sick, the leaders can blame a group, kill them, and get people to give money so God will forgive them.

[SharonAnn]

43. Or, for getting it while you're married to someone who has it.

As one woman put it, "Your son's ignorance might kill my daughter."

[FreedomAngel82]

63. Or the other way around sometimes

[Gelliebeans]

76. That got me thinking sfexpat

I wonder what the statistics on STD's and AIDS will be like within the next 10 years with this kind of logic?

I too could not watch this program either. It is like the "ostrich syndrome".

Here in California my son will be attending public school health education this year. I will be getting a syllabus before he has the class. Since we have talked with him about sex education here at home, I will be anxious to see how in depth the school deals with abstinence.

[EFerrari]

78. Imho, this goes back to these "faith based initiatives" which are

nothing more than funnels to the GOP coffers. Our children are just being caught up in the trafficking of money laundered through churches.

I gave both my sons condoms AND spermicide when they hit that age. It was a very simple decision. One of my nephews back east died of Aids when he was 24.

[Gelliebeans]

79. My husbands cousin

is living with AIDS in SF (he is doing well so far). My condolences on your nephew.

I told my son flat out that other parents for whatever reason are not telling their kids the whole truth and that the one thing he can count on is his Dad and I telling him the truth even if we are uncomfortable. I will not risk his life by omitting important information even with the best intentions abstinence only is despicably irresponsible.

btw (haven't had the chance to tell you that I think you are a super DUer for all that you have done here.) :thumbsup:

[CatWoman]

6. two things

1. The Bush spokesman, the black guy. That's the only role blacks play in this administration -- someone of color up front to spout the bullshit.

2. That chick in the last segment, who took the pledge. I'll be generous and give her a year.

[im10ashus]

19. What's ironic is her boyfriend was NOT a virgin.

Misogyny still rears its ugly head.

[LiberalFighter]

30. The girl and boy believe that the success rate is good enough...

the problem ISSSSSSSSSSSSSSS

I believe that those that abstain from sex would had done so without doing a pledge.

[Jackpine Radical]

73. That's not misogyny rearing its ugly head.

It's a penis.

[Sperk]

7. Do the Bush girls have their rings? DU fundraiser time?

What a lovely present it would make.

[babylonsister]

12. That would be hysterical! And it should be

well-advertised! :rofl:

[slor]

8. I noticed the success rate of...

the abstinence program is about the same as the failure rate of the safety of the condoms. I thought ed bradly was going to point that out.

[FreedomAngel82]

11. Not too long ago

when Bush announced his "abstience" plan on Laura Flanders' show she had a girl who was from Texas who went through the plan. Basically she told how they ignored all types of information and kids in her class still had sex. They came up to her for information on where to get condom's and everything. A lot of them who pledged broke the pledge the next year. Sad, really. :(

[Hamlette]

28. he did mention that if condoms are used correctly, they are almost

100% effective. So the 14-16% firuge is FROM NOT TEACHING KIDS HOW TO USE THEM!!!!!!!!!!!!

This is freaking me out. We've spent $1 BILLION on this program. I don't mind the abstinance only stuff (I don't agree it will work, but it doesn't bug me.) This crap about not using a condom is terrible. There was a story about this happening in Africa lately. We have become a 3rd world country.

[ClintonTyree]

10. Unfortunately, yes, I am......

those people are actually teaching their children how to be stupid. That's what it all boils down to. :wow:

Conservative fundamentalists are teaching their children to be stupid.
I'm sorry, despite what some say here on DU I AM NOT going to reach out to these people. They don't deserve the air they breathe. :grr:

[n2mark]

14. Not on the TV yet in the west

so keep this thread available for us in the west.

[CoolOnion]

13. It's all part of the neocon War on the Poor

By not talking frankly with kids about sex and acknowledging sexual feelings as a natural thing, and by not discussing birth control, kids mistake sexual feelings towards another person as "love." They marry before they're emotionally and financially ready, and--having no prior education about birth control--get pregnant the first time 'round. They have the baby, of course, and probably have more; they get stuck in a cycle of poverty, working two jobs each to support the kids--that's just where the right-wing wants them. They're too busy trying to make ends meet to think about politics. The corporate GOP machine churns on, making laws that benefit corporations over individuals, fronted by a "pro-family" message that keeps these impoverished famlies voting against their own interests.

To answer your question, that's what the fuck these nut jobs are doing to your kids.

[in_cog_ni_to]

16. Sickening. Just sickening.

:puke: They are taking us back to the dark ages. :grr:

[FreedomAngel82]

64. Yes

They want to make everything "faith-based" with these programs. If you haven't go to PBS and there's a documentary they had on during the election about the evangelical people and being involved in politics and all that. They had a segment in the show of when Bush was governor of Texas and he wanted all types of faith-based programs and was very supportive of it. My guess is because he probably didn't have to spend any money on it and could go to what he wanted that money to go to instead of proper education and helping people make better decisions with their lives. It's all a cheap way. I wish I could remember the name of the doc.

[indepat]

18. It's not who votes that counts, rather who counts the votes and we know

who counts the votes.

[vi5]

21. O.K. I've seen/read it all on this board...

I knew that people who were obsessed with election fraud could find a way to interject it into any thread or subject. But a post about the failure of abstinence education warrants a post about vote counting?

I think one would be hard pressed to beat this one.

[indepat]

25. Sorry and excuuse me, but election fraud interjects itself in every fabric

of our society and has dramatically impacted this country and the world. Since FDR's bromide/homily about the power of voters had been referenced, thought it appropriate to note the inapplicability of that bromide in today's world. But what do I know and what right do I have to comment?

[vi5]

26. Yes, but I believe that is the person signature line...

I could be wrong about that, but I think that's just his sig line which is on every post and not the subject of the post/thread (which was the farce that is this abstinence/religious right group on 60 minutes).

It's fine if you want to relate this to voting rights, I was just pointing out that this was a connection that I had not previously seen referenced.

[indepat]

31. And I goofed not picking up the sig line

[vi5]

40. That's o.k.....

I've made the same mistake. People should separate them with the picture or use a much smaller font or something.

[Monkey see Monkey Do]

20. Founder admitted Silver RIng Thing a front

for preaching end days shite at kids on a BBC documentary a coupla years back:

Denny Pattyn:

We’re very concerned about the world in general, I’m
concerned about terrorism and how there is no real easy
way to fight that. And that all plays into my faith because
I believe that the end of the world is approaching very
quickly and I believe Christ will come back.
I think about that, I think about the fact that I might be
living in the last days, I’m not freaked out, I’m not, you
know, shutting down things to about that but I actually
believe that we are approaching the return of Christ which
is a, a huge event.


Interviewer:

If the end of the world is so close, is abstinence where
you should be putting your energy?


Denny Pattyn:

We’re not really putting our energy into abstinence as
much as we’re putting it into faith. Abstinence is the tool
that we’re using to reach children.
http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/shared/spl/hi/programmes/correspondent/transcripts/american_virgins_250104.txt

[in_cog_ni_to]

24. Our kids are now tools for their friggin' agenda????

What he is doing is DEADLY. He should be arrested. :grr:

[FreedomAngel82]

65. Of course!

Why am I not surprised? Don't these people read their Bible's?! Jesus has said the end of the world will come like a thief through the night. In modern-day English: WE DON'T KNOW!

[SoCalDem]

22. "Average" teens do NOT tell their parents about their sex lives

Any parent who says they do, either has an extraordinary teen, or is fibbing..
I have never heard of a teen who tells his parents about things like that...or how they love to drive the family car 90 mph.. or how they smoke a little pot now and then... or how much they drink..

Most teens push the envelope and only when they get into trouble, do they tell their parents,.., and then only because they may need extra help getting out af a jam.

[Jacobin]

38. LOL. I can tell you are a parent.

As the father of four boys, I agree with your post.

:-)

(also, I remember what it was like to be a teenager)

[SoCalDem]

52. 3 grown sons (26, 27 & 31)

and I do remember the "mystery dents", and qll the other shenanigans.. and I too, remember my own teen years.. That's what's so funny about teenagers.. they actually think we don;t know what they are up to.

I alqways told ours.. "I have been where YOU are.. you have not been where I am "..

[lilymercury]

51. So true! n/t

[Lannes]

29. Just as bad..

Our tax dollars are paying for this.

[knitter4democracy]

32. Having gone to a "Christian" college and known those kids . . .

I can tell you that most are pretty messed up by the time they get to college. I went to school with kids who had never, not once, had any sex ed of any kind and had no idea what was going on with their bodies. They'd been taken out of science classes, even, when anything on human sexuality and anatomy was covered. Those kids were pretty messed up.

I became the de facto source of info for a lot of girls in the dorm (single-sex, of course). Mostly, I think it was that I wasn't embarrassed to talk about anything, but it was also that I had been taught and did know. I knew girls who didn't even know that they had cycles--just bought pads periodically in case they magically started. I found out early on my frosh year that even in a girls' dorm you can't talk about your period. Sheesh! Because I didn't mind talking about it, I often became the pad supplier in classes and all, and I can't even tell you how many times I had to explain what it takes to get pregnant. :eyes:

I held my friend's hand in a public restroom (to hide the evidence easier) to see if she were pregnant when there was no way she could've been (hadn't had intercourse . . . long story) because her fiance wouldn't touch her without a negative test. I'll never forget how she shook and how I kept holding her and smoothing her hair, offering to talk to her fiance and explain everything (his mom was a nurse, for God's sake!).

I would say that those monsters have no idea what they're doing to their children, but I'd bet that they've lived through it themselves. Bastards.

[FreedomAngel82]

66. Oy!

I bet those years were very interesting for you. How can someone not know when their period starts? Surely they could figure it out?!

[knitter4democracy]

72. They didn't want to know. That was the real problem.

I actually had a roommate tell me that she "didn't want to know anything about down there" when I asked her about having a constant period for something like three and a half months. I didn't know anyone actually still used that phrase.

It was amazing to me, having grown up with a mom who told me everything from early on. I was the only one who kept track in my calendar until I convinced a few that it really helps. You wouldn't believe what all they thought could get you pregnant or could keep you from getting pregnant.

We also would have interesting debates on whether we'd take on a lesbian roommate (single-sex dorms, remember)--and I was always the only one who said I would, which raised many eyebrows. I would try to explain that sexuality is something ingrained, not something taught, but I didn't get very far most of the time. They had been raised to think that homosexuality is "catching," something someone could switch to, and they were flat-out scared of homosexuals. Of course, when it would come out that someone was GLBT, it got scary. Not only would they ostracize that person, but they would literally not touch them, in fear. I saw it happen too often.

Scary place, it was. I got what I could out of it and got the hell out.

[AirAmFan]

35. Any other answer would have lost him his Federal FUNDING!

That youth minister knows better, and cannot really believe what he said, but he'd be out of business if he'd given Ed Bradley a straight answer.

The narration revealed that his "Silver Ring Thing" had received more than a million dollars in Federal funds. According to the same narration, these funds have the explicit proviso that no advantages of condom use ever may be discussed, just the Fundy-alleged DISADVANTAGES of condom use.

A Columbia University expert on teen health interviewed by Ed Bradley for the same show revealed that, while abstinence-only programs do succeed in delaying first sex by an average of eighteen months, failure to educate teens about condom use completely wipes away any health gains from delaying sex. When teens who've been in abstinence-only programs finally do have sex, they're one-third less likely than other sexually active teens to protect themseves from STDs with condoms.

[gollygee]

39. Two things I noticed

other than the obvious.

The text said something like that the kids wouldn't have any sex that is contrary to biblical teachings, so this isn't just promoting abstinence, it's also pretty darn anti-gay. Which I guess any "abstinence until marraiage" thing is so long as same-sex marriage is illegal. I thought the wording was particularly though. They could have said, "Won't have sex until marriage" which would indirectly mean no gay sex but they chose to put it in two sentences. The first sentence said that you would avoid having any sex contrary to biblical teachings, which is directly anti gay sex. The second said that you would wait to have any kind of sex until marriage.


The text book was called something like "Choosing the Best Life" or something with Choosing and Life standing out. I had to read it twice to see that it wasn't about abortion.

[Endangered Specie]

42. I recall Bill Mahr citing a study saying the STD rate for

absitence pledged kids and the rest is about the same.

[Carni]

45. Haven't these jack asses heard of reverse psychology?

My parents were the types that cautioned against pregnancy at all costs-- they were big proponents of birth control and were extremely open in general (to the point where I ran when I thought they were going to bring up the topic of sex lol)

Point being... they made such an issue of it and were so OPEN about it, that as a teen I was always completely paranoid of getting pregnant.

This was all pre-aids BTW (Yes, I am an old hag)

I was probably the most *square* person in my peer group as a result!
(No easy task in the 70's -- believe me)

[in_cog_ni_to]

48. That's exactly how I plan on being with my 12 year old son.

At 8 years old he knew about the birds and bees....EMBARRASSED the hell out of him, but he now feels very comfortable talking about sexual issues of the day. You can take it to the bank....HE WILL HAVE BOXES OF CONDOMS FLOWING his way when puberty hits! He's scared as hell about AIDS...I thank my lucky stars every day that he is. It will probably save his life....the fear, that is. ;)

[Carni]

59. In today's climate you have to take that approach (if you have a brain)

I have a daughter about your son's age and I truthfully shudder thinking about her entrance into the adult world, but what can you do? They don't stay babies forever and sex is a part of life.
You just hope to God they don't pick the wrong situations and people to get involved with!

[Reverend_Smitty]

49. lol my mom was the same way!

she was embarrassingly open about sex which in hindsight was a good thing. She was the kind of person who always told me, if you need to go on the pill, just tell me...I didn't so I guess her methods worked!

The key to parenting is having an open and honest relationship with your kids...don't feed them lies

[Carni]

56. Yes! LOL That was the same thing my mom told me!

The funny part is my parents weren't exactly a swinging set of people...their tactics worked, but at the time I thought PLEASE
PLEASE just be quiet about this! LOL!

[Lydia Leftcoast]

54. The mother of one of my roommates went beyond that

At age 14, my roommate (from 1972-73) went on the Pill at her mother's insistence. She remained a virgin till age 17. :shrug:

[Carni]

60. Mine didn't go that far but it was close!

In hindsight, as an adult, I often wonder if they weren't just being out and out diabolical lol

[FreedomAngel82]

67. With my parents

I never had any discussion's. :shrug: But with me I had my first sex-ed type class in sixth grade. Mostly it was talk about periods and all that. I remember this one guy in my class knew a lot about it (I guess he had older sisters or something). I remember feeling my face get red. But I'm glad to have had the class though!

[Bozita]

46. ACLU suing Feds over "Silver Ring Thing" -- Ringers change website

URL: http://www.aclu.org/ReproductiveRights/ReproductiveRights.cfm?ID=18280&c=30

In Light of ACLU Lawsuit Charging the Federal Government with Funding Religious Activities, the Silver Ring Thing Removes Religious Content from Website

May 19, 2005

NEW YORK -- In response to a lawsuit filed by the American Civil Liberties Union and Jenner & Block LLP against the federal government for funding religious activities in an abstinence-only program, the Silver Ring Thing today substantially altered and removed religious content from its website.


FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
Contact: [e-mail]
FEATURE
See changes made to silverringthing.com

PRESS RELEASE
ACLU Challenges Abstinence-Only Program (5/16/05)

NEW YORK - In response to a lawsuit filed by the American Civil Liberties Union and Jenner & Block LLP against the federal government for funding religious activities in an abstinence-only program, the Silver Ring Thing today substantially altered and removed religious content from its website.

"The Silver Ring Thing is clearly worried about the content of its website," said Julie Sternberg, a senior staff attorney at the ACLU Reproductive Freedom Project. "They are going to great lengths to paint a picture of an organization that does not use taxpayer dollars to promote religion. Unfortunately, altering their website will not be enough to hide the overtly religious message that they have been promoting for years on the public’s dime."

In the last 24 hours, www.silverringthing.com has undergone a facelift, the ACLU said. Among the removed items are the organization’s newsletters, which contained a clear statement of the Silver Ring Thing’s religious purpose: "The mission is to saturate the United States with a generation of young people who have taken a vow of sexual abstinence until marriage and put on the silver ring. This mission can only be achieved by offering a personal relationship with Jesus Christ as the best way to live a sexually pure life."

Additionally, the Silver Ring Thing’s original "12 Step Follow-Up Program" has been modified. Prior to the lawsuit, the website contained only one version of a follow-up program. Now, the site offers a "10 Step Secular Follow-Up Program" and has renamed its 12-step version to include the words "faith-centered" in the title. The new program removes step two, which encourages using the Abstinence Study Bible and step four, which asks students to understand that "God has a plan for his or her life, and a plan for his or her sexuality." And "Deb’s Diary," a section of the website that encouraged students to pursue faith and to find completion in Christ, has also been removed.

"A sanitized version of the website does not change the fact that the Silver Ring Thing in its core programming is nothing more than a vehicle for converting young people to Christianity," said Sarah Wunsch, a staff attorney at the ACLU of Massachusetts. "Taxpayer dollars should play no part in such a program."

"The Silver Ring Thing has long been quite open about the religious content in its abstinence-only sex education program," said Daniel Mach, a partner at Jenner & Block LLP. "The federal government had ample time to look into the program and see whether or not taxpayer dollars were being funneled into religious activities. It should not have taken a lawsuit for the Silver Ring Thing to scramble in an attempt to clean up its act."

The case at issue, ACLU of Massachusetts v. Leavitt, was filed in U.S. District Court for the District of Massachusetts on Monday. Lawyers on the case include Sternberg and Caroline Mala Corbin of the ACLU Reproductive Freedom Project, Mach, Victoria Jueds, Thomas Pulham, and Jessica Tillipman of Jenner & Block LLP, and Sarah Wunsch of the ACLU of Massachusetts.

The ACLU’s Complaint is available online at: http://www.aclu.org/ReproductiveRights/ReproductiveRights.cfm?ID=18242&c=147.

 

[in_cog_ni_to]

50. The ACLU is VERY busy, aren't they?

Thank G-d we have them. :bounce:

[FreedomAngel82]

68. Something I wonder with that

Do they send out information with the ring? Can they do that? I'm glad for the ACLU. Thank God for them these days!

[Reverend_Smitty]

47. I watched that program as well tonight...

and I agree with you guys completely. But did anyone catch the part (and I think it was in the classroom) where they mentioned that having pre-marital sex will cause you to have emotional and psychological problems? What if you don't get married until you are 30? Are 29 year olds who are in a committed relationship but not married, psychologically unable to have sex? I don't want to have a bunch of teenagers having sex but telling them to wait and making them sign a pledge to abstain is not the way to do it. I think it is important to give kids the tools to make an informed decision and giving them frank answers about sex is the way to teach kids about sex.

[kskiska]

62. They can be psychologically affected by having sex

but if a 12-year-old happens to become pregnant, it won't harm her psychologically to give birth.

[FreedomAngel82]

69. All this is pure scare tactics

It's disgusting and these people are horrible.

[Lydia Leftcoast]

53. You see, in that mentality, if you have premarital sex, you

"deserve" to get pregnant or contract an STD.

[Hello_Kitty]

55. I find the whole abstinence pledge thing creepy

Ever noticed how it's these middle aged men who are the leaders? There is such a lascivious gleam in their eyes as they speak about young girls saving themselves. It's especially gross when it's their own daughters.

I watched VHI Behind the Music about Jessica Simpson and there was a part of it where her fundie dad was talking about how proud he was of his daughter for saving her "gift" for her wedding night. It really skeeved me out. Why would a father even be discussing his daughter's virginity on national television? Ewwwww......

[in_cog_ni_to]

58. Ewwwwwwwwwwwww, is right!

That's pretty strange! How many dad's know whether their daughter is a virgin or not and how did her dad know for sure that she was? ;) AND what gives HIM the right to discuss his ADULT daughter's sex life on NATIONAL TV?

[FreedomAngel82]

70. I remember watching that

Weird indeed. Her dad used to be a preacher. And I have noticed it's always middle aged men too. Where are all the women?!

[Piperay]

82. her 'gift'...YECH

that really is creepy and why is the girl's 'gift' so important??? :wtf: Did her hubby give her his 'gift' too??? (I doubt it):puke:

[Deja Q]

57. So in our culture of life, parents shouldn't give a damn if their daughter

catches the herp, or screwed by a jerk?

Yes, of course. "Self responsibility" and all that. :crazy:

[tishaLA]

61. Claude Allen, the chimp's "point man" on abstinence...

Did anyone else think he seemed more than a little gay and wonder what the fuck he was doing advocating abstinence rather than no condoms? Maybe it was just me.



Oh! Fascinating information about him on this .pdf file

[ailsagirl]

71. And the SECOND story had to do with a former con man who

REPENTED and is now on the straight-and-narrow. He went on to found his own ministry.

So on tonight's show, two out of three stories were about religion. At least, religion was the foundation for both stories. The silver ring thing and the con artist.

Excerpt on story 2 (con artist):

Does he talk about his sins? "All the time," says Minkow.

"Evangelism has been known to be a refuge for con men," says Kroft. :evilgrin:

"Oh yeah," says Minkow. "Our church, we're not like that. We tell people who are visiting not to give. We're not a TV ministry. We don't say, 'If you don't send me money, I'm gonna die.' It's not that kind of a ministry at all."

Somehow, I don't believe him.

http://www.cbsnews.com/sections/60minutes/main3415.shtml

:grr: :grr:

[RamboLiberal]

74. ACLU sues federal government over funding for faith-based group

Visitors to the Web site for the Silver Ring Thing will see a gathering of 415 smiling youths in baseball caps and baggy jeans that occurred 10 days ago in northwestern Pennsylvania.

All around them are flashy lights, music and testimony.

Many of the students show off their $12 silver rings. The rings are a symbol of their pledges to remain sexually abstinent until marriage.

Such is the Silver Ring Thing, a faith-centered program that sometimes runs for three hours and is known to feature bonfires, luaus and special guests. The "thing" bills itself as an experience in abstinence-only education.

<snip>

Three years ago, Pattyn announced he wanted to expand the program to 75 cities and would seek $1.75 million in federal seed money. He said he was working with U.S. Sen. Rick Santorum and U.S. Rep. Melissa Hart, both conservative Republican legislators.

http://www.post-gazette.com/pg/05138/506156.stm

I've been following this since my senator - that scumbag Santorum - is a big backer and helps obtain their funds. I laughed that 85% of the kids getting these rings can't stick to abstinence, though I shudder for these kid's lack of sex education. Also funny that many of them try to remain "technical virgins" by practicing more risky anal sex. Kind of explains some Repukes weird sexual habits. Guess Clinton is still to blame for them practicing oral sex.

Website for silver ring thing. http://www.silverringthing.com/index.htm

[RamboLiberal]

75. And they're also preaching "The Rapture"

http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/programmes/this_world/3419693.stm

So what is the bottom line for Denny and the Silver Ring Thing?

They do present a seminar to the youngsters where faith is not mentioned. But in a moment of quietness, Denny confides that he believes that the end of the world is nigh and that Christ will return within a generation.

And so where does abstinence fit into that vision? Well, abstinence, he says, is a tool to reach young people for God, safeguarding them for the Second Coming.

Damn, I want to get these Rapture Repukes out of power so my tax dollars quit funding this crap!

[NMMNG]

77. These people are morons

They tell their kids "just say no" and assume they will do it. They feed them half-truths and outright lies, then send them out unarmed into the world. Meanwhile they stick their heads in the sand.

When the poo hits the fan who are they going to blame? The 'liberal media', the evil secularists and anybody but themselves.

[sharman]

80. More Orwellian every day

Any one remember the Junior Anti-Sex League, "1984"? Practitioners wore a red sash. Silver ring=red sash.

I take it that 60 Minutes left out the fascinating stats that abstinence-promisers end up with the same amount of STDs--because they have oral and anal sex instead. Now that one just delights the shit out of me. Not the STDs, but the perverted sex. I mean, isn't that why gays and lesbians are so abominable and gross, because they have anal and oral sex?

[Warren DeMontague]

81. I thought you were supposed to beat the living snot out of your kids

for even entertaining such impure thoughts. :eyes: