Today I had a long, pleasant conversation with an old friend, Brice. The exchange wandered to our young adult offspring, and the difficulties some of them had growing up. Brice offered, "Our culture is so saturated with sex thrown at our young people everywhere, it's no wonder they have so many difficult choices." He added, "The assault is continuous, in all media. They have no time to think." Our modern 2014 American culture may be bright and shiny, but it disguises the mud, underneath, the filth that results from the "hook-up culture." And if you walk through mud, you will get dirty!
FYI: Wikipedia defines "a hookup culture is one that accepts and encourages casual sexual encounters focused on physical pleasure without necessarily including emotional bonding." This source gives the history, risks, and costs associated with the hookups so prevalent today in Western society. Particularly disturbing is the fact that internet pornography is very widespread and seems to be a driving force in this phenomenon.
As it is impossible to shield young people from bad influences, we have to talk, talk, talk to them! It is critical to maintain a solid, loving relationship with each and every one of our children. Even then, some will make disastrous choices they will regret.
My friend, Brice, sadly reported that one of his boys, Todd, ended up in jail. It took him years to overcome what led him there but, praise the Lord, he survived and is doing well. Then he told his dad about an encounter he had while in the jail cell. Todd was there with approximately twenty other men, all young men, except one. Todd was sitting on a cot. The older man came over and sat down beside him. He asked Todd, "Do you have a father and a mother who take care of you and love you?" Todd answered, "Yes." Then the guy counseled, "See those guys over there? I know every one of them. Most of them have only one parent. Some don't even have one. All of them were abused. Don't come back here." Brice feels like God sent his son an angel that day.
We see in the news horrific violence directed toward women by young men whose advances have been rejected. They think that every woman owes them sex. Judging by the provocative way most young women dress and act, they like to give that impression apparently.
If we don't happen to be in the hookup culture, should we just look the other way? I personally think we all have a responsibility to our society to promote marriage and the family in every way we can. Look up your local Birthright organization; they help mothers with problem pregnancies.
Another friend, Hannah, wanted to do something to help children. She volunteers at a nearby school tutoring a six-year-old having difficulty reading. Twice a week, she helps him for an hour. Hannah says, "I can't tell you how much this child has meant to me. He has taught me so much! I didn't expect that he would be totally trusting and so eager to learn. He's also very respectful and polite."
We don't have to look very far to put our talents to use!
Oh, Lord, it is distressing and almost overwhelming to watch TV ads or page through a magazine at the doctor's office, or go shopping and see the blatant sexual innuendos. Please help us keep our solid family values and do our best, even to go out of our way, to encourage others to reject the easy 'hookups' available. Help us be the people that improved our society instead of the ones that just turned our heads and thought, "Oh, well, I wouldn't do that."
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