Atheists and Abstinence

[Asmodean]

I'm 19, and I choose to be abstinent. So thanks for your support.

...So you don't consume alcohol, eat certain types of food or have sex..? Why not?  

[jduster]

Any atheists believe in this?

It depends on the atheist.

The only thing all atheists share in common is that they do not believe in a deity.

That's it.

One need not do anything else to be an atheist.

Me, personally, I believe that abstinence is the best way to prevent pregnancies, but it is far too idealistic to forbid sex education and contraception in hopes that people who are ill equipped to have a child will abstain completely.

[Kylyssa]

I'm 19, and I choose to be abstinent. So thanks for your support.

What is your choice based on?  Did you weigh the pros and cons based on the possible repercussions of having sex or are you simply still adhering to a previous belief's residue?  I ask this because my father is an extremely Catholic atheist.  He's like a Catholic who admits he doesn't believe in God but he keeps following the other parts of the religion.

[hunterman317]

I'm 19, and I choose to be abstinent. So thanks for your support.

...So you don't consume alcohol, eat certain types of food or have sex..? Why not?  

I have drunken a few beers, watch porn casually, and eat anything. I'm talking about sexual intercourse, that could result in aids or worse.

[i_am_i]

I'm 19, and I choose to be abstinent. So thanks for your support.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Qh_x3F3jxeI

[Asmodean]

I'm talking about sexual intercourse, that could result in aids or worse.

...So wear a rubber. Don't dip your pen in the company ink. Sex is not that dangerous if you take your precautions.

Intercourse will not, by the way, result in AIDS. The best you can hope for then is catching HIV which in turn could cause AIDS. In any case, if you are careful, the chances of that are near-negligeable and HIV does not equal death sentence in this day and age.

[Croaker]

I grew up surrounded by the regular super-Christian male teens, and we'd have our weekly group meetings. The guys would talk about jerking off and how terrible it was, how even having wet dreams was awful, but the one thing that I always secretly thought was that we all weren't abstaining by choice - I mean, hell, if I would have had the option in the eighth grade I would've been on it like white on rice. We were just all too dorky to actually get girlfriends. It's easier to say you're "saving yourself" than to admit you have as much game as a rock. :eek:

[Thumpalumpacus]

I mean, hell, if I would have had the option in the eighth grade I would've been on it like white on rice. We were just all too dorky to actually get girlfriends.

<nods in agreement>

[Asmodean]

I mean, hell, if I would have had the option in the eighth grade I would've been on it like white on rice. We were just all too dorky to actually get girlfriends.

<nods in agreement>

*smug to the point of rudeness*

Me, I did for the first time it in the eighth grade  

[Will]

You're welcome to choose whatever sexual lifestyle you want so long as there's knowing consent.

I can't imagine living a life abstaining from sex, though.

[Thumpalumpacus]

I mean, hell, if I would have had the option in the eighth grade I would've been on it like white on rice. We were just all too dorky to actually get girlfriends.

<nods in agreement>

*smug to the point of rudeness*

Me, I did for the first time it in the eighth grade  

I didn't get my first trim until 18.  I thought I was going to die a virgin.

[Asmodean]

I didn't get my first trim until 18.  I thought I was going to die a virgin.

Well, 18 aint so bad. I have a few acquaintances who are approaching 30 and still have not had their rods waxed properly    )

[Croaker]

I didn't get my first trim until 18.  I thought I was going to die a virgin.

Yeah, same here. In hindsight, I wasn't really that bad off - I mean, I've got one friend (like Asmodean) who, at 29, still is a big ol' V. At least, he says he isn't, but...

A question for everyone - if you provide rather thorough sex education, are you 'enabling' the kids? I mean, are they more likely to go out and have sex, armed with their knowledge of what to do? And if, given that kids have a tendency to forget the key points of sex ed (i.e. withdrawal can still get you pregnant, etc.) could this be problematic?

I don't have any facts or figures to support one view or another, just a question.

I think for my boys I'm just going to tell them that as soon as they get a job and are okay with working their asses off to support any form of an unplanned pregnancy, they can boink whoever the hell they want - considering that's what happened to me  

Another thing - I wonder if the term 'abstinence' has gained a bit of a bad rap. For Christians it's the way to go, since they say you are 'saving yourself' for marriage, or whatever. This can, however, provide side benefits in lack of teen pregnancies and (usually) no transmission of STD's. Having to wait a couple years may seem like an eternity to teens (hell, it did for me) but waiting until you're at least financially stable (as opposed to the 'until marriage' business) could be a good idea for most people... right?

[elliebean]

A question for everyone - if you provide rather thorough sex education, are you 'enabling' the kids? I mean, are they more likely to go out and have sex, armed with their knowledge of what to do?

No, inevitably they'll figure out "what to do" regardless. What they need to know is what precautions are necessary and how they work.

[Matt]

This can, however, provide side benefits in lack of teen pregnancies and (usually) no transmission of STD's.

If you're actually abstinent.  Teaching it doesn't seem to result in teens actually being abstinent.