Bristol Palin: What I've Been Hearing
Bristol Palin (2nd from left), John McCain (2nd from right), and Sarah Palin (far right)
Photo: Win McNamee/Getty Images
This week I have basically gotten a barrage of e-mails regarding the Republican Vice Presidential Nominee's daughter. A 17 year-old's pregnancy seems to be just as shocking to people today as it was many years ago. Some people e-mailed to be supportive and to say that the discussion of her pregnancy is nothing but gossip. Others say that her pregnancy reflects badly on her mother, Sarah Palin. I have heard from teens adamant about abstinence and others who are more relaxed about sex. Others have shared their opinions on abortion and teen marriage.
So, as other teenage pregnancies did before Bristol's, the one mutually positive thing that comes out of it is the dialogue we have regarding sexual activity and teen behavior. As I watched a teen panel on Good Morning America this morning, I was impressed with the eloquence and thoughtfulness of the teens on the panel. They weren't sex crazed. They thought hard about their sexual actions. While many people reserve that thoughtfulness for Christian teens, I was glad to know that it is not just Christians that think hard about the impact of sexual activity.
While I do feel bad that Bristol has to go through her teenage pregnancy in the public eye, I do appreciate the topics we are now discussing openly due to it. Abortion, sex, teen marriage and more are all part of the discourse. I would encourage Christian teens to talk about their opinions and thoughts. As Christians we should be sharing God's viewpoint - in a respectful manner, of course - in chat rooms, with friends and family, or even in the comments section below.
Comments
“While many people reserve that thoughtfulness for Christian teens, I was glad to know that it is not just Christians that think hard about the impact of sexual activity.”
Could you be any more ignorant?
It is not ignorance. I think it is very refreshing to hear teens say they are thinking hard about sexual activity and not tying it to religion at all. It seems that, all too often, teens who choose to wait or be careful about sex are lumped into a “religious” grouping. Yet, not all teens who take sex serious are religious. Some just take it seriously. After having worked with high-risk teens who threw their sexuality around like toys and some Christians who were afraid to even mention the word, “sex,” I think an open dialogue on the subject allows Christians nad non-Christians alike to get beyond stereotypes and have a real discussion.
Isn’t the real question that we should be asking ourselves “is Bristol Palin’s sexuality even a pertinent part of the presidential election, let alone the government of the United States of America?”? This young lady—regardless of her age, her social status, religion, and upbringing—is her own individual person and she should not be one of the factors that determines whether or not Sarah Palin has a good reputation. And besides that, who’s to say that what has been said is even true and isn’t, in fact, a lie? This is another one of the reasons why I abhor the media. Most, if not all of the time, the media is out to wreck things and make a mountain out of a mole hill. Bristol Palin should be left alone. Her sexuality should not be a public issue; that’s HER private business. Point blank.