Here’s one good thing about modern times. We used to be embarrassed by unwed teen pregancy and shuffled it under the rug. Bristol would have either been shipped off to seclusion or had the child aborted. Furthermore, the shame attached to “turning up pregnant” may have driven many to seek abortions rather than face that shame.
So, now we (conservatives) promote the values that the Catholic church has always promoted. If a child makes a mistake and has a child in her womb, we don’t discard it, we cherish it. How many grandparents have reacted with shock and horror upon learning that their child was pregnant, only to have it change to delight and doting the moment they laid eyes on the baby?
I remember my young cousin once reflecting with me and her grandmother “Gawd, what would’ja do if ya had TWINS” and her grandmother said, “bring’em home and take care of ‘em.”
It’s really as simple as that.
I think those are excellent points, ichabod1. Yes, sex outside marriage is a sin. However, it’s a sin even if there’s no pregnancy, or even if the baby is killed before “anyone” finds out about it. The baby is not punishment, but it sometimes seems as if Christians have the feeling it is, that “getting caught” is the real problem.
One thing I’ve been thinking the last week is that most teenagers these days constantly see young people on tv and in movies having sex, but they rarely see a young person who’s going to marry, have a baby, and start family life in a supportive environment. Even among their friends, well, Madison had the “flu,” and then she was out of school a few days, and came back anemic and depressed ...
I hope some young people - other than FReeper kids - are watching this situation and seeing the real-life outcome of foolish behavior.