Is today's youth focused more on pre-marital relationships and self image than in God and religon?
830866
uh in america yes. in the middle east probably not
918564
If you don't want beliefs, then take a look at the US Census.  They exceed the population averages in teenage pregnancy, adultery, teen suicide, depression in teens and depression in middle age women.\nPeople ask me about the fruit of the Mormon church.  That would be it.
36497
Unfortunately, society (in general) have become very shallow and unforgiving.  Pencil thin gorgeous models and muscle bound, perfect haired men are what society is fed and told is a way to measure success.\n\nWhat worries me in this all too shallow society of ours is we're teaching our kids that attributes as vague and relatively meaningless as a toothy smile or a fine head of hair make a fine statement about a person. What they tell me is that they've got a nice smile and a nice head of hair. But I'm looking for what's behind the smile and what's underneath that head of hair.\n\nIf we started with the kids and stressed that it's what is INSIDE the person that matters, we MIGHT be able to counter the commercial affect ... not so sure about that, but worth a shot.
233691
I belive that love before marriage is essential to enable a life long loving marriage. Apologies if I wrong, but are you actually asking about sex before marriage?\n\nThis is a totally different question - and the answer must be, as far as I can see, that it is totally up to the two people that are in the relationship.\n\nYou are correct that nowadays many youngsters (and, of course, some 'oldies') have casual sex - this is their own choice and as long as they protect themselves from unwanted pregnancy and sexually transmitted diseases who are we to judge?\n\nUltimately, we all have our own cultural and personal morals and standards to live up to and as long as we are comfortable with our individual choices and do not cause intentional pain or suffering to others we should do as we see fit. \n\nLove and sex do not have to be entwined, but in my experience the latter without the former is never as satifying to the body or soul.\n\nGood luck in the choices youu make..
414647
IT IS a common thing today to see people who profess to believe the tenets of a religion, but who fail to follow these teachings in their everyday life. Often people consider religion as something to which to “belong,” but not as something to influence their actions in homelife, in business, in dealing with others.\n\n However, true Christianity is not a matter of outward appearance. In fact, in Christianity’s early days it was called “The Way,” because it was more than formal worship. (Acts 19:9, 23) It was a WAY OF LIFE permeated by the worship of God, guided by his spirit. (John 4:23, 24) Throughout the Christian Scriptures we find strong expressions that allow for no halfhearted service to God. The person wishing to be a real Christian is told: ‘Make your mind over,’ “be made new in the force actuating your mind” and “put on the new personality.” (Rom. 12:2; Eph.) Along with zealous witnessing, good conduct is continually emphasized.—1 Pet. 1:15; 2:12.\n\n Accordingly, true Christianity reaches into every aspect of life, of the individual and of the family. The Christian must love and serve God ‘with his whole heart and whole soul and whole mind and whole strength.’ (Mark 12:30) This leaves out no part of his body, his life or his personality.—Matt. 22:37-39.
135960
mature, christian behavior is very attractive
1166072
Yep! One of my freiends is nearly 23, and she is veyr much stilla virgin-she hasnt even kissed a man passionately, or even had a relationship with someone! In 6th from i thought it was rather odd-but irespected her obviousley as its her choice. She isnt a Christian-nor is she religious, so these beliefs havent persuaded her not to have a phsyical relationship-she has just been unlukcy i guess, or doesnt feel the need for a relationship.\n\nShe is very independant and quite agressive towards men, so its quite hard for them to get to know her-which explains alot! I think she gives out this impressionthat they arnt good enough for her-which in part is to try to protect herself i guess. herfather left when she was quite young-so perhaps this has affected her choice in men, or having non existent relationships!\n\nI think its possible not to have had a relationship at any age-and acceptable. At the end of the day some people are happiest left alone-and independanct individuals in that sense. I guess its their own person choice-they also have to be ready for a relationship so perhaps this is why they are single. I think they are missing out though! :)\n\nxx
1086530
Lots of things...\n\n\nMaterial Things (like cars, houses, money, jewelry, or any other possesions)\n\nPeople (Lover, Friend, or Family, if you become two obessesed with them or value them more than God.)\n\nOther Gods/Mediums (Praying to Idols, having some sort of stake in some deity that's not God)\n\n\nBut looking up to someone or admiring someone for their actions, convictions, or behavior is totally alright, because you simply look at them as being role model, but not necessarily a God figure.  It's like looking up to a successful older brother or best friend.  There's nothing wrong with that as long as you don't become obessesed with it.
795747
I think it's a little of both. People are more comfortable with their own sexuality because it is more acceptable than it was, but I also think the advertisement of sex is due to the fact that people want to see it. I do think kids are more permiscuous, particularly teenagers. I never saw the glory in that, and didn't lose my virginity until I was almost 19 (I'm still with the same guy, and haven't had sex with anyone else, he only had sex with one girl before me, and was about the same age when he lost his virginity). However, I've seen my friends have sex and one night stands more often than they change their underwear. Kids now don't take sex very seriously, and as a result, they have a lot of sex and no love. And I think that's advertised just as much. Loveless sex.
943918
In Christianity, God created man in His own image. No one knows what God looks like as we are in human form. I think that image is of seeking knowledge and a conscious of right and wrong and the need to survive. Psychology is the study of mans mind, his thought capabilities, emotional triggers, (stimuli) and others. The word stimuli is key, for example you can give a list of careers to 3rd graders and ask them to read well and then form a line a verbalize which career they want to be. The majority will give the same answers. This often is not what they have considered, but that they do not want to stand alone, or go against the tide. Many personality traits of people are followers.( amicable) They do as their fathers tell them as far as religion/sects or politics too.
671948
Yes there is hope! I was once one of those teens. My family was a big suporter of my life. I don't know everyone is different. I was not a follower so its not like I was doing it because someone else was. One day I woke up called my friends and told them that I wouldn't be seeing them anymore I wanted to get my life straight. They of course were stunned and followed my example. Did I mention that I was saved and turned my back on God for that time? Well church is a big part of growing up, (youth group) you gotta have a foundation in the world we live in!!!! It sure helped me to have friends that didn't do those things that influenced me in the right way!
634694
There are literally millions of people who care about the spirituality of our youth out there you just haven't looked far enough. There is going on at this moment in American history the greatest growth in fundamental Christianity ever witnessed, and you cant see it? Come out of that dark cave at the bottom of the Grand Canyon you're stuck in. Seriously 'SEEK AND YOU SHALL FIND'...ASK AND IT SHALL BE GIVEN.\n    \n    PS: Keep the faith and Inquire thorough the Information \n        Highway we are both 'Talking On' right now. Find a \n        nice group of God's people to commune with, and \n        they don't all have to be christians.
1133435
I am a youth counselor at a detention center for at risk youth and I see this alot. Now I am only 23 years old so I don't know how much I can influence the crowd here but here it goes. I think with the kids I deal with there are 2 main things that add to the equation. Parents and Pop Culture. With parenting I think people arent willing to put in the time and also agree with the fact that parents are trying to be friends. Also I don't know if there is any connection but I would say with the number of single parents increasing and the age at which people are impregnated. A irresponsible youth can't raise a responsible person. By the time the kids I work with get to be teenagers, the parent usually wants to make up for the teenage years that they themselves lost leaving a kid to fend for himself. As far as pop culture goes I just isn't popular to be nice anymore most music is about being depressed or being a gangster, alot of the movies my youth watch when not in program have to do with the same or with sexual acts. Well that's all on this matter for now any questions feel free to write.\n Timmy
1139000
In the eyes of society, premarital intercourse is probably not a big deal. In my eyes and the eyes of God, it's a big no no, and can result in life changing events thet people aren't ready to handle yet. Especially unplanned pregnancies leading to single parent families, another downer to a successful family.
1134994
I totally agree with you.  Kids today have no religion or God. That means that Satan will take over their spirits and he has.  There is definitely more evil in kids since there is little consequences to their evil deeds.  They have no conscience.  If kids followed the 10 commandments, the USA would be a much better place to live.  I think that all the psychotic drugs kids are on in the schools for ADHD and ADD are one of the direct results of taking God and prayer out of the schools. When I went to school, none of the kids had to take these medications for self-control, etc.
656713
The Sexual Revolution of the 1960s is coming to an abrupt halt and virginity is making a comeback on high school campuses. That's the report from the Princeton Religion Research Center, which recently announced that an increasing proportion of Americans consider premarital sex wrong. The statistics they discovered demonstrate the reversal of an 18-year trend: two years ago, 39 percent said premarital sex was wrong; today 46 percent say it is wrong. \n\n"A key factor in this trend reversal may be growing concern over the risk of disease," such as herpes and AIDS, the Center said in its report, although most respondents (83 percent) cited moral and religious reasons for their opinions. Among those from age 18 to 29, the proportion considering premarital sex wrong had climbed from 18 percent to 27 percent.\n\nThe war cry against the establishment in the 1960s was for sexual freedom, but the definition of this rallying cry has now been rewritten after two decades of suffering the disastrous consequences of increasing venereal diseases and the recent AIDS epidemic. Health professionals and educators are proclaiming a new solution: responsible "safe sex" with its virtues of contraceptive usage and sex education.\n\nSafe sex adherents are diligent about carrying their contraceptives and checking their partners' sexual history. Contraceptive manufacturers have painted routine usage as a virtue, like taking your vitamins. In all their advertising, however, they fail to share the startling statistics of increasing teen pregnancies that have resulted from the use of their products.\n\nAlthough using contraceptives and policing your partner's sexual activity is a laudable attempt at stopping the spread of a disease, one very important element missing from the safe sex solution is values. The real issue is not the clinical advantages of having a clean partner, or whether or not you are using contraceptives. At the bottom of the safe sex promotion is the idea that self-gratification is still OK, as long as it is performed within the confines of medical safety. And that idea, more and more social commentators are saying, is dangerous.\n\nSociologist George Gilder, in his book Men and Marraige, said that men who respond to short term sexual desires are apt to have significantly higher rates of suicide, drug and alcohol addiction, mental disease, accidental death, and arrest. There is a vital difference between"responding to a short term sexual desire" even with the endorsement of health professionals, and being willing to wait until marriage to gratify that desire in its proper context.\n\nThe danger of "safe sex theology" is that it is a fearful knee-jerk reaction to the terror of AIDS and other diseases, but not a warning about the dangers of sexual permissiveness. Safe sex, in essence, is the same permissive sex of the '60s with the 1980s' Good Housekeeping seal of medical approval.\n\nA Revolt Against Permissiveness\n\nThousands of high-school students in Northern California have discovered a solution which goes a step ahead of safe sex and effectively solves the problem: virginity. "Clean Teens," based in Modesto, California, and directed by 18-year-old Kirk McCall, is the nation's only teen-led group that seeks to advocate sexual abstinence before marriage. \n\nClean Teens organized a rally which drew 1,000 people last October. "There is a real desire for abstinence among youth," said McCall. "When they hear positive reasons for abstinence, they say, 'Now I know why to say no.'\n\n"Chastity is important because of the physical repercussions of promiscuity: AIDs, other sexually transmitted diseases, and the rising rate of teen pregnancies. Those who go along with sex before marriage for emotional reasons find emotional problems later in life - guilt, frustration, jealousy," McCall explained.\n\nVirginity, once considered a stigma fo
649028
I think they kinda are.  I mean, in my church we all dress pretty modestly but in the Young Womens' group (which I am in) two out of the 10 girls are very hippie-like in their dress.  Four of us do not have fathers at home -- that is the nature of the area I live in.  I think some of the girls go to private schools, but 5 or 6 of us are in state schools.  We eat what most people eat... y'no, fish, bread, potatoes, milk - the usual!  Of course we live the Word of Wisdom, too.  \n\nMost of the girls have at least 1 sibling, and 2 of us are not from LDS backgrounds.  \n\nI think most of us are into rock music, though we all have pretty diverse tastes.  \n\nHope this helps!