Abortion and birth control: Crazy sexy stupid

[Modbert]

Abortion and birth control: Crazy sexy stupid | The Economist

FAMILY planning and birth control is one of many areas where America has gotten itself wrapped up in a decades-long hysterical moralistic argument over issues whose solutions ought to be obvious to any mature adult. It's rather silly that we're still arguing over problems that were really settled by about 1977, but there you are.

Adoption is one thing. Birth control is a whole different kettle of fish. It's true that birth control is reasonably widely available in American drug stores. But the rate of usage of birth control is much lower in the United States than in Western Europe and the rest of the developed world. Hence, unsurprisingly, America's rates of teen pregnancy and unwanted pregnancy are much higher than in most other developed countries, as is America's rate of abortion.

The average age of sexual debut in America and Europe, she noted, is the same: 17. But America's teen pregnancy rate is three to six times higher than Western European rates. And our abortion rate is about three times as high as that of Germany or the Netherlands and about double that of France.

The first time they had sex, 64% of Dutch teens used hormonal birth control, ie the pill, Norplant, etc. Almost half used both hormonal birth control and a condom, which is what Dutch public-health authorities recommend. Just 26% of American teens were on hormonal birth control the first time they had sex. That may be related to the fact that 70% of American school health clinics are prohibited from distributing condoms or any other form of birth control.

 

[jillian]

but...but... doesn't abstinence only education keep them from getting preggers?

 

[High_Gravity]

Alot of people here believe condoms, abortions and birth control are morally wrong, alot of Catholics believe this,

 

[Modbert]

Alot of people here believe condoms, abortions and birth control are morally wrong, alot of Catholics believe this,

Catholicism is the only major religion out of the major ones that doesn't allow birth control. Protestants, Hinduism, Islam, Buddhism, and various branches of Judaism all allow some form of birth control to be used.

 

[High_Gravity]

Alot of people here believe condoms, abortions and birth control are morally wrong, alot of Catholics believe this,

Catholicism is the only major religion out of the major ones that doesn't allow birth control. Protestants, Hinduism, Islam, Buddhism, and various branches of Judaism all allow some form of birth control to be used.

Alot of people here just believe abstinence is the best way, which is ridiculous because it never works.

 

[jillian]

Alot of people here believe condoms, abortions and birth control are morally wrong, alot of Catholics believe this,

yes... but they think having sex before marriage is morally wrong, too, but that doesn't stop the kids from having sex. so it shouldn't stop them from putting on a condom. i mean, what are they thinking... it's ok to get laid, but not ok to wear a condom because their priest/minister/insert appropriate religious leader here... says its a sin??? i swear i've never understood that.

it's like the old joke...

Q: What do you call someone who uses the rhythm method?
A: Pregnant

 

[High_Gravity]

Alot of people here believe condoms, abortions and birth control are morally wrong, alot of Catholics believe this,

yes... but they think having sex before marriage is morally wrong, too, but that doesn't stop the kids from having sex. so it shouldn't stop them from putting on a condom. i mean, what are they thinking... it's ok to get laid, but not ok to wear a condom because their priest/minister/insert appropriate religious leader here... says its a sin??? i swear i've never understood that.

it's like the old joke...

Q: What do you call someone who uses the rhythm method?
A: Pregnant

Most young people in the States have sex before marriage, people here need to wake up.

 

[Modbert]

Alot of people here just believe abstinence is the best way, which is ridiculous because it never works.

I wouldn't say abstinence never works. I'm sure there are plenty of people who follow that to a tee and that's fine. However, the problem is when certain groups try to apply one solution (abstinence) to a group of people (teenagers) of all different walks of life, religion, social class, culture, etc. One size fits all solution rarely work in such a case.

 

[asterism]

Alot of people here believe condoms, abortions and birth control are morally wrong, alot of Catholics believe this,

yes... but they think having sex before marriage is morally wrong, too, but that doesn't stop the kids from having sex. so it shouldn't stop them from putting on a condom. i mean, what are they thinking... it's ok to get laid, but not ok to wear a condom because their priest/minister/insert appropriate religious leader here... says its a sin??? i swear i've never understood that.

it's like the old joke...

Q: What do you call someone who uses the rhythm method?
A: Pregnant

That's why it's a false way of framing it. Of the Catholics I know who sinned by having extramarital sex, none of them had any problem with using birth control.

 

[jillian]

Alot of people here believe condoms, abortions and birth control are morally wrong, alot of Catholics believe this,

yes... but they think having sex before marriage is morally wrong, too, but that doesn't stop the kids from having sex. so it shouldn't stop them from putting on a condom. i mean, what are they thinking... it's ok to get laid, but not ok to wear a condom because their priest/minister/insert appropriate religious leader here... says its a sin??? i swear i've never understood that.

it's like the old joke...

Q: What do you call someone who uses the rhythm method?
A: Pregnant

That's why it's a false way of framing it. Of the Catholics I know who sinned by having extramarital sex, none of them had any problem with using birth control.

i have no way of quantifying it. and i hope they did use birth control. i wasn't referring specifically to catholics, though i suppose the 'joke' made it appear that i was.

 

[Modbert]

Most young people in the States have sex before marriage, people here need to wake up.

Meanwhile, at the Legion of Doom...

 

[shintao]

Alot of people here believe condoms, abortions and birth control are morally wrong, alot of Catholics believe this,

Yes indeed. God opposed masturbation and any kind of non-procreation sex that wasn't between a married couple or the males brother's wife if he had died. Sex wasn't supposed to be a recreational sport, infact rape is natures means of sex.

 

[WillowTree]

screw when where and how often you want, have all the abortions you want. have at it. just don't ask the taxpayers to pay for your screwing practice sessions. The taxpayer has been screwed enough.

 

[Ernie S.]

Alot of people here believe condoms, abortions and birth control are morally wrong, alot of Catholics believe this,

Catholicism is the only major religion out of the major ones that doesn't allow birth control. Protestants, Hinduism, Islam, Buddhism, and various branches of Judaism all allow some form of birth control to be used.

Alot of people here just believe abstinence is the best way, which is ridiculous because it never works.

Abstinence works every time.

 

[Modbert]

abstinence works every time.

 

[WillowTree]

Catholicism is the only major religion out of the major ones that doesn't allow birth control. Protestants, Hinduism, Islam, Buddhism, and various branches of Judaism all allow some form of birth control to be used.

Alot of people here just believe abstinence is the best way, which is ridiculous because it never works.

Abstinence works every time.

Abstinence and gayness.

 

[WorldWatcher]

but...but... doesn't abstinence only education keep them from getting preggers?

Abstinence is always successful in preventing pregnancy.


That's different then abstinence only education.


The problem is that if Abstinence Education fails, then they are left without the needed tools.



>>>>

 

[Skull Pilot]

but...but... doesn't abstinence only education keep them from getting preggers?

It seems that liberal sex ed and putting condoms on bananas doesn't help either.

 

[Ernie S.]

abstinence works every time.

View attachment 12533

OK so once in 10,000,000,000 births

 

[Modbert]

OK so once in 10,000,000,000 births

You're missing the point however. Abstinence and Abstinence education are two entirely different things.