[This is an excerpt from an article I wrote for Threads Media on the impact of the hook-up culture.]
The hookup culture — this “no strings attached” paradigm toward casual sexual encounters — has become the new normal among many Christian collegiates in America. According to Relevant magazine, “Eighty percent of young, unmarried Christians have had sex. Two-thirds have been sexually active in the last year. Even though, according to a recent Gallup poll, 76 percent of evangelicals believe sex outside of marriage is morally wrong.”1
Yes, college students are having sex at alarmingly high rates, but truth be told, everyone is not doing it. One out of five young Christians have never had sex. One out of three haven’t had sex in the past year. If you haven’t had sex … you’re not alone. If you have, and you’re ready for a fresh start, now’s the time!
NOT JUST A MATTER OF FAITH
In February of 2012, U.S. News (on msnbc.com) reported that a group of students at Yale University were taking a stand against the “sexual obsession” on their campus. Standing in sharp contrast to Sex Week (which boasts more than 50 programs), the group “Undergraduates for a Better Yale College” hosted “True Love” week as a distinct alternative. With only a handful of programs, the group was hoping to promote love and relationships as part of a sexually active life. (OK, they had me up until that last sentence where it talked about being sexually active). But this group of students isn’t motivated by their faith. They’ve simply seen enough of the hookup culture to know that it’s not healthy, but rather deeply damaging — and they want their friends and peers to reconsider. So these non-Christians are taking a stand against a sexually-obsessed culture, at least to a point. (Keep reading…)
To continue reading this article, click here to jump over to the Threads Media blog.
One thought on “Strings Attached: Why the “hook-up culture” affects you”
Great thoughts Guy. I believe movies and tv paint a gross representation of what students on campus are actually doing. Now I’m not naive in believing students aren’t engaging in sex, but I believe it is important that we share with our students they’re not weird, crazy, or social rejects because they have chosen to abstain from sex.
One of the most interesting things I remember, when I was in college, was my fraternity brothers would constantly tell me how much they wish they would have waited to have sex. Furthermore, guys and girls would encourage me, and even applaud me, for my willingness to wait. What this revealed to me was there are plenty of students who are searching and wanting something with depth and meaning, and our students have the ability to share the love of Christ, who provides us with the substance of life.
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