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Insight on the News

Old-Fashioned?

According to an Anglican priest in Adelaide, Australia, warnings against physical stimulation of the body that can lead to fornication and adultery are old-fashioned and from non-Christian sources. In his recent study on sexuality, he states that couples engaged to marry were not necessarily sinning if they had sexual intercourse before marriage. The study also asserts that homosexuality might be acceptable in some cases. According to the Brisbane Courier Mail, a spokesman for the Uniting Church in Australia “agreed with the basic principles of the report.”

The Bible, however, states that it is God’s will for all to “abstain from fornication” and that “neither fornicators, nor idolaters, nor adulterers, nor men kept for unnatural purposes, nor men who lie with men . . . will inherit God’s kingdom.” (1 Thessalonians 4:3, 4; 1 Corinthians 6:9, 10) Surely, those who accept the Bible as the inspired Word of God recognize that its view of sex comes from the all-wise Creator. The effect upon those who live by Bible standards proves that these so-called old-fashioned moral guidelines still contribute to family stability and provide a safeguard against the deep emotional scars and loathsome diseases that result from immoral conduct.

The Best Prevention

Misuse of drugs remains a serious problem. So then, what is the best way to protect youth from drug abuse? In an interview published in the Brazilian newspaper O Estado de S.Paulo, French professor and psychiatrist Claude Olievenstein emphasized the need for guidelines and loving support. He said: “When people talk about drugs today, the role of the police, the judicial system, and the school is emphasized. However, the great need is that of family [drug use] prevention. . . . Many children do not know what paternal authority is. The father is absent; apparently he has resigned.”

Explaining why drug abuse prevention is vital on the family level, Dr. Olievenstein added: “We live in a society of profit where people are ashamed of morals. When, because of drugs, our children start to manifest a certain behavior, it is because we no longer make morals known. Our society has become hard, insensible, industrialized. People think only of the fight to live.”

According to the magazine Superinteressante, a U.S. survey confirms the importance of parental authority. The journal states: “Adolescents with the best performance in school examinations and emotionally more stable come from families in which parents exercised authority to fix clear rules of conduct and offered freedom within well-defined limits. Likewise, the proportion of adolescents addicted to drugs and alcohol is appreciably lower in such families.”

With good reason, the Bible admonishes parents: “Chastise your son and he will bring you rest and give much pleasure to your soul.” (Proverbs 29:17) Yes, correction based on the Bible can help parents to prevent drug abuse and to improve the quality of life for the entire family.