Why I Won’t Raise My Children in the Purity Culture That Raised Me

Fabric white roses next to a diamond ring. Where are my fellow geriatric millennial/Xennial mamas who grew up in evangelical churches? If this is you, chances are you heard about and likely participated in the program True Love Waits. True Love Waits was (and apparently still is) a Christian program most popular in the 1990s, at the height of the “Purity Movement”.  The program, most often sponsored by local churches, challenged teenagers to remain sexually abstinent until marriage. There were ceremonies, rings and promises that frankly, most teenagers and young adults didn’t keep.

As an insecure rule follower who deeply internalized the messages that sex outside of marriage is destructive, sinful and would completely ruin my future marriage, I did keep the promise symbolized by that James Avery purity ring on my finger.

Nearly three decades later, I can definitively say that the most destructive force in my adolescence was not sex itself, but the way sex was framed and used as a source of shame and control. 

I no longer identify as a Christian, at least in the traditional sense. And with religion no longer framing my value system, I struggle with how and what I’m going to teach my children about sex, especially sex outside of marriage. The values I want them to embrace are going to look a lot different than the ones I clung to to remain “pure”. I want to raise children who are body and sex positive, and who are able to demand respect and mutual consent as they mature sexually and enter into relationships.

I have no doubt that the adults who counseled me did not mean any harm to me or the other teenagers they were leading. But impact is greater than intent, and now, as an adult, I feel responsible to speak out against the destructive rhetoric of the purity culture in which I was raised. I find this kind of teaching problematic for several reasons::

Purity Culture emphasizes girls’ purity over boys’ purity.

Girls are taught from a very young age that their sexuality is a “precious gift” that is meant only for their future husbands. I was taught that if I wasn’t a virgin on my wedding day, I was shortchanging my husband for life. I would be tarnished, dirty, and not whole. I have never once met a man who was given the same message about his wife. Growing up, I went to any number of church camps and mission trips where female modesty was emphasized. Girls were required to wear long shorts and one piece swim suits. Why? So as not to tempt the teenage boys and cause them to “stumble”. Did they not realize that teenage girls have just as many hormones and are looking at the shirtless boys as well?

The phrase Why would he buy the cow when he can get the milk for free?  completely infuriates me. It frames sex as purely transactional, instead of mutually relational. It implies a woman’s sexuality is the only thing worth investing in- never mind she might have more to offer in terms of emotional, spiritual, and intellectual intimacy in the relationship.

Not only does this unequal emphasis on girls’ purity harm individual girls and women, it harms our society as well. Rape culture and slut shaming are so prevalent in our society. They point to the fact that repressing and shaming female sexuality while giving men a pass (boys will be boys) is destructive and damaging to both men and women.

Purity Culture makes sex horribly wrong…until it’s beautiful and sacred.

Most religious abstinence education teaches that sex in different contexts means very different things. It completely disregards that sex and sexuality is a healthy, normal part of the human experience (yes, even to those who aren’t married). By teaching our teenagers to view their normal sexual development as bad or wrong until they say “I Do” is incredibly shaming and can lead to lifelong sexual issues. It’s insane to expect a person who has been conditioned to believe that sex is sinful and dirty her whole life (and for many, this didn’t mean just intercourse) to suddenly see it as beautiful and sacred, just because she now has a ring on her finger. It just doesn’t work that way. It can take some people years and years to overcome those mixed messages.

Also, in keeping with the theme that her sexuality is a “gift”, women are also taught that after years of saying “No” (and let’s face it, it’s usually on the girls to turn down the boys), they now have an obligation to their husbands to give him as much sex as he desires. Again, this sudden shift can often be disorienting and lead to a lot of resentment. It makes no room for discussion about “bad sex” in the context of a marriage relationship.

Purity Culture does not teach consent.

In purity culture, you are either a virgin or you are not (and therefore, are pure or you are not). Those who have experienced sexual abuse can be deeply hurt and shamed by this message. And even if a sexual experience wasn’t “abuse” but happened through pressure or coercion, it can leave girls feeling worthless, damaged and beyond redemption. This teaching also doesn’t teach the basics of consent, whether giving or receiving it. In Purity Culture, it’s all or nothing, which is not how a healthy sexual relationship should work.

By teaching girls that they are responsible for boys’ thoughts and actions, girls aren’t empowered to make healthy choices about their own sexuality. They may be scared to speak up about what they do and do not like in their marriages, because this teaching says that consent doesn’t matter or apply to marriage relationships. In fact, consent should be of upmost importance to people entering into a lifelong monogamous sexual relationship.

I spend a lot of time thinking about how I am going to teach my children about sex and my personal values surrounding it. Of course, my greatest hope is that they are able to have loving, fulfilling sexual relationships one day, absent of any shame and stress. My religious upbringing is still quite ingrained in me, and I haven’t quite reconciled what that means now that I am a parent. I am certain, however, that having or not having pre-marital sex should not be the benchmark of a young person’s worth.

Did you grow up in  Purity Culture? How has this impacted the way you teach or plan to teach your children about sexual relationships?


 

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Why I won't raise my children in the purity culture that raised me. Logo: Houston moms. A photograph of fabric white roses next to a diamond ring.

37 COMMENTS

    • I am so sorry you had a negative experience as well- this is why I wanted to tell my story- there are a lot of us, and we aren’t alone

      • The whole thing was and continues to be a monstrous lie if not from the pit if Hell itself it certainly was a hacked together totally human construct.
        It did me and a lot of good decent honest God honoring people a LOT of damage and any pastor or denominations that advocate it are to be slammed down and abandoned.

  1. I grew up very involved in the church and still am. I participated in a True Love Waits weekend as a young teenager and actually did wait for marriage to have sex – at 29 😱 And I am so glad that I did – that I will only share that experience with one person. I believe that God intends sex for marriage and problems arise when sex is outside of His design… unwanted pregnancies, sexually transmitted diseases, unnecessary heartache. I was never confused that my worth in God’s eyes was determined by my obedience or virginity. I am a sinner saved by grace as much as my husband or best friends who didn’t wait for marriage to have sex. God’s love for me isn’t dependent on the good or bad that I do. I pray that my boys will hold the same values I do, and I will certainly lead them in that direction, but I will love them through whatever choices they make and rest assured of God’s love and abundant grace for them regardless of those choices. I don’t buy the “boys will be boys” nonsense and will teach them to treat women with dignity and respect.
    I do appreciate you sharing your perspective and I am sorry if your experience in the church gave you any message other than you are dearly loved by God and that Christ’s death and resurrection covers the price of all our sin.

    • I find it very interesting that the author replied to all the other comments, except this one (above), which doesn’t wholeheartedly agree with her views.
      I was raised in the E-free Church and while I personally did not attend a TLW conference, I had many friends who did, and youth pastors who preached in agreement with it. I believe 100% that God has a specific design for marriage and the physical relationship we have with our spouses. Did I make mistakes when I was younger? Absolutely. Do I want my daughter to make those same mistakes. Absolutely not. Regardless of how “natural” it may be for teenagers to want to explore the world of sex, it doesn’t mean they are emotionally/physiologically ready for it. Sex adds a whole extra layer of drama to any dating relationship. No ones worth or value in God’s eyes is diminished by their sin. He died for us because of how much He values and loves us. But it is also because of that love for us that He has certain guidelines, and keeping sex for marriage is one of them. I think TLW takes it to an extreme, but the concept is based on biblical standards. We can’t pick and choose which parts of the Bible we like enough to follow.

      • Oh goodness, after I commented on the others I realized how this would look. The truth is, I was trying to get kids out the door for school and I wanted to think through my response to that particular comment before responding. While I agree with you on most of what you said, the point is, as I said in the post, that impact is greater than intent. Whether or not the concept of TLW is based on Biblical teachings, the way it was implemented in a lot of cases borders on (or crosses into) spiritual abuse. There are a LOT of us whose lives, and marriages, have been negatively affected by Purity Culture. And while I do believe God has a design for marriage, sex, etc., I truly do not believe it is the most important aspect of anyone’s life, nor should “purity” (how it’s defined by programs like TLW) be so emphasized as the definition of a young person’s Christian walk.

    • B, thanks for your comment, and as I told Deb below, I didn’t intend not to respond to your comment- I just wanted to make sure I had the time to do it thoughtfully, without distraction. Your story sounds very similar to mine- I was 28 when I got married, was and still am heavily involved in the Christian community (although I have struggled a lot with my beliefs/convictions). I’m so glad you were never taught to confuse your worth with your virginity or purity- that’s how it should be. Unfortunately, in many cases, including mine, this was not the case, and it has taken years of struggle to undo those harmful messages. And I’m sure a lot of it has to do with personality- I know people who went through the same programs and received the same messages and weren’t negatively affected. I did deeply internalize the messages, whether intended or not, and there have been negative consequences since. I think the main point I want to make is it’s not the “Pre-Marital sex is a sin and goes against God’s design” that I have an issue with- it’s the way that message is framed and used to shame kids (mostly girls) and is presented as THE standard of a person’s Christian walk. Thanks again for your comment and the discussion!

    • I totally agree with you B! This article sound more like legalism to me. We are not loved by God because of our performance, I mean if we believe what Jesus said. His grace for us is what makes us pure not our actions of our Past. I also believe what B says, it is a blessing waiting to get married to enjoy this beautiful intimacy God created for man and woman (in marriage), “God saw everything he created and he saw that it was good” I personally didn’t wait and I wish I could go back In time and make my story different. I’m going to raise my children both sons and daughters in the grace of Christ, expectant, waiting for the person that God have for them, and teaching them treat others and their bodies with dignity and Respect.

      • @Grace– Thanks for sharing your perspective here; it’s been very interesting to read everyone’s personal story.

        If you feel comfortable sharing, I’m curious what you mean when you say, “I wish I could go back In time and make my story different”. I understand if it’s something you’d rather keep to yourself, but to whatever degree you are comfortable sharing, could you help me understand what makes you wish you could revise your decisions?

  2. I agree with you. I grew up with in the purity culture and I didn’t have a healthy view of sex when I got married. I want more for my kids. A friend of mine told me about this set of books called God’s Design for Sex and they are age appropriate for kids. I have the first three since that’s where my kids ages lie and it’s a good way to talk to my daughter about how God made us, why he made us different, what body parts are designed for, how babies are made, why people have sex, etc. it’s opened up a lot of good conversation.

  3. This. Yes. This was my adolesence. And I can not even begin to tell you the damage it caused in my marriage because I had “saved” myself for my husband and he had not. It’s not like he could go back and take those acts away but I somehow felt he should because I had done so much to remain pure for him that why didn’t he want to do the same for me? And I had expectations for glorious sex that are simply unrealistic. I thought it was owed to me and when it wasn’t all I had imagined I felt shortchanged by God. Even more than that, I wrapped up my walk in how sexually pure I was. I wore it like a badge of honor. Like my “good works” brought me closer to God. I am struggling with how I will approach this topic as well.

    • Thanks so much for sharing this, M. There are so many of us in this same position- truly wanting to glorify God with our lives and raise our children to do the same, and yet realizing that some of the things we were indoctrinated with just isn’t healthy or frankly, true. I’m so sorry you have struggled with this as well.

    • My heart breaks to read this. Somehow, someway, as you grow in your relationship with Christ, you begin to see and understand the greatest gift to us is Christ death to free us from the lie we can not be forgiven of certain sins….you can through and only through Christ forgive your husband for his past sin(s). In Christ you can have purity! Marriage can be all that God wants for you as you decide to accept Christ’s forgiveness!! I pray for you and your husband’s marriage to become whole inspite of the past. My husband and I chose forgiveness and we have purity with each other and amazing sex life…after 36 years of trust!!! Let go and forgive!! We are overcomers IN Christ!

  4. I’ll couldn’t agree more. I didn’t wait (but don’t worry believers – it was never good sex b/c I couldn’t relax and enjoy it), but always just knew that the good stuff would come when I got married. Nope. Took years to overcome the feeling that I was still doing something wrong.

    I truly struggle with so many things that I was taught as a child going to an Evangelical, bible-beating, fire and brimstone church and attached private school. Nothing was good enough and every bad thought and feeling (as benign as “I’m mad at my mom”) had to be repented for immediately… If I had died after thinking something not nice but before repenting for it, I was going to hell. Of course I’m still a mess 30 years later as I deeply internalized these messages also.

    Churches now are teaching about a loving forgiving God who wants the best for us, and I think that’s great. Hopefully the shaming is in the past.

  5. Im a guy and never thought I would be finding so much I could relate to in a mom’s blog. The negative impacts Ive experienced from purity culture probably place me in a very small minority of men, but the effects are there all the same. I was taught for half of my life that sex outside of marriage was a surefire way to lose favor with God, and that isnt a switch that doesnt just turn off when you get married if youve been faithfully abstinent. Only two years into marriage but confronting the notion that sex is suddenly ok after years of it being wrong is still difficult.

    In hindsight I can see a certain value to teaching abstinence along with other forms of safe-sex practices, but it should never be tied to a lofty idea of purity. Thank you for sharing this – how to teach our future children about this is something my wife and I have yet to decide but I like your approach.

  6. Thank you for writing about this subject, I’m from the Midwest, raised in an evangelical church, and was given a pearl ring for my 16th birthday and told to save myself for my husband. That was my only talk with my mom that remotely referred to sex. My parents should have known it wasn’t going to work out when the pearl fell off lol! The effects were long lasting, shame and guilt associated with sex, which eventually lead to rebellion and away from God. I want a healthy understanding of sex for my children and I want them to be able to talk openly with me.

  7. Raised in the church with the same teachings, the ring and all, I truly committed to it and believed it was the best thing for me. Two years after TLW classes I was raped. I felt shame and like it was my fault. I was no longer pure. People in the church found out and actually stopped associating with me. 17 years later and I still feel judged by this and responsible. No young girl should ever be made to feel this way. I hope for so much more for my daughter and will be nothing but open and honest with her.

  8. My child’s school taught her that all girls are flowers and once you have sex your petals have been picked off. Then proceeded to tell them how no man wants a flower with no petals. I’m glad we talk about things and she realized that wasn’t true. I’m just sad for other girls who can’t talk openly about sex with their parents so they may believe that garbage.

  9. Mo Isom is publishing a book on this very topic called “Sex, Jesus, and the Conversations the Church Forgot” on March 6 (but pre-orders are available on Amazon and a few other places). I’m on the launch team and so have received an advance copy. It addresses all of these things and more. I really can’t recommend it enough.

  10. In a similar vein, the “I Kissed Dating Goodbye” book and culture has been damaging, as well. It teaches that you should marry the first person you date, and are selling yourself and future spouse short if you get to know members of the opposite sex at all. I am not advocating sleeping around in the least, but I think that going on dates (like my grandmother talks about) and getting to know mnay different people, even in romantic situations, can be very beneficial.

    The whole I Kissed Dating Goodbye pressures young people into marrying the first person who comes along.

  11. I was raised in TLW culture also, and i was *technically* a virgin when I married. I didn’t feel scarred by the experience but I believe that thaya because in my case my parents were both survivors of childhood sexual abuse who chose to talk to their children about healthy sexuality. Us kids grew up knowing that our parents (and God and church leaders) didn’t want us to engage in teenage sexual behavior including sex outside of marriage however unlike many of my friends we were encouraged to date and enjoy friendships with the opposite sex. I had 7 boyfriends before marrying my husband each with varying degrees of intimacy, always saying to them I’m not having intercourse with you. The ones who respected by boundaries were able tp be my friend after the relationship ended. The ones who tried to push me are dead to me.

    I think the difference here is though the level to which my parents were engaged with my development and how they always made themselves available to listen, not just dictate.

    Also later while still a virgin in my 20s i worked at an Obgyn office where I was literally the only woman in the office waiting until marriage and I becamse certified as a sex-ed teacher. It was not a religious office at all and I think that also helped set my framework of a healthy sexuality because to them it was purely biological.

    Now as a Christian adult i think it is spiritual biological AND emotional, I don’t think teenagers should be involved in that but I also don’t think we should shame them if they do.

    Finally I wholeheartedly agree woth you wuen you say boys aren’t taught these things.

  12. I was just having this talk with a girlfriend he other day! I was raised heavily in the church and never got ‘that talk’ other than what was told to me in church. She was raised by two loving moms who openly talked to her and answered her questions about sex. Unfortunately I was raped in jr. High and spend high school feeling dirty/ used/ worthless/ and unable to give my husband the only thing I thought was important. I didn’t tell my parents until I was almost an adult about the rape because I thought they would send me to military school (the consequence if I had sex before marriage.) I’m still involved in Christianity and are raiseing my kids in the church; however, I will be open and honest. My kids will decide what to do with their bodies and as much as would love to see them wait until marriage, that might not be what happens so I will be there to talk to them if they have and will teach them the proper way to protect themselves. I would much rather see my children be safe in sex than shamed/ taken advantage of.

  13. Thank you so much for your honest post! It’s funny because I was JUST thinking about how to write a post like this and didn’t even know how to begin the daunting task! I’m so glad you did it because you did far better than I ever could!
    I do agree with you, I had the same experience growing up and it was so challenging once I did get married to not view sex as “bad” I was so confused that it was all the sudden okay. I want so badly to find another way to present sex to my kids so that they do desire to wait until marriage, but see it without the negative shadow and just desire to wait if that makes sense. I don’t know how exactly to go about it yet, but I hope to figure it out!

  14. I found that most of what you said about True Love Waits was not my experience. I made the pledge and abstained until marriage saving myself from all the stress, heartache and stds sex can legitimately bring. In my church sex was never defined as dirty, guys in my youth group were held as much accountable as the girls and redemption was emphasized over shame. The most important thing I learned was my worth was in Christ so I should not worry what anyone thought. I always felt empowered to speak up if uncomfortable. I learned to communicate sex topics or struggles I had with no shame. My sex life in marriage works because I know how to talk about issues with my trusted partner-a guy in that same youth group who waited too. I know our secular culture never acknowledges youth who actually wait but we did and I will be telling my daughter it’s something she can strive towards.

  15. I was raised in this same way – not the TLW specifically, but various versions of it. My main issue with it is that is over-emphasizes the role of sex in marriage to the point that I, as a teenager, thought that was the main reason to get married and the only secret I was missing out on if not married. My girlfriends who went to a Christian university with me and I have discussed this at length. We saw many of our friends get hurt in relationships – not because of too much physical intimacy, but because no one warned of the dangers of becoming too emotionally or spiritually intimate before marriage. It stemmed from the belief that the only thing that needed to be saved for marriage was intercourse due to the over-emphasis.

    As a healthcare provider, I see all the practical reasons to remain abstinent until marriage. As a Christian, I hope to encourage my children and the young adults that I minister to that they should attempt to be most intimate with Abba Father and not allow emotional, spiritual, or physical intimacy with another person to take away from that relationship.

  16. Young boys were absolutely taught that their purity was the most precious gift given. That somehow waiting showed how committed you were, how much you respected them (the one thing that every man wants to feel), and loved them before you even met.

    I swallowed it hook line and sinker. I believed that somehow abstaining from sexual behavior was this magical token presented to show how much I cared and treasured my wife.

    The problem with this is that when it’s not given back you feel cheated. You somehow have provided something to them that they had never even heard of, nor asked for. You feel as though the most precious thing they could have given to you, they gave to other people who weren’t worthy of receiving what you had prepared a special place for in your heart.

    This leaves you trying to sort out all the pain of not understanding how something so precious could have been treated so casually. All while overwhelming feelings of love and commitment to this woman that you want nothing more than spend the rest of your life with.

    I don’t see anything wrong with choosing to wait till you find the right person to experience sex with, but the lie that this is about anyone but you is nothing but abuse. This is by far the most damaging way to teach abstinence, and nearly destroyed my marriage. I am so great full for my wife who showed more compassion towards me then deserved as I had to learn that what she did or didn’t do was ok, while the church used lies and manipulation to control me.

  17. As a TLW/James Avery purity ring kiddo (along with my hubby), we can look back and say we’re glad we waited. God’s design is definitely for our good. But yes, sex was definitely not easy for two virgins at the beginning and I am thankful to have a lot of those early years behind us!

    I always viewed sex within marriage as beautiful (I learned Song of Soloman – a whole book of the Bible about it), but as a virgin starting out it definitely took time for me to feel like it was a beautiful act.

    I’m thankful the couple we did pre-marriage counseling with lowered our expectations for the honeymoon and early on, bc they were so right – it wasn’t like the movies right outta the gate…it can be painful, you’ll have no idea what you’re doing, etc…but I do love that my husband and I have gotten to figure it out together. And now we have the honor of preparing other couples through pre-marital counseling.

    Looking back on my high school years and being a parent now, I am grateful that my mom tried. She did the best she could with what she had. I’m thankful God’s love for me was communicated regularly in youth group and was always the bigger picture. I learned that the He created me in my mother’s womb (Psalm 139:13-14) and that my body was a temple of the Holy Spirit (1 Corinthians 6:19).

    I’m thankful for strong friendships, a vibrant youth group, sports, academics, arts, volunteering and mainly a relationship with Jesus that helped me stay on the straight and narrow and know there was more to life than teenage sex when I was young.

    Elizabeth, if I remember correctly a couple times I read that you were troubled about what to do with your kids…I feel ya, sister! But I want to encourage you that God has not left us with no direction. He has given us His Word for this very purpose.

    I’m right there with you…my kids are still itty bitty and I haven’t had any of these conversations, but I pray I’ll be able to point them to Jesus and the truths about who He says they are and get on my knees and ask God to help them cherish how He (their Maker!) designed it.

    And if they do have sex before marriage or something happens to them that we would never wish for our daughters or sons, I pray God would give me the grace in that moment to love them with His love.

    I just listened to Cory Asbury’s “Wreckless Love” song that talks about how God chases us down (Matt 18) and the picture of the Father running to the prodigal son (Luke 15) is a prayer for me as a parent, too. That’s how God runs to us!

    Dear God, I pray for all the commenters on this post…we have all had different upbringings, different experiences, different hurts and pains. You are the God who heals and restores (Psalm 23) and I pray you would do that…bring healing where healing is needed. That’s what you came to do. And you say in James 1:5 “If any of you lacks wisdom, you should ask God, who gives generously to all without finding fault, and it will be given to you.” Please give us wisdom as parents to guide our children. I pray that our children’s desire would be to love you and love others (Mark 12).
    In Jesus name, Amen

  18. Shirtless boys cause girls to stumble and get raped and murdered, even by their husbands just for looking at them in front of them. Girls are also not allowed to push boys into sex either because relationships and sex are male-dominated.

  19. Shameful at you! I am very proud to be Gen Z Christian guy! You are ATHEIST and Anti-God! I am virgin person. I will teach my future kids to keep their bodies for before get marry. I am still virgin that is best decision in my life to find right godly wife. You are APOSTASY AND GOING TO LAKE OF FIRE FOREVER FOR EX-CHRISTIANS AS ATHEISTS! BYE!

  20. I feel so sad for all these people who had such a negative experience around the concept of “waiting”. My husband and I are youth leaders at our church. We are not young ourselves by any means…..he is mid 60s and me mid 50s. Now before everyone starts freaking out on us about being too old to be effective youth leaders….we love each and every one of our youth and I have no doubt they love us. We go to concerts, YEC, winter jam, summer camp and everything in between. As a matter of fact I asked them recently if they would be open to a guest teacher and oh my goodness it broke loose! Are you leaving? You can’t leave! I had to assure them that it was a one time deal.
    Anyway back to purity. We just finished a “purity” class last week. We taught both guys and girls and taught them as one group, not segregated by sex. We talked with them, not to them about everything from love to rape to diseases. And pretty much everything in between. We were sensitive to the fact that one of our youth was indeed not a virgin anymore, and yes we discussed that. We in no way shamed anyone. We put equal responsibility on both males and females. We did not in any way shape or form try to imply that consensual sex between a husband and wife was anything less than a gift from God. We have an open door policy with our young people, they can talk to us about anything and it will stay between us unless it is something we fear will somehow harm them (or someone else) in which case they know we would have to talk to their parents, but we talk to that youth about it beforehand. We are not blind or stupid and realize the chances of all of these youth remaining “pure” until marriage is not great. But we can pray for them, be there for them and at least give them another option that can help prevent them from becoming a statistic.
    I read up where you asked someone about their backstory when they mentioned going back in time to change things. Well, I at the age of 19 had no intentions of having sex before marriage. Unfortunately the father of children i babysat for had other ideas and I was raped. I had a child and raised that child alone until I did marry some years later. My child was an adult before I let the truth out. I was lucky in that my family did not judge me. Even though for a long time they thought it had been consensual. They loved and adored my child. That is my backstory.
    Also, out of the average 12-20+ youth we have, 2 of them are our grandsons that we have raised almost from birth. One is 14 the other will be 18 this summer and graduates high school in may. I am very happy to say both have chosen (without our demanding) to remain virgins. I know its not easy in this day and age. They have not chosen the easy route but they have chosen Gods.

  21. Thank you for your reaponse to the post! I pray for people like you to come along in my own granddaughter’s life. We need open honest teachers who love God enough to share God’s design for sex which is healthy!

  22. This always depends on the church. I went to a loving helpful Lutheran Church when I was a teen in the mid 1980’s, they didn’t treat the boys and girls differently, they didn’t have stereotypes or double standards and taught boys and girls the same. Bible study was wonderful ,we were helped.

    The problem was when we moved , the fundamental church didn’t recognize females as sexual beings , we were told we were bad for having sexual desires, in fact we were told our sexuality is a present for our future husband, this was the worst experience ever in any church.

  23. I found your article when I googled how to apologize to my daughters for the misguided purity and Pearls’ teachings they endured from me, their dad, our homeschool community, and the church.
    I’m in a painful marriage engulfed in toxic patriarchy, and am just starting to find strength and courage enough to research it and to just …breathe.
    I’ve been researching for help and have come across the misguided purity teachings and have realized what I’ve done. Even in some of the
    Youth Meetings/Bible studies, discussions, my girls attended that I also went to, I wasn’t always sure it wasn’t going too far and it didn’t always make sense to me, but being that verbally, emotionally and spiritually abused wife and mom, I did not speak up.
    I am so ashamed of this and I have so much regret for being so weak and such a poor example for my girls. And, as a result, they were gifted with the same abuse I was. They are all grown now and each have incredible emotional scars and not one goes to church. One is still recovering from a different cult experience and the other 2 despise me, christians, and church. I suspect those 2 are dealing with being bisexual. I don’t know this for sure, but I strongly suspect it.
    I have begun to realize that, as a mom, (for me) being drawn to that purity culture was parenting out of fear-fear of them being violated or getting pregnant, of course, but maybe more than anything, a fear of them making the same mistakes I made. I wanted them to be respected in their marriage, not live like a prisoner like I felt.
    I wasn’t a virgin when I met my husband (nor was he), and honestly, those few experiences hold no damage to me or even rarely a thought. The sexual experiences that do, are the ones involving my now husband and I before we were married. We (I) made the choice time and again to have sexual experiences with each other. He even dated other girls during that time. I was ‘addicted’ to him and it hurt-so much, but he always came back to me.
    I knew once we married, he’d respect me more.
    At the time, and soon after we met, I saw him as the strongest Christian I’d ever known. He was so smart on biblical issues and knew so much about the Bible and could support any argument. THAT was what attracted me to him. He knew EVERYTHING about the Bible! We became friends quickly and much more than friends several
    Months later. It progressed physically very quickly. When things would come up I didn’t agree with or understand, I could not support what I was feeling with Bible verses-he always could. Sometimes I would “feel” it wasn’t quite right, but could not support it biblically, so I’d give in bc ‘he must be right then’, ‘he had such a strong faith!’
    I desperately wanted (want) different for my girls.
    And I want to at least figure out how to apologize to the one that will still speak to me.
    All I can think to say is ‘I was so wrong and I’m so sorry’.
    But, really, there’s just no excuse and I have so much regret.

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