Today’s post was inspired by a pair of very unlikely sources. The first being MTV’s massively popular show “16 and Pregnant” and a personal favoriate podcast of mine called “The Catholic Laboratory“. Now you may be asking yourself what could these two shows possibly have in common that would inspired a blog post on Austin Catholic New Media? Well as the father of two girls I usually sit slack jawed while I watch these young girls struggle with what normally ends up being single motherhood. Then while listening to Ian Maxfield’s latest podcast about pornography and what it can do to young minds it hit me.
Am I doing enough to protect my daughters from ending up like the young girls on “16 and Pregnant”? As the girls get older Melissa and I plan to do everything we can to educate the girls in the faith, God’s plan for them and the gift that their bodies are. But, what about the boys that they will eventually meet? Listening to Ian and knowing the effects that pornography can have on a person I started thinking, “I should be praying for these boys”. Now this may sound like a strange endeavor, but I think it’s important. The world today bombards boys/men with constant sexualized images in order to sell everything from deodorant to beer. This combined with the one-click access to pornography sets our future sons and sons-in-laws up to view women as nothing but objects to satisfy their needs.
While I have no answers to the problems of teen pregnancy, a society where sex sells and porn. I do know that if I pray earnestly that God will provide me the grace to raise my daughters in a way that is pleasing to Him. Just as he will give the grace to those parents out there who are raising the boys who my girls will eventually meet and fall in love with. So I ask you to join me in not only praying for your own family but in praying for the family you have not met yet and the son or daughter-in-law you will eventually have.
