Same idea as men hitting on recently widowed or separated women (which they do, CONSTANTLY, whether the men are married themselves or not). No male owner, they’re fair game, and they’re only women so nobody will believe them if they tell. Disgusting. I’m not even surprised he felt free to make the move toward the kid and not her mother.

And YES, I know ostensibly the poor girl’s for his son. That’s a crock. The guy’s grooming her, or I’ll eat my hat. I’ll bet he’s already done something and she’s too ashamed to tell anyone.

Kinda like pre-emptive rape. What if the two kids grow up and she doesn’t want to sleep with him? Does she still have to, to keep her Daddy happy?

I’m disgusted.

As for that “promised” thing, I wonder if it’s pseudo-arranged marriage or a high school promise ring thing. Somehow, I suspect it’s the former.

Doesn’t sound very pseudo to me.

It’s not about control (although I find the concept of such a ritual perverse too – and what about the mums pledging for their sons eh?)

For a lot of parents who care for their kids, it can be about encouraging them to think.

Rituals emphasising “purity” aren’t about teaching kids to think, are absolutely about control, and don’t suggest caring about kids (meaning girls) beyond the level of caring about property.

If you want to teach your kids, teach them – don’t throw them into some ritual and assume everything is solved.

So I guess *I’m* going straight to Hell…

(Or is that “On a Highway to Hell”?)

Exactly the opposite is true, because the children have pledged to abstain, which means they won’t think about whether or not this is a good situation for them to be in. They will just rebel and then feel guilty. Thinking involves taking precaution when having sex and making a conscious decision each and every time to have, or not have sex.

For a lot of parents who care for their kids, it can be about encouraging them to think.
Whether you like it or not, the issue of children participating in sex at a young age is not only about physical health, its about mental and spiritual too. Kids these days are bombarded with sexual imagery in so many facets of life these days.

A nice sentiment, but for those of us without the benefit of a fine view from waaaaaay up on that beautiful horse of yours the reality of the situation is a bit different. The fact of the matter is that most teenagers want to get off, they’re hardwired for it and they have always done it in every culture that doesn’t physically lock boys and girls away from each other (in which case they get off with their peers). Thats not up for debate.

What you’re talking about is delusional parents putting their kids at risk by encouraging ignorance and piling more guilt (something far more damaging that a bad consensual sexual experience) on having sex than society already does. Worse, the guilt is aimed at young girls who already get the lion’s share of the guilt over sex in our society. Build that on top of a solid foundation of evangelical crap and you have a recipe for disaster. If you want to talk about mental and spiritual health, why don’t you turn an eye on the toxic culture that has produced these purity balls. Tell a kid they’re shit because someone 1000 generations back ate an apple they shouldn’t and thats why they’ll hurt and die, and the only reason to avoid eternal torture is absolute obedience, and you’ll see a lot of damage.

What are the odds that half of these knuckle draggers watch internet porn at home, and were themselves trying to coerce teenage girls into having sex when they were 16? I’d say the odds are better than even.