
                         Roanoke Times
                 Copyright (c) 1995, Landmark Communications, Inc.

DATE: THURSDAY, March 26, 1992                   TAG: 9203260410
SECTION: EDITORIAL                    PAGE: A10   EDITION: METRO 
SOURCE: MILDRED SADLER
DATELINE:                                 LENGTH: Medium

INCULCATE VALUES, SET RULES FOR YOUNG

YOUR TWO-page spread (Young Voices) March 10 about teen-age pregnancy and related problems left unanswered questions. From such a disparity of opinion, plus your lengthy editorial ("What's the matter with kids today?"), no one could derive a viable solution. Unless, of course, you look where the only answer lies: at the root cause, not at the symptoms.

Whatever happened to sin? Am I anachronistic in asking: Doesn't it ever occur to anyone anymore that premarital sex has only recently become the "norm," and is emphatically condemned in the Bible? Or is it generally offensive even to mention God and morality?

Your editorial hints at the truth, starting with the crumbling foundation of the American family: lack of parental communication with children in sharing time, setting an example, exerting control and - above all - showing love. But you never attack head-on the decline of values and exercise of proper authority, even suggesting that young people themselves know the answers. "They need to be brought to the table where issues are discussed and debated."

Big deal! What could they offer as advice for improvement? Some of the young writers pose various possible deterrents to the ever-increasing proliferation of teen-age pregnancy, but not one mentions old-fashioned morality - just good sense!

I do not blame teen-agers for being human, with juices starting to run when abetted by rampant pornography from every observable source, such as endless unmonitored television, blatantly suggestive movies and the like. With complete obliteration of prayer in schools and anywhere else that it is not "politically correct," what kind of opposition is there?

Even textbooks have been castrated. Recently researchers found that the four major school-text publishers are guilty of putting out books containing thousands of errors, even incorrect dates in history books. One person commented that dates don't matter, only facts. Another cop-out!

Don't hold it against our teen-agers. The ax must be laid at the root, if there is any hope for our future in the hands of the rising generation.

One young contributor to your paper comes the closest of any in his suggestions. He challenges parents to wise up and lobby against this scourge of sexually provocative advertisements and available paraphernalia.

He is right on target. But it should have begun earlier. It is the God-ordained responsibility of parents, not teachers or ministers, to start with their youngsters in early childhood: Read the Bible to them, spend quality time with them, inculcate values, lay down rules.

And do it all with love. Thereby you will earn their respect by showing that you care, in the best possible way. If this is no longer important to parents, the outlook is bleak indeed.

by CNB