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Wednesday, August 08, 2007
Chuck Colson :: Townhall.com Columnist
Toxic Environment
by Chuck Colson
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A young coed named Heather paid a visit to her campus health clinic. She told the doctor she was suffering from depression. The doctor explored possible causes, but Heather could not come up with any reasons for her sadness. Oh, wait—there is one thing, she remembered. Since Thanksgiving, she said, “I’ve had a ‘friend with benefits.’” That is, a male friend that she is not in a relationship with, but has casual sex with.

“I’m really unhappy about that,” Heather said. “It’s hard to be with him and then go home and be alone.”

Heather’s story is told in an explosive new book titled Unprotected. It’s a memoir of misery by Miriam Grossman, a college psychiatrist who says the exaggerated place of sexuality on college campuses “is grotesque and destructive.” But far from warning young women of the dangers of such a toxic lifestyle, colleges go out of their way to glorify promiscuity. At her own clinic, Grossman says, she routinely treats women who are suffering the consequences of casual hookups. They suffer from eating disorders, depression, self-mutilation, a multitude of STDs, and post-abortion syndrome.

And yet, instead of declaring war on the hook-up culture, Grossman says, political correctness decrees that campus doctors pretend the problems it causes don’t exist. If they do acknowledge them, they risk being fired—which is why Dr. Grossman originally published this book anonymously. After all, doctors are not supposed to be judgmental. But as Grossman points out, doctors pass judgment all the time when it comes to other health issues.

“We ask about childhood abuse, but not last week’s hookups,” she writes. “We want to know how many cigarettes she has each day, but not how many abortions are in her past. We consider the stress caused by parental expectations but neglect the anguish of herpes, the hazards of promiscuity, and the looming fertility issues for women who always put career first.”

When it comes to sexual harassment and date rape, campus health professionals are eager to help. But they don’t support groups for women who want to practice abstinence or who are suffering the after-effects of an abortion.

We ought to get angry about this. The secular world is engaging in something they often accuse Christians of—living in a “false reality.” But anyone who ignores a mountain of medical evidence is not only living in a false reality, they’re endangering people’s lives.

Dr. Grossman is doing something I often urge “BreakPoint” listeners and readers to do. When arguing in the public square, instead of pointing to Bible verses, she’s making a strong prudential case against promiscuity.

We need to do the same, especially if we have children or grandchildren attending college. The next time you get a fundraising letter from your alma mater, ask them what they’re doing to discourage hookups. Send them a copy of Dr. Grossman’s book. And give copies to your kids, your church youth groups, and the local high school.

Our daughters deserve better than to be treated after they’ve suffered permanent harm. And we ought to use Dr. Grossman’s book to challenge the campus orthodoxy that sexual promiscuity is not only not harmful, but is actually good for you. We should insist that they stop lying to our daughters—and tell the truth.

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About The Author
Chuck Colson was the Chief Counsel for Richard Nixon and served time in prison for Watergate-related charges. In 1976, Colson founded Prison Fellowship Ministries, which, in collaboration with churches of all confessions and denominations, has become the world's largest outreach to prisoners, ex-prisoners, crime victims, and their families.
 
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superb column
I could not agree with you more.

Peer group is important too
When my husband and I worked with the Baptist Campus Ministry director several years ago, it was astonishing to me how many kids who grew up in Christians homes were completely unaware of campus ministry groups, often until months after they'd been on campus. They came to university expecting to learn and make friends, but soon found themselves surrounded by non-Christians who were choosing very immoral lifestyles. Cut off from family and with only their roommates and dorm buddies for friends, they quickly found their faith ecclipsed by loneliness and the "if-you-aren't-doing-it-you're-gay-or-frigid" mentality that is so prevalent.

Last week I presented my graduating senior with the names and contact information for three campus ministries at the college he'll be attending thousands of miles away from home. It at least leaves him with the option to choose positive friends rather than get sucked into a culture he claims he's not interested in. All I did was Google it, then contact the one ministry I knew I could trust (the Baptist Campus Ministry) and ask if the others were okay. I eliminated two of the five I originally came up with because they are cults. Now a young man has options and that's a very good thing.
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