By Susan Brinkmann, OCDS
Staff Journalist
In an age of MTV and sex ed programs that encourage teens to have sex, a new study released on Wednesday has found that an overwhelming majority of young people say they want to remain chaste until marriage.
The Christian Post is reporting that the study, conducted among more than 5,000 youth by OneHope, a Florida based ministry, found that 61 percent of America’s youth would like to abstain from sex until marriage. Another 63 percent said if it was possible, they’d like to have their lost virginity back. An even larger majority, 82 percent, said they believe God intended marriage to last a lifetime.
However, some of the study’s other findings were not as positive:
• 50 percent consider an unmarried man and woman a family
• 59 percent said the Bible has little/no influence on their thoughts and actions
• 62 percent believe truth is relative
• 57 percent believe being good people and doing good deeds will get you into heaven
• 69 percent watch MTV on a weekly basis
“There is a lot of research about young people, but when do we hear directly from them?” commented OneHope Vice President of Global Ministries Chad Causey. “That’s why OneHope conducts research around the world, asking youth themselves what impacts them most. We use this research to better understand their needs, meet them at their points of pain and bring them hope through media experiences conveying God’s love.”
The study, which was completed in 2010, was conducted through on-line surveys and social networking sites.
OneHope, founded by missionary Bob Hoskins in 1987, has reached some 700 million young people in 125 countries through children’s magazines, animated films, rave concerts, smart phone apps, interactive games, among other vehicles.
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