If you think about it, no matter what avenue of communication technological advances make possible, mankind quickly finds a way to use it for perversion. Radio, TV, magazines . . . need I mention the Internet? Even when beepers were the rave for a short time in the 90s, sexual themes managed to surface. I recall a young man in my high school science class proudly announcing that someone sent the word “BOOBS” to his beeper; the digits 80085 appeared to spell out the word.

It’s no surprise then that with the current texting craze, along came “sexting.” For the 14% of our poll participants who do not know what “sexting” is, it is when people distribute sexually graphic images or statements (texts) via cell phone. Recent polls give conflicting information, some concluding a small minority of teens have actually engaged in “sexting” while other reports claim more than one in four students have either sent or received sexually-based material on their cell phones. For more facts and figures, follow this link: http://www.msnbc.msn.com/id/34422197/ns/technology_and_science-tech_and_gadgets/from/ET

While I am not sure of the actual “sexting” percentages among teens, my nephew, an eighth grade middle school student, says it is not uncommon at his school for boys to pass around their cell phones and encourage others to check out the pornographic pictures on the screen. He stressed that these pictures are not just bathing suit shots; they are nude images of females engaging in graphic sexual acts.

I agree with the 71% of our poll participants; we most certainly need to be concerned about this trend. Although there are a variety of reasons to be concerned, I will address two. For one, societies that embrace casual sex ultimately come to ruin. Perhaps that sounds a bit extreme, but in all seriousness, history shows us that once a society rejects sexual boundaries and revels in perversion, in time, the people suffer great loss (the city of Pompeii comes to mind). This happens for two reasons: (a) casual sex leads to unstable family units, and a society is only as strong as its families; (b) God will not bless and protect a nation of people who idolize sexual lasciviousness (1 Corinthians 10:8).

The second “sexting” concern is that young people are seriously degrading themselves. Girls are sending nude self portraits to their boyfriends, only to find they get passed around the entire school and perhaps land on the Internet. Young men are soliciting sex, and being solicited, via text messages, reducing the sacredness of sex to trite abbreviations. Even when “sexting” does not involve students, but rather, images of porn stars, exposure to such sexually perverse material majorly damages the way a person esteems physical intimacy and regards the opposite sex.

So what can parents do? For one, don’t assume your son or daughter is not participating in “sexting.” You have a right to scroll through your child’s text messages and cell phone images whenever you want. More importantly (and far more effectively), take time to talk with your child regularly about why sex is sacred and how “sexting,” along with all other forms of pornography and perversion, ultimately leads to heartache and a lack of sexual fulfillment.

If you need help facilitating these discussions, consider using my book as a resource—Choosing To Wait: A Guide to Inspiring Abstinence.