Dawn Eden And Some Thoughts

Dawn Eden of The Dawn Patrol, gave an absolutely beautiful and powerful interview on Life on the Rock on EWTN last night. In case you missed it you can see it, you can view it by going here and click on the "View" link under "Archived Video in Real Player.

For those of you who are not familiar with Dawn and her conversion story, in brief, Dawn is a Christian (Catholic) Apologetic for premarital chastity. She is very passionate about spreading the message that chastity is more “hope-filled” and “vibrant” than sex outside marriage. Through her book and her blog, she gives very practical advice and encouragement to those living a chaste life, those trying to live a chaste life and hope to those not living a chaste life.

Dawn brought up some very poignant points, many of which I have been meaning to address for a while now, so no time like the present to address them. Dawn brought up the point that while dating, from the very first date and while in a relationship, you should treat that person with the respect and love that you would treat your future spouse. If only the young and not so young would take this to heart. Its not to say that everyone you date or are in a relationship with is going to be your future spouse but if you think about your future spouse and how you would want to be treated and the fact that you are with someone else’s future spouse, maybe just maybe the “tone” of many a date would be so different.

Why is it that so many young persons in particular find it hard to grow up, don’t want to grow up and don’t want any of the responsibilities of adults? Adolescence used to be from what 13-17/18, now it has been extended to 30! Some may say its immaturity but I think it’s far more than that. Far too many children, now ‘legal adults’, think the world revolves around them and for them! I can speak from experience, I have dated a couple guys who fall into this category, have family and know acquaintances also that fit this profile. A word to parents, not only referring to your sons but your daughters as well, think about your potential son and daughter in law before turning your kids into spoilt brats! Guys who cant and wont do anything for themselves, expect to be waited on hand and foot and think that sowing their seeds in every skirt that passes by is a sign of their being a “man” then plan on marrying a virgin is anything but cute and adorable and far from appealing! The same goes for your daughters, where they are spoilt brats who get any and everything, cant and will not do anything (not only referring to household chores here) and put a price on their ‘love’, think about the man that has to marry her!

We live in a time where everything is about me, myself and I. Selfish, self-centered and lazy are some of the ‘nicer’ adjectives that describe what faces so many of us. Then we have those who are ‘momma’s boys’ and ‘daddy’s little girl’. Don’t get me wrong, I admire young persons who are close to their parents, it’s very admirable to say the least. What I’m referring to are those who have been spoiled and I mean so manipulated that they put these impossible and unattainable expectations on their boyfriends, girlfriends and future spouses. In essence they want to be with and marry mommy or daddy! I’m all for looking for or better said being attracted to someone with the good characteristics of your parents but what I’m talking about are people who you will never be able to please cause you are not their mom or dad. You don’t dress like mom, don’t walk, talk or cook like mom, you don’t spoil me like dad and bend and give into my every whim and fancy! Is this what we as young persons to look forward to?

I am not writing this as a young person without faults of my own but I’m writing it out of concern for me and my fellow young persons who have to deal with and often times get frustrated with it all. Nor did I write this to offend or bash parents, not all parents or young people fall into these categories but we have to face the fact that far too many do fit the profile.

Kudos to those of you who try and persevere with your children and help them to become, productive, respectful and responsible members of society. Continue to be a beacon of light, that ray of hope and an example for us to follow.

Chastity Ring Banned From School

A young girl from England has been fighting for the right to wear a chastity ring, though I applaud her courage it does concern me that she may be bullied for her stance against loose morals.

It does seem to be a case of unfair discrimination in that it is only a ring, not a banner. Is the school authorities Anti-Christian by opposing this young girl from wearing the ring? Is it a case of different policies for different relgions? At the same school Muslim and Sikh students are allowed to wear their headscarfes and religious bracelets as an expression of their belief system.

Surely if they have banned Lydia from wearing her chastity ring then why have they not taken this stance across the board and banned all Faiths from wearing religious items?

I admire Lydia's courageous stand in taking on the authorities for discrimination but I am also concerned for her wellbeing. What if she is bullied by other students for wearing the ring? Again, what if young boy's see the ring as some type of macho challenge or competition to see if Lydia can hold true to her faith?

I would like to know what both mothers and fathers think of Lydia's bravery? And would you allow your daughter to do the same thing?

I see this as yet another attempt by the secular minority to impose their views on Christianity and Christians. It is an attack on our Faith and should we tolerate it?

Lydia seems to be a young girl of immense strength of character I pray that she will be victorious.

Chastity and Purity- The Challenges

How can a young person remain chaste when the media, music, movies, fashion and television promote everything that contradicts chastity? Turn on the television and everything from the advertisements to the cartoons promotes promiscuity. Society assaults us with sex, clothing advertisements, perfume, candy, lingerie and food. When did we reach the point where we need almost naked girls to sell water and pizza?

With respect to daily living, adultery and fornication are the media’s point of view. It’s undeniable. Most every daytime soap and evening show treat premarital sex, promiscuity and indecent behavior as just a normal daily routine in life. It’s so routine that you can compare sex to like taking a shower, its part of our daily routine. Some argue that television is simply our lives shown on the big screen. It’s a frightening thought to think that this is indeed how many choose to live their lives. Today I like Jim and so we sleep together, I get mad at Jim so to get even I sleep with his best friend John. Then when I get tired of Jim I simply like Bill and so the saga continues. Sex is seen as nothing more than something used to manipulate and control people, often times brutal and animal like. Immorality and promiscuity are as normal as having a cup of coffee in the morning. Do we ever see anything that even remotely suggests that morality and loyalty do exist? A lot of us who do know better sit and watch this trash. We are bombarded with it so instead of not watching it we just settle in and get comfortable on the couch. I mean we have to watch it because it’s all that is on.

So we decide okay we wont watch the soaps or the sitcoms, we are going to watch music videos. I mean its just music videos, how bad can it be? Well you turn on MTV and its girls grinding and shaking and doing nothing short of seduction. The lyrics, the suggestive dancing, the clothing, in all honesty how much different is watching these videos than watching pornography? Its all about what a guy wants to do to a gal or vice versa, listening to the lyrics is like listening to the script of a porn flick. So we can’t watch music videos cause to see one good video you have to see like ten more of these videos to every good video there is out there.


On average a young person spends say 25 hours a week viewing television from ages 5 to 17. This is the kind of junk that we are subjected to, is it any wonder why we are confused? Compare this to one maybe two hours of religious instruction if we had any. We have a media that condones adultery, promiscuity and violence. The media portrays a family as my two moms or my two dads and even the real families with a mom and a dad, the parents are portrayed as being idiots. I can’t name three shows that portray parents as moral, wise and being supportive to each other and their children. Everyone seems to manipulating each other to have their way. But somehow children are portrayed as being wiser than their parents. The rating system used for the media is so bogus. It’s basically saying that it’s okay to add trash to your food, its just a little trash so it won’t hurt you in any way. Rite! Wrong!

We pick up a magazine. On the front cover the feature articles,” how many partners have you had?’, “100 ways to cheat without your partner knowing”, “rate your love life”, “10 new ways to arouse and excite your partner.” So we flip pass all this to the fashion section. Ahhh the less is more concept, what I like to call brand name floss, the scraps that are being worn today costs more than actual clothing. To find actual clothing one has to search high and low. Everyday chores become that more difficult.

Is it any wonder that in this world devoid of morality and common decency that our youth struggle so? I encourage the young person who decides to stand against the common thinking of the many and rise to follow the simple teachings of a man who lived more than two thousand years ago. I entreat the youth of today not to listen to a society who portrays and treats you as animals unable to control your urges but to rise and set a new standard, one that will see this debased society stop and listen to the wisdom that comes from you who choose to submit yourself to the will of Christ, using Him, His Holy Mother, Mary and the Saints who mirror their beloved Savior, as your guide, your examples and the Holy Spirit as your strength.

Purity… Chastity- Forgotten ?? Out The Window ??

How often do we hear about “chastity”, “modesty”, “purity” and “virginity”? Do we think about these things? It seems as if people have gotten too lethargic about these things. It’s as if it’s a disease, talk about chastity and abstinence and its like people break out in a rash and seizures. They must be some sort of foreign language we have never heard because people seldom hear it anymore.


These are the beautiful gifts of self giving worth saving for the one we are going to marry. The world may not think it’s important or has any value but God thinks they are. He has told us exactly what He expects of us because He loves us and only wants what is best for us. These are not always easy but with God’s help, He gives us the grace we need to do it and can strive to live these out in our daily lives.


Chastity is a gift from God for people in every state of life. It is an extremely powerful virtue and the foundation for REAL intimacy. It involves purity of the body, mind and soul. It’s a denial of self, I am going to deny myself for the love of you. It’s the freedom to love. Chastity means more than just abstinence. Chastity means asking God to help us make the right decisions. Chastity means asking God to guide our thoughts, our words and our actions.


Parents and the Church need to clearly teach these truths and be in sync. If we don’t hear these truths from our parents and the Church, we will never hear or understand God’s truth on these things. The influence that movies, music and television have on us cannot be underestimated. The worldly view is not about seeking our best interest but one that promotes and encourages most everything that is contradictory to God’s word. Too many young persons have lost their virginity and self respect because they believed the lies of the world. But all is not lost, there is hope and freedom. We need the encouragement and opportunity to know that we can change with God’s grace and mercy. We can ask for forgiveness and know that we are forgiven. We are given a second chance, we make a commitment to remain chaste until our wedding day.


We have to be conscious of the company we keep. Many temptations and difficult situations can be avoided by not putting oneself in certain scenarios. Mom and dad are out of town and it’s after 10pm. The boyfriend or girlfriend come over. First mistake. So to set the mood we turn the lights down low and light a couple scented candles. We turn on the slow, passionate music. Mistakes two, three and four. So we sit close to each other on the couch, we embrace, we start the petting, then the kissing then sex. When it’s over we wonder how did it happen? I wanted to keep this precious gift for my spouse but now it’s gone. You set yourself up. There have to be some sort of boundaries we have where physical contact is concerned when courting. The “petting”, the kissing, the kind of touching that evokes certain emotions and feelings, it’s like making a deposit in a bank knowing that it can lead to the kind of “withdrawal” one should not be able to take out.


Marriage is a sacred part of God’s plan for us. It is so sacred that He often uses marriage to illustrate the love that He has for us through the church. Conjugal love is a part of marriage between a man and a woman. Once we recognize this we can understand the importance of chastity. Chastity protects us, it strengthens us, it nurtures self control, guards against selfishness and it inspires reverence. Chastity reaffirms that marriage and the sexual relationship between husband and wife is holy and very special and indeed good. God loves us so much that we are able to cooperate in His creation of a new human life. This is an awesome and precious gift that God intended to be shared between husband and wife in the security of a committed, generous and loving marriage relationship.


The most precious gift you can give to your spouse on your wedding night is the gift of your virginity. This gift is so special that it is more precious than jewels, a one of a kind diamond. Is this not something you would want to protect and cherish with all of your being? It’s a one time gift and should be given to your spouse with such joy.


The earlier we as young people make the decision to remain chaste until and during marriage the less likely we will be faced with ‘spur of the moment’ decisions of having sex outside marriage. It’s a decision made out of so much love and respect for your future spouse, I love you so much that I am going to deny myself and save this precious gift for the love of you. Being chaste allows us to be free to grow and mature and discover God's wonderful plan for our lives. We would not have to worry about "late" periods, pregnancy, "birth control", STD’s, AIDS and all the other physical, spiritual, psychological and emotional consequences of premarital sexual intercourse. By practicing self-control we would have real respect for ourselves and others recognizing that you could be courting your future spouse or someone else’s spouse. We would protect and save ourselves for only that special person that God has chosen for our lifelong married partner.


Chastity protects us. This is God's way, and it is worth practicing because the total, complete gift of pure love that the bride and groom give to each other on their wedding day is truly a precious gift. Chastity is good for me, good for the people I love and good for my soul. It teaches me self control in all aspects of my life. It isn’t always easy but it’s worth it because I’m worth it and so is my spouse.