This entry was posted on
Monday, January 26th, 2004 at
9:35 am and is filed
under Christ….
I watched yet another documentary on abstinence programmes last night, this one from the biased heathens at the BBC. There’s a further outline of the programme from the producer here.
This one focused on the Silver Ring Thing, which already enjoys $700,000 in funding from the Bush administration. They’re seeking further funding ($2m here, $2m there) “to combat the ‘liberal’ message of sex education” – and to take the show on the road to Uganda.
Current funding rules require them to run a ‘non-faith-based alternative seminar’ where funding is ‘directly’ involved. The Christian version ends with new recruits donning a ring inscribed with ‘1 Thess 4:3-4‘… I can’t help but quietly wonder if the alternative seminar features the same $80,000 sound and light show – and the same jewellery – or if it’s held in a small side room with a buffet of cucumber sandwiches and ‘alternative’ rings inscribed with: ‘I’m an Atheist and I don’t give a fuck’.
The guy running the show – Denny Pattyn – was shown organising a university-based debate with dangerous liberal types. He wanted Meg Meeker there to help sell the medical side and offered the time-strapped author a flight by private plane (no doubt funded ‘directly’ by private donations) to get her to this debate. He also announced the following without shame: “I haven’t told them you’ve written a book, because I don’t want them to go out and read it.”
At the very same debate, Meg Meeker dared to claim that she “was not about withholding information”.
These same people lobby to prevent kids 12-14 year old kids from receiving basic sex education. Yet Denny Pattyn’s own 11-year-old daughter wears a ring and is able to spout the STD-fear dogma almost word for word.
There’s more. And I’m grinding my teeth as I write this, so please excuse me…
The question we have to ask – especially given the funding – is as follows:
Is this about education and health, or is this about religion?
At the climax of the rally shown (I’m sorry, but there’s no way you could describe it as a ‘seminar’), Denny Pattyn got very close to the microphone for the Big Sell: “Maybe tonight’s the night you need to make your peace with God. Maybe tonight’s the night you need to settle it. Why not let tonight be the night that when you put on the ring, it’s the same night you say ‘Lord forgive me, forgive me for what I’ve been up to!'”
Forgive me for being unfair. I’m forgetting the ‘non-faith-based alternative’ seminars. Reid Carpenter, a consultant for Silver Ring Thing, is obviously a big believer in their effectiveness, and says at a later meeting: “Without Jesus, this thing is a failure!”
This programme is a blatant Christian recruitment drive – and just in case you have any doubts…
Silver Ring Thing founder and director Denny Pattyn: “I believe that the end of the world is approaching very quickly and I believe that Christ will come back. I think about that. I think that I might just be living in the Last Days.”
And, when asked if he thinks this is coming if his energy really should be put into an abstinence programme: “We’re not really putting our energy into abstinence as much as we’re putting it into faith. Abstinence is the tool that we’re using to reach children.”
He’s not worried about their health. He’s not worried about their future. In fact, he appears to be fairly certain that they don’t have one. Unless it’s with Jesus.
Another fine example of George W. Bush funding the Christian Right, who are neither Christian nor right.
UPDATE – 100 things to do with your boyfriend or girlfriend instead of it.
And, presented for no reason whatsoever, Chapter 3 of George Orwell’s 1984…
UPDATE – Hooray. Now the Silver Ring Thing is bringing its lies to Britain.
UPDATE – (Dec 03 2004) Bloggerheads has now been updated so it allows for comments. This is a rather old post, but I used to get email about it every other day (usually from people thinking it to be an anti-Christian message when really it’s about a man who gets funding for a health campaign, but uses for a recruitment drive for his religion of choice). So… I’ve decided to open up the comments here and see if anybody has anything intelligent to say.
Oh, and I really, really want to share this with you:
Beware the deadly trouser snake!
By Jesus rocks 4eva September 7, 2005 - 6:27 pm
look – the silver ring things great – no matter wot u sayGod Rocks and i say good 4 bush 4 supportin thisits horrid that so many youth are gettin pregnant and just cos Denny Pattyn said sumfin like tht is not wrong – if u head 2 a christian foundered organisation expect sum christian factand as for “recruting” i would say more giving an option – christians help people, its the peoples choice if they want to follow jesus!!the silver ring thing is not about gettin rid of sex ed – its about gettin rid of young pregnant women – unwanted pregnancies and i think this is a good idea
By Fabian August 18, 2010 - 8:27 am
I have read also many times about this silver ring thing.
I'm from austria and I think that this is incredibly false! How stupid can people be!? That isn't realistic! Did you see the episode of family guy, where they performed ear-fucking? This comes out when they think normal sex is evil. Every Human being has tribes. And if they can't live their tribes then they get psychical and maybe even physical problems.
The propaganda of nonsense is really big in america. And I'm glad that there are normal people left who don't believe in such insaneness!
Do such people really hear what they are saying!? I mean: Do they think about that!? Teenagers will die in case of deadly Sex-Infects and they just stand there and say condoms are evil. I just can't believe this!
America where are you going!?
By Fabian again August 18, 2010 - 8:32 am
Oh yeah, and I forgot:
The kids should have a basically sexual education and THEN they can decide what the want to do.
Bit that's only fucking propaganda! For what you've got genitals!?
By SEX sells October 17, 2010 - 4:24 am
Why do so many people take offense to the silver ring thing? Prior to sixties there were only 2 sexually transmitted diseases in the U.S. that were even in large quantities… Now, today there are over 30… These diseases would not be around if it were not for the hedonistic society that we live in where everyone wants to do what feels "good" but not think about the consequences. Having multiple sexual partners is what does this!
If this guy Denny wants to spread his idea of chastity, why take it offensive…. What harm can come from not having sex before one is married?… I cant think of anything, but I can think of plenty for one who does not.
Even if one is anti-Christian or non religious, there is no reason to attack this idea
Just saying, if this is such a FALSE idea… then youth would go to these conventions and completely disregard everything Denny has to say… We are talking about TEENAGERS, some of the most stubborn headed individuals in the world… They only way you convince one of them is if it hits home with them… meaning something inside them tells them its right…
Let the SILVER RING THING, there have been studies on premaritial sex and those who wait for marriage to have sex and the results are Fascinating… Look them up, it shows that sexual intercorse is something so genuine/mental/emotional/passionate, not something that two people who are looking for a good time to do it.
Christian or not, this idea has a lot more too it than chastity
The promiscuity of today's youth should be stopped… it is becoming detrimental to the society we live in.
By Phyllis West August 30, 2011 - 12:30 am
I love the Silver Ring Thing. I tell my kids the same thing and I have friends who do the same with their children and they are not religious people. It could be spun both ways, personally when explaining to my kids the health aspect comes out first. There are so many diseases these kids can get, not to mention getting pregnant, then there is the saving yourself for your spouse. So what is wrong with funding things like this? I see the gov't shelling out millions for birth control (to teens and unwed mothers (who usually do not take it and wind up with a kid or two or 6 on welfare, art projects (that certainly don't deserve the amount they get) and numerous other projects that are simply a waste of money. Why do you have such an issue with Denny trying to help young people? As one of the taxpaying citizens of the US, I would be happy for my to go to something as worthy as this cause.
By Tim_Ireland August 31, 2011 - 2:22 pm
Because he himself admits to a religious agenda.
By Jana Flowers December 17, 2013 - 7:54 pm
You said it yourself in the last couple of lines…."They don't have a future, unless it's with Jesus." Sex or no sex before marriage…that line is correct. It's called eternal life…..investigate that, my friend and your whole perspective will change…spirituality, morals, your soul…your body…it's all part of the circle of life and death. The Silver Ring Thing just found a way for young people to understand that in their daily lives…