RateItAll: The Opinion Network

If you are not married and have sex with her you don't only take her virginity away; you take away something that belongs to the man she will marry, and be the mother of children other than yours. It you are a woman, you are taking something that belongs to another woman (stealing) and may become the mother of a fatherless child. Or worse, you may commit murder.

Well, there's no denying it works, but that's about all that's going for it.

This method is GREAT for those who have the WILL POWER. If you do decide to have sex just imagine that person as the possible mother or father of your child. It's definately kept me from sleeping around and taking STUPID chances that I may REGRET. I just wished my brother would have tried it.

Never have I understood the arguments against this. Years ago, England decided to "live in the real world" and forego this supposedly antiquated idea. Consequently, they began giving condoms to school children and teaching "safe sex". By 2002, they led the EU in both STD's and unwanted pregnancies among teens...Go figure.

Nobody said it was easy or fun for teenagers and unmarried people to abstain, but it is the only 100% safe and effective way.

let's see... birth control, prevention of STD's, preservation of the sanctity of marriage, it pretty much takes care of these things... sounds like the perfect solution before marriage. and it's worked so far for me. after marriage, however, i believe i'll find another method.

All right. Actually I get asked... Well... look, I think the question I get asked the most is... I mean, it happens a lot. Enough that I would remark on it. A lot of people come up to me and they say, Tom, is it possible for a woman to get pregnant without intercourse? And my answer is always the same. I say, Well, listen. Were gonna have to go all the way back to the Civil War. Apparently, a stray bullet actually pierced the testicle of a Union soldier, and then lodged itself in the ovaries of an eighteen year old girl, who was actually a hundred feet from him at the time. Well, the baby was fine. She was very happy, guilt free and... Of course, the soldier was a little pissed off. When you think about it, its actually a FORM of intercourse, but... not for everyone. Those who love action maybe.

Tom Waits - Big Time

Sounds good on paper...

Hey we humans were meant to have sex. That's why some science dude invented birth control and condoms dudes! Abstinence can be a bad thing too, what if you wait for years and your partner is bad in the sack. Be careful and take your birth control and use condoms dudes.

Tell that to the unwanted children stuck in foster care.

Marriage, with kids, IS the best form of abstinance.

Yeah, abstinence will keep humans from procreating. So will death...

If you are married then this does not say for you, other then that, it's the way things should be, but are'nt.

It terms of effectiveness it's 100%. Unless I didn't read the Where Do I Come From book properly. Let's be realistic, though. In countries where the birth rate is high and economically unsustainable, it would be naive to think this would work. It's also naive or reckless to expect every teenager to be abstinent.

um don't think this is an option? Especially if you're married lol.

This isn't birth control; it's a forced lifetyle...I mean even priests don't practice this.

This definately works,but it's unrealistic and unfair to expect others to abstain just because YOU do.

The best way, but you only live once why not have fun.

uh yeah it doesn't work because everyone has sex eventually. In that respect it has a 100% failure rate. Unless you are a monk or a nun and even then, how do you know for sure? Most people using this end up in a situation that is out of their control...i.e. oh whoops! We weren't going to have sex but whoops we did. Oh whoops, look I'm pregnant. Or oh whoops guess I married a loser and didn't know it because we never had sex before we got married. What a nightmare.

this certainly works in you're a star trek geek or religious and havent gone away to college yet. but it doesn't work. sooner or later you're going to want to do it. and b/c you've been blinded by your parents or jesus, or the government, you won't know the first thing about preventing pregnancy. and then you'll have a child, or your stupid protestant girlfriend will have one. and then life will be over for you, but you keep saying things like i never realized how great life could be, when i put someone else before me, like my child but in truth you'll wish your child got run over on the way to school

Abstinence, like other forms of birth control, also has a failure rate: that is, a predictable rate at which people fail to adhere. Proponents of abstinence-only sex education programs rarely like to talk about this. For thought provoking insights on this topic, see: http://www.guttmacher.org/pubs/journals/gr060504.html

With this method, it's a pretty safe bet that you won't get pregnant. Of course, practicing abstinence is easier said than done for most.

Abstinence is a moronic alternative. It is not a birth control method, simply an annoying vehicle for christian propaganda. People who are contemplating birth control methods have one thing in common: they are having SEX. Abstinence is the equivelant of telling people not to wear a seatbelt, but to walk to work. WTF?

Abstinence is the only way to go to morally make a choice on your child's life. Too many teens friskin' in the hood. Too many mommas on welfare. ABSTINENCE ROCKS!

Well 5 stars for actually preventing births.. 1 for preventing any fun.. c'mon people life is short! love thy neighbor...

apt to fail you just when you are counting on it most!

It is effective, but I compare it to saying 'the best way to lower your colesterol (s?) is to stop eating.

Great for the unmarried and also those who are upset at there spouse at the moment (just kidding). No worry about aids an other nasty std's also.

hmmm.This is tough topic sex for some people is something that you cant go with out. But for those who want to be 100 percent sure they want produce a child abstinence is good. But believe me life with out sex for some people must be like a life with out food or water. Again the best form of birth control IS WAIT till your older

the best way i know to not get any.

This is just too simple minded a concept to work.Human Beings are one of two species of animal that enjoy sex,that takes sex out of it's common carnal limitation of procreation.Abstinence is built around the Victorian idealism in which sex is viewed as a burden and is only used between lovers for procreation.This very same mentallity led to a boom in Brothels in the 1700's.Safe Sex or Abstinence is like choosing Lover or Prostitute.

Its effectiveness is obvious. On that basis, it gets 5 stars. This is not practical, however, for married persons who wish to limit their family to a few children that they are able to care for. Or for people who simply are not ready for children, waiting until they have a suitable environment/relationship in which to raise a child. As for young singles/teenagers, its a choice, but not the only choice. I think its unrealistic to expect everyone to be able to abstinent until marraige, or for everyone to want to make that choice. Promote it, sure, encourage it, absolutely. In addition to the risk of pregnancy, the risk of viral infections (incurable, horrible diseases) warrants the promotion of this choice. However, as we all know the hormonal, illogical, adrenaline-induced choices we made as teenagers, I think offering more choices than abstinence is logical, and necessary.

It's the most effective way. Wait until you've been with that special person for a while and make sure you truly love them. (This applies to everyone.)

The only foolproof method. Just say no!

condoms work fine but in a males aspect...they suck. they are uncomfortable, they break, they come off, they kill the moment and the feeling. sure you cna get the thin ones but they break too easily. my advice is, teach her to swallow.

The very best method of birth control by far!

One of nature's biggest achievements is promoting reproduction. We humans are suckers for sex.

Abstinence makes the heart grow stronger?

Boom, baby! Witness the best method of birth control, not having sex at all! All people have to do is to think PAST their hormones, and think before they speak or act. Sex between two lovers is a beautiful thing, so don't think I'm anti-sex. But, to have sex just out of curiosity or on the first date is wrong and DANGEROUS! So, keep that belt buckled until your married. You'll be just fine.

Yeah, it is definitely the most effective method. It also is a real drag. Maybe if you're Gandhi or someone trying to prove your self-control and devotion to God, but for everyone else there are methods that provide really good protection. Also, don't sleep with half the town, and don't sleep with anyone who's slept with half the town, and your chances of remaining uninfected are really good. Abstinence is against nature, so unless you're trying to impress God or you're right out of condoms, don't fight the urge.

The 5 stars are just because it is the only 100% sure protection against pregnancy and STD's. However, it's the least fun method and I'd rather take the .01% risk and use a condom or the pill.

Abstinence is the only sure fire means of BC, but it's totally absurd to suggest that adults become totally celibate for the sake of birth control. Believe it or not, there are very effective ways of exerting responsibility in one's reproductive life without having to shut it down entirely. This mentally retarded championing of abstinence is a favored idea of the mentally retarded political right, an admonishment usually reserved for young people. To expect youngsters to be celibate for the sake of birth control is similarly absurd and also irresponsible: teenagers and college-aged people are going to have sex whether one likes it or not, and approval or disapproval is not going to stop them from doing it, so to exclusively promote abstinence is generally not only a waste of time and effort, but also ill-advised. Emphasizing this nonsensical notion while shortchanging bona fide sex education, an approach typical of the religious right, is actually promoting ignorance about a very critical subject, and hence, puts the young at increased risk of unwanted pregnancy and STDs because they don't know any better. Unless they're taught the practical and preventative aspects of this essential human activity, ignorance will beget misfortune, and a grave disservice will be accorded to those who need adult guidance in this regard, not alot of mutant religious dogma and programming.

Only works if you are ugly

Nothing beats it! ;)

The truely only positive, garunteed, proven, way to keep from parenthood!!!! AND MAYBE THERE WOULD BE A FEW MORE VIRGINS IN THE WORLD.....

Does this work as a form of birth control? Yes. Is it something guys want to practice? No. As a matter of fact there is another method of birth control that is equally a sure-fire way to prevent pregnancy - a hysterectomy. I'm sure there are other surgeries we can think of. Don't expect guys to start practicing abstinence anytime soon. That's like asking us to quit breathing. I just learned that girls aren't exactly thrilled about this either.

Why is it every time this subject comes up the first thing people do is get all defensive and start screeching about how impractical it is. As if the mere mention of the word condones the approval of some kind of nationally funded sterilization or genital amputation program. In reality this is as valid and practical as any other form of birth control and, as has been pointed out previously, is still the most safe and accurate. It’s free, it’s perfectly normal and it’s even idiot proof. Look at it this way – let’s say everyone in the world on a given day had a choice between a healthy meal of broiled fish, brown rice and broccoli OR their favorite tasty, high calorie food. Even if 95% of the population would be more inclined to give in to their taste buds it still doesn’t mean that the first selection isn’t the best thing to do – at least once in awhile. Nobody’s saying the decision to make one choice or the other shouldn’t remain with the individual.

In school they told us that abstinence is the only way to completely prevent pregnancy. But, I say, why miss out on it? Ive never had it before, so I can't really brag on how wonderful it is. But, sex can bring pregnancy. The same way that driving can kill you. Would you not drive a car becuase of the risks? I believe abstinence is for the weak people who do not understand the concept of living life to the fullest.

Well, abstinence seems to be the only absolute fail-proof way to avoid pregnancy, so yes, it IS definately an effective form of birth control. Sex can be a beautiful and extremely pleasurable experience, but if you don't want to get pregnant, abstaining from sex is the absolute most effective form of birth control.

I wasn't able to pull it off, but you have to respect anyone who has. The reality of it is, you never know how someone will " male or female," respond to pregnancy before marriage. I found out the hard way, my child was aborted behind my back. That was from a three year relationship. To have the will power to say no to sex before marriage is one of the most honorable and hard things to do. Most imortantly it gives a wife and husband the most beautiful display of their love to wait for one another. Also sex outside of marriage is highly over rated.

Once again I'm gonna have to agree with President X-D on this one. I couldn't have said it better myself.

Let me see: those complaining about abstinence are saying that it supposedly deprives them of a part of life. That's NOT what's being rated here: we are rating birth control methods. If you don't want to have children, the best way is to NOT HAVE SEX. This is not about religion, either. Here's the argument against using abstinence argument in birth control (and STD and AIDS prevention as well): BUT I WANNA. YOU CAN'T STOP ME. WHHAAA WHHHAAA. You sound like crying little children. I have yet to hear any REASONED argument why it is so wrong to promote abstinence as a form of protecting yourselves from having unwanted children or preventing STDs. Would you like to know WHY I haven't heard a reasoned argument? Because NONE EXISTS. If you have sex, you run the risk of getting pregnant or getting an STD (unless, of course, you consider deviant butt-sex a valid form of intercourse, which of course it is not. Is putting food in your ear a form of eating? Case closed.). It's very simple. Abstinence is the only way to prevent it 100%. I mean, DUH. The only possible explanation I can think of is that you idiots are confusing the suggestion of abstinence with (somehow) being FORCED to refrain from intercourse (by someone, nobody knows WHO, exactly), or something. Maybe you equate the idea of suggested abstinence with being FORCED to become a Nun or a Monk. I really don't know. I like to think people are generally intelligent, but this hatred of reality (which is exactly what the anti-abstinence "argument" does, like it or not) is mind-boggling to me. Maybe people REALLY ARE stupid.

Abstinenc is an important thing to teach a child, but you should also be a little more realistic in your aproach. If they want to have sex, they will, if you have ONLY taught them about abstinence being the safe way to prevent STD's and unwanted pregnancy, then they will go out and have unsafe sex. So when dealing with this topic, stress abstinence as the BEST way to approach sex, but also teach them about other birth control methods out there (just in case).

Well, it is certainly effective but rather boring and unrealistic in modern society.

It's the only 100% safe birth-control method, that's just logic. But I took off the two stars because everyone's going to have sex at some point in their lives. This includes teenagers. Teach them about abstinence, certainly, but don't pretend that there's nothing else going on. As a birth-control method, it is highly effective, but since everyone's going to lose their virginity, it loses it's 100% effectiveness after a while.

Obviously abstinence is the only really full proof birth control method. If you don't have sex, you can be very sure that you are not going to be having little junior anytime soon. But people have sex; it is inevitable, we are humans and it is a natural function of our existance. True, outside of marriage people can abuse this by jumping from bed to bed, but people with normal habits shouldn't consider sex a taboo. Just saying abstinence is problematic at any rate. In my view, there should be mandatory sex education throughout the country that will inform teenagers about birth control and the potential outcomes of premarital sex. Let the kids come to their own conclusions about the matter. Teenagers have been having sex since time eternal, it's a natural thing. They should have information available on birth control methods and STD's in addition to stressing abstinence. Just saying abstinence means that you refuse to confront the issue rather than face reality. Relationships happen and sex may be a part of it; it is way better that people know exactly what faces them if they do decide to take that big step.

If we're talking about outside of marriage, this is the only way to know that you're "safe". There's always masturbation.

It's OK if it is part of your religious beliefs, you don't want to risk getting pregnant, or, like me, you're not in a relationship and have no choice but to be abstinent. But if you just can't resist and just have to have sex, no matter what the consequence, go for it! I don't know you, so it's not my problem. Also, if you know someone that is practicing abstinence, don't get on their ass and/or make fun of them for it. For one, it's none of your business. Also, they don't care about YOUR sex life. Why care about theirs(or lack thereof)?

Like it or not, it is the only full-proof form of birth control. A sad day for all horny maggots everywhere...well, not really.

With abstinence you also abstain from an entire part of life. I'd rather take risks then live a sheltered life.

Most people aren't going to abstain from sex. It may be the safest method of birth control, but it is the least used. Sex is just much too enjoyable to keep yourself from it.