The

Washington Post is reporting that the Silver Ring Thing abstinence program
lost its federal funding yesterday. The funding was pulled because it appeared
it was going to a religious program

In order for the group to receive funding again, they must submit a
corrective action plan to the Department of Health and Human services showing
they are truly secular. The group maintains that they are secular, but graduates
of the sign a covenant “before God almighty” then receive a ring with inscribed
bible passages to remind them of “sexual sins”. Really sounds secular to me
(lots of sarcasm there)

These abstinence programs are becoming the biggest danger to the health of
our young people. Earlier this year a study was released that shows teenagers in
abstinence programs are more likely to try anal or oral sex. Talk about thinking
outside the box! We should be more worried about teaching safe and responsible
sex than teaching about no sex. Through your teen years your mind is growing and
your senses are heightened. You are a monster of curiosity and you are bound to
try things out. The point is that studies have proven abstinence programs do not
work.

The program’s funding was pulled three months after the ACLU filed a lawsuit
against the Department of Health and Human services stating it was using tax
payer dollars for a religious purpose. The ACLU is claiming a small victory in
this but will remain on watch for further illegal funding.