(Of course, we're only discussing the physical part of a relationship at this time because we're addressing the issue of abortion that was presented to me. I'm sure you realize that purity in our relationships also involves things like job performance, work ethic, entertainment, friendships, family, and government. But, we can talk about those another time.)

The issue of abortion is what has been brought up. I say, if you'll consider choosing to have pure, chaste, and honorable relationships sexually before God, if you choose to have no sexual relationship before marriage and a sexual relationship in marriage with only the person you have chosen as your mate for life, and do your best to instill this same choice in others by your example and your words...you can have a tremendous effect upon the prevalence of abortion now and in generations to come!

At this moment, I often hear people react to me and say, "Hey! I can't help it if you were dumb enough to get caught! What you're sayin' is stupid and old-fashioned. With all the contraceptives out there, it's your own fault if you get pregnant! This purity-thing doesn't even have to be a question for me anymore. I can do what I want! I don't have to be PURE! I just better be smart enough to be prepared before I do what I want with somebody!"

Sound familiar? In the world we live in today, I can guarantee that every person reading this book has either said this themselves or heard someone else say it, or both. If there's no one at home or at school or at work saying it, then you can be sure our televisions and movie theaters will fill in the gap.

And, you know what? You're right! We don't need to be pure in our sexual relationships in order to wipe out abortion, do we? Of course not. All we need to do is educate all eligible persons starting at the earliest age of possible sexual involvement, and then make sure the contraceptives are readily available at all times. It only takes elementary arithmetic to calculate that enforcement of this policy would at least lower the rate of abortions dramatically, right?

Then tell me why abortions are increasing when that is exactly the position many in our society, schools, and governments are promoting. Why are teenage suicides increasing? Why is divorce increasing? Why do these symptoms increase, when we're supposedly eliminating the pressures and freeing people from unpleasant, unwanted circumstances like pregnancy by laying the contraceptives out on the table and saying, "Just be prepared!"?

But sexual sin is not the only issue we've been addressing in this book, is it? What about the world's tendency to accept the other forms of "doing what I want": lying, cheating, stealing, defrauding the reputation of others so

I'll be the one to look good and get the promotion instead of them, romance and sex with someone other than my spouse once I am married, physical abuse and violence toward those weaker who can't defend themselves; and I could go on with the list, couldn't I? Satan is right there in the midst of each and every one of those things saying the same thing you've just heard, "Go ahead! You can do it! Everybody else does! Just be prepared! Don't get caught!"

I say, there's a gap somewhere between what we're being told and the reality of the situation. It's an uncomfortable gap, because falling through the cracks of the gap are millions of babies who were killed by somebody who didn't want them, and teenagers who killed themselves, and marriages and families that are ripped apart, and people who could have had honorable lives to show to their grandchildren. They've already fallen through and are gone!