'Condom culture' is not the answer, says charity

LIFE, the UK’s leading prolife charity, is warning that the sexual behaviour of young people has to change, in the light of a further study highlighting the UK’s growing crisis in sexual health.

Nuala Scarisbrick, LIFE trustee, said: “This research, published by the Family Planning Association, makes uncomfortable reading. By their own admission, the so-called ‘Safe Sex’ message is not getting through to youngsters, six out of 10 of whom rarely use condoms and admit to having two or three partners per year. This is a recipe for disaster and sexually transmitted infections (STIs) are now approaching epidemic proportions.

“But it is the FPA’s response to their own research-findings which truly takes one’s breath away. They talk of creating a ‘condom culture’ as if this is the answer – but if they haven’t been trying to create this already – what have they been doing? Condoms will not stem this epidemic because young people don’t use them, and even if they do condoms do not protect against all STIs.

“It is remarkable that these so-called ‘family-planning experts’ never suggest that young people should not be having sex in the first place. Youngsters are being let down badly. By failing to protect and nurture them, we are exposing them to sexual knowledge that they should be unaware of until they are much older, and exposing them to diseases which could ruin the rest of their lives.

“The answer lies in effective and age-appropriate education. Young people should be taught to value themselves enough to say ‘no’ to sex and to enjoy activities in keeping with their age.”

TxtaVerse pushes the right buttons to fight poverty

The arrival of a new text messaging service that delivers daily Bible verses and gives all the money to the poor, is being hailed as the most meaningful development yet in a profitable mobile content market dominated by trivia.

The service is the idea of TxtaVerse, a company with a clear and radical vision: to establish the first global text service that delivers God’s word to people, wherever they are, and then invests all its profits to help the world’s poor develop sustainable activities that will help alleviate poverty. Texting currently accounts for some 15-20% of mobile service providers' revenues.

"A double whammy: a personalised word from God AND helping the poor," said Joel Edwards, General Director of Evangelical Alliance UK, about the launch of TxtaVerse.

For just 15p a day (90p per week) TxtaVerse will deliver a personalised scripture at any time, in any place and soon, in any language. Users of the service will have the double joy of receiving the Word and knowing that every word they receive counts - literally. If only 50,000 people use the service it will enable TxtaVerse to give one million pounds.

By partnering with the acknowledged leading groups in this field - Global Connections, YWAM, Transformational Business Network, Jubilee Action and others like Tearfund - TxtaVerse will be able to distribute money most effectively. The focus of their investment will be: Christian mission and church planting; children’s basic education; healthcare, including HIV orphan projects; water and housing projects; and enterprise job creation.

Find out more at www.txtaVerse.com

Chinese couple's record-breaking marriage

The female half of the longest marriage in the world died this month. Liu Yang-wan, 103, died at her home in Taoyuan County, China, from natural causes, leaving behind her 104-year-old husband, reports the China News Agency.

Married in 1917, Liu Yang-wan and Liu Yung-yang were certified at a ceremony by the Guinness World of Records in November as the couple with the world's longest marriage - 85 years and seven months. Their marriage is two years longer than their nearest rivals, a couple in Kentucky who married 83 years ago.

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