Sexuality

The Genesis Vision  Two Stories  Created male and female  Created good  Created for each other

Relational Like God  Made by God for relationship  To love and be loved  Gender  Our sexuality as male and female is an integral part of the divine plan

Not Shame but Joy  Sexuality is good and blessed  Called to a state of healthy, happy sexuality

A Basis for All our Relating  Basis for our connection with all things  Comes out in relationships with friends, co-workers, parents etc.

The Power of Sexuality  Can make us feel new, different changed  Charged with energy  Become attracted to someone-they may or may not be to us  Can be consuming  Eventually healthy maturing people can integrate into our lives

Celebrating the Gift  Body is a wonderful gift from God to be loved, cherished, celebrated  Church has continued to recognize the great value of the human body

Valuing ourselves as Sexual Persons  Sexuality is the force that energizes us to find fulfillment in relating to other people  Factors involved are:  Positive body image  Valuing our masculinity and femininity

Positive Body Image  We feel comfortable with our body and that we love our body enough to take care of it  Challenging to love ourselves in American society  Why?  Need to love ourselves to love others

Appreciating Masculinity and Femininity  What are common gender stereotypes?  Break free from stereotypes  Within each person masculine and feminine characteristics  Sexuality urges us to be whole  Jesus is a whole person  Loving, caring, nurturing  Leader, strong, confident  Reflection question 10 and 11

Harmful Behaviors

Jason and Megan  Is Jason abusive?  Why or why not?  If Jason had not hit Megan would he be abusive?  If this was the first time would it still be abuse?

Christina and Juan  Is Juan abusive?  Why or why not?

Tyrone and Nicole  Is Nicole abusive?  Why or why not?

Tau and Luis  Is Lu abusive?  Why or why not?  Is Tau abusive?  Why or why not?

Harmful behaviors are abusive when…  They’re used to manipulate  They’re used to gain control  They’re used to gain power over someone  They make you feel bad about yourself or other people you are close to  They make you afraid of your boyfriend or girlfriend

Facts about dating abuse  Between 10 and 38 percent of high school students have been victims of dating violence  Among students who are currently dating, as many as 59 percent have experienced physical violence and 96 percent have experienced psychological or emotional abuse

Facts about Dating Abuse  Adults who use violence with their dating partners often began doing so during adolescence, with the first episode typically occurring by age 15  Young women between the ages of fourteen and 17 represent 38 percent of those victimized by date rape  Rapes by acquaintances account for 60 percent of all rapes reported to rape crisis centers

Things to Remember  Both girls and boys are victims of abuse  Both girls and boys are perpetrators of abuse  Teenagers from all neighborhoods, income levels, and ethnic groups experience abuse in dating relationships  Dating abuse can happen to anyone in any relationship  Abuse almost always reoccurs in a relationship  Most abuse gets more severe over time

Red Flags  What are some red flags of dating abuse

What should we do to help our friend who is being abused?

What should we do to help our friend who is an abuser?

When Sexuality is Distorted  Power of sexuality needs to be channeled in healthy loving, responsible ways  Uncontrolled energy results in distortions  Rape  Lust  Pornography  Selling through sex  Teenage Pregnancy

Chastity  Healthy integrated way to express our sexuality  Controlling our sexual feelings, which you cannot act on at that time and putting them to another higher use

Who practices chastity?  Everyone  Single person  Religious/ordained people  Married people

Why do single people practice chastity?  First commitment you make to yourself and your dating partner to share the sexual act only when you are truly committed to each other in a married setting  To be aware that all true love takes time and a full awareness of yourself and your partner  To find the “real you” and the “real partner” through friendship, intimacy and commitment first

What does chastity say yes to?  Future goals and the time to seek them  Knowing how passion works in you and in your partner  Not teasing or satisfying curiosity  Hope, trust, a future commitment  Your real personal respect of self and the other  A real view of life, with waiting, sacrifice and self control

Defensive and Offensive Plays  Avoid sexual situations  Control the amount of alcohol since this loosens your control. (DON’T DRINK AT ALL)  You direct the relationship. Don’t let the relationship direct you.  “Girls play at sex to get ‘love’” “Boys play at love to get ‘sex’”  Remember to reject all advances with warmth and tenderness, and if he doesn’t take no for an answer, be blunt and get away from him

Why is it important to develop self control?  It is the basis for our married relationship  We don’t change when we get married  If we don’t have self control before, we will not have it after either