This is Important Part II

I did a post awhile back basically spewing my scary knowledge about sexually transmitted diseases (STD's) on May 4th.

And the headlines hit last week that should add to this. Click here for the details. The summation is this, one in four New York residents has genital herpes. It is worse for minorities. In the African American community in the entire state of New York, it is 50% infected with genital herpes.

That is a lot of people.

Here are some alarming details about herpes. The big one, it is incurable. Once you have it, that is it. You have it, and you can always spread it, whether you're having an outbreak of the sores associated with it or not. Remember that statement. You can spread it whether you're having an outbreak or not.

I also know it can cause complications during childbirth, and I did some research on this. Basically, a baby passing through the birth canal coming in contact with a sore or the virus can get ocular herpes, which can lead to sight impairment or blindness. Most doctors will press for a C section birth for this reason. I have the feeling that is why Britney Spears had scheduled C sections for the birth of both of her children. Why else would a completely healthy person choose the risk of a C section? That is purely speculation on my part. But if she does have herpes, I commend her for doing the C section and thinking of her children.

As I did a bit of googling on the childbirth issue, I found a few chat rooms and blogs where mothers were talking about taking a course of antibiotics and "suppressive" drug treatment so they could have a vaginal birth. Sometimes it is effective and sometimes it isn't. The running theme was to make sure you weren't having an outbreak while giving birth.

I just don't get that. Why? Because you can spread herpes whether you're having outbreaks or not. I am not doctor, but if one can spread an uncurable STD while having sexual intercourse why would you on the face of this planet want to expose a baby to it? I don't get it.

The medical community in New York put out a statement urging people to practice safe sex. Use condoms. Let me be a little blunt here. Take a guess how much space a condom covers? Not much. Herpes blister outbreaks are not just confined to that small area. I think the fact that so many people in New York have herpes goes to show that condoms don't work.

I repeat what I have said before. There is no answer but one to this. Stay abstinent until marriage. Once married, stay faithful. I just celebrated 16 years of marriage, and these issues are not on my plate of things I worry about at all. I am glad for that!

I thank my lucky stars, but mostly God above, that I don't have these incredibly weighty issues to think about. As Christians, we have a message to give about this. And it's not just "God cares about your body and your sexuality." It is a message of health.