"Bart, What is that religion we're involved in? The one with the well-meaning platitudes that don't work out in real life? Oh yeah. Christianity, that's it."--Homer Simpson

The eggheads at Yale and Columbia studied 12,000 participants in church-based abstinence programs (like True Love Waits) over a 6 year period of time. It turns out that 88% fail in keeping their pledge to wait to have sex until they're married. Sadly, I would've thought a number around 50% would've been realistic. 9 out of 10 fail? Stunning.

For those of us in the business of teaching church-based abstinence programs, well, I can only hope that the teenagers and parents that I teach have a higher "success rate" (also known as a more realistic understanding of how to allow the power of the Holy Spirit to live through you in the moment of choosing between flesh and spirit).

What I guess I should be thankful for is that 12%...but for some reason I'm more concerned about the effectiveness of youth ministry.