Sex & Love: What's a Teenager To Do?

Mary Beth Bonacci is a Christian motivational speaker who targets teenagers and college students confused about abstinence, love and marriage. Live on stage, with microphone in hand and a large Cross behind her, she barrels through the topics of chastity, peer pressure, hormones, sex, love, marriage, pregnancy, disease, God and scripture. A good speaker, Bonacci is young and attractive and really tries to connect with her audience. Much of what she says is sensible and appropriate for teenagers, even adults who may need guidance on how to differentiate between lust and love and the virtues of restraint. But then the messages start to get a bit preachy. Why not have sex on that first date? Disease, yes; embarrassment and regret, sure; but don't forget, Jesus doesn't want you to do it. And no heavy petting: that leads to arousal, which leads to an "emotional bonding" that could be dangerous. Forget heartbreak, it could sap your love for God. Just look at what happened to Adam and Eve. Ms. Bonacci is an engaging person who seems sincere, and she doles out generally good advice for young people. This tape is an optional purchase for larger inspirational collections only, because of the assumption that the only real love is Christian love. (E. Druda)