Texas church supports safe sex initiative

Abstaining from sex and remaining chaste until marriage is one of the strongest beliefs among several religions. However, as today's young generation is becoming increasingly sexually active, some religious groups are including safe-sex information in their teachings.

In order to raise awareness of the spread of sexually transmitted diseases (STDs), members of a Texas-based congregation scattered markers on church grounds. This visual symbolized the 494 individuals who were diagnosed with STDs last year in Howard County, according to KokomoPerspective.com.

Also, starting on September 13, the purity classes offered to young church-goers will be updated. In addition to reminding attendees about the importance of abstinence, course leaders will discuss topics often shunned by church, including pornography, suggestive clothing and masturbation.

L.E. Anderson Jr., pastor of the church, told the news source that "even though safe sex is pushed in our schools and a lot of homes, we are still saying that God's way still works." He added that "we are going to talk about [sex] and we're going to put it into its proper context."

Individuals who have sex should be aware of all related consequences, including the risk of contracting STDs. In fact, the Centers for Disease Control reports that 19 million new STD infections are diagnosed in the U.S. every year, and almost half of them are among people aged 15 to 24.