NEWS MEDIA CENTER

True Love Waits Featured on NBC Morning Show

September 1993

NEW YORK (BP) -- Given today's moral climate, adults might question whether any teen-agers would be willing to take a public vow of sexual abstinence until marriage.

They might also question whether the secular media would give national exposure to a campaign that would encourage them to do so.

Both are happening.

Richard Ross, co-coordinator of the LifeWay Christian Resources-sponsored "True Love Waits" campaign, appeared on NBC's "Today" show Sept. 29 along with University of Tennessee students Paul Ballenger and Susan Fitzgerald -- two of the first teen-agers who signed abstinence pledges.

"The sexual revolution of the '60s continues to influence American behavior, but a new call is being made today to teen-agers urging them to return to traditional values and to practice abstinence," "Today" cohost Katie Couric said in her introduction to a five-minute segment on "True Love Waits."

Ross, interviewed live in NBC's New York studio, said teen-agers are getting the message that "adults have given up on them. It has caused them to believe that 'Adults think we are going to be sexually promiscuous. They think we can't control ourselves.' Now we never intended to give them that message, but that's what they've heard."

Abstinence as a responsible and healthy lifestyle choice has been "de-emphasized" to teen-agers in recent years, Ross said. "I think we've been so concerned about the health issues (related to sexual activity) that we've forgotten that teen-agers are very open to choosing abstinence."

Ballenger, a junior at U.T. and Fitzgerald's steady boyfriend, said choosing abstinence wasn't a difficult decision for him.

"My mom taught me all the time that abstinence was the most important thing. She never really taught me the option of condoms and other forms of birth control. (Abstinence) is what God wanted me to do," he said.

Asked if her friends thought she was "weird" for abstaining, Fitzgerald answered: "No, actually most all my friends are real supportive, even if they've already had sex. ... I even hear some people tell me, 'I wish I would have waited.'"

Couric asked Ross if "True Love Waits" takes any political stands against sex education or the distribution of condoms in schools.

"It's not an anti-anything campaign; it's just a clear, positive call to abstinence," he responded. "And the wonderful thing is, teen-agers are actually accepting that call.

"I know that many adults would question whether or not teen-agers would make a commitment like this. But last Sunday morning in one church (Champion Forest in Houston), 500 teen-agers said, 'Yes, this is what we want,' and (this same thing) is happening everywhere.

"The NBC show's focus on 'True Love Waits' resulted in numerous calls to the LifeWay Christian Resources from interested viewers from across the country," Ross said. "In addition, media interest continues to grow, with recent inquiries coming from 'CNN News,' USA Today, Associated Press, The Philadelphia Inquirer, the Fort Worth (Texas) Star-Telegram, and Harper's Magazine.

"Those of us coordinating 'True Love Waits' scarcely have time to keep up with media wanting to carry the story," Ross said. "I am very thankful God opened this wonderful door to let millions know that we are calling teen-agers to abstinence."