Duplicity

The Immaculate Conception is about Mary being born into this world free from Original Sin. It has NOTHING to do with how Jesus was conceived. This is a common misunderstanding of a basic Catholic teaching. Ignorance CAN be corrected by education. Disdain of another's misfortune is an act of ego that Jesus spoke directly to when He asked for anyone who was without sin to cast the first stone against a person who everyone knew had sinned. Some of you are so free with the stones of your tongues. I believe that Elizabeth was trying to make the comparison of the WAY that Mary was treated by those of her day who judged her with disdain. The point is this...how would YOU judge Mary if she were here today? Most of the people of her time had NO idea of the nature of her child. Pray for Jamie Lynn and her child. Don't condemn her. And pray that when YOU make a mistake you won't be in a situation where YOU are subject to the judgement of people who are as devoid of mercy as some of you are.

I'd probably screw her, all else being equal, though she seems to be an totally uninteresting person. Nice teeth; not much else going for her. But a pleasant way to spend a half hour for a dollar or two. Cheap whore.

How did she get pregnant?? How about, in the usual way? Insert the lingam in the yoni. Move. Wait. Etc. It eventually gets sort of boring, unless you're sixteen!

Then you can charge millions for the tapes!

My God, you people are retarded!!!! Adolescents screw. That's what they were designed to do! When their publicists forget to get them to take their pills, it's called malpractice, not sin! Take a pill!

Them Christians sure is cute!!!! Any chance of pix of her and Berlinerblau doing the you know?? The Thing??? Big Bucks!!!!

Guess us libruls caused another PURE CHRISTIAN GIRL to stray! She made millions at it! Where's our percentage??

Dear Elizabeth:
Your column is retarded.
Recently had to pick up my eighth grade son from school and noticed all the eighth grade girls had their mojo working overtime. They did not look like children. The boys did, but not the girls. I thought what do 14 girls do with so much mojo working? Jamie Lynn answers that question.
Teen pregnancy is a serious problem.
More importantly, the law regarding sex with underage girls need to be adjusted to reality. Either that or these girls need to be punished for having sex before they are legally allowed to just like the boys who have sex with them.
It's okay for Genarlow Wilson, a black kind from Georgia, to go to prison for consensual oral sex at age 17 with 15-year-old girl, but Jamie getting nailed when she is 15 by an 18 year old and that's okay? Everyone knows that is illegal. All the boys 18 know that. But it's okay if the boy is white and from the south because truth of the matter is white girls in the deep south generally start having sex by the time they are 3 years old. That's three, as in one two three. With their brothers. Ain't that right good ole boys?

How Jamie Summers get preggnamt? SHe bionical woman who jump fences and things and stuff. She fight bad man. She mighty strong with bioncal arms and legs and magic ear. She pretty. Why make her with baby? She be fat soon and not binocal. I like the bionalcal woman show.

Frank,

This act of stautory rape wouldn't demand a penalty of $25,000 because JL's boyfriend is not 21, but his actions could subject him to a fine of $5,000 or $10,000, depending on the age difference.

OK people, who knows their ages?

One thing for sure. The parenting book written by the Spears' old lady will fly off the shelves and overload Amazon.com. It will the biggest "how not to" ever written. It's title should be,"HOW NOT TO PARENT FOR DUMMIES."

$25,000??? That is one expensive roll in the hay.

;)

FEMINIST?

WHAT does THAT word have to do with ANYTHING in REALITY?

The woman is having an unplanned pregnancy. This happens to good christian girls every day because abstinence is against the laws of nature, regardless of what the TV preacher says, and TV preacher's don't like condoms. Nor the Catholic church. Unplanned pregnancy is the result.

The morality plus here in America is that she is allowed by rule of law to decide what she will do next.

Since she has decided to keep the baby we'll be saved from images of Larry Craig and other politicians pounding the bible in outright hypocrisy, and flashbacks to Terry Schiavo.

FEMINISM? You DO know that Gloria Steinem is a hypocrite panderer of a failed ideology built on hate, low self esteem, and facist seperatism who went ahead and got married to a man after all, right?

OHHHH you missed that hypocrisy part, huh? Yup she's a failed hypocrite just like her ideology is a failed hypocrisy.

FEMINIST?

WHAT does THAT word have to do with ANYTHING in REALITY?

The woman is having an unplanned pregnancy. This happens to good christian girls every day because abstinence is against the laws of nature, regardless of what the TV preacher says, and TV preacher's don't like condoms. Nor the Catholic church. Unplanned pregnancy is the result.

The morality plus here in America is that she is allowed by rule of law to decide what she will do next.

Since she has decided to keep the baby we'll be saved from images of Larry Craig and other politicians pounding the bible in outright hypocrisy, and flashbacks to Terry Schiavo.

FEMINISM? You DO know that Gloria Steinem is a hypocrite panderer of a failed ideology built on hate, low self esteem, and facist seperatism who went ahead and got married to a man after all, right?

OHHHH you missed that hypocrisy part, huh? Yup she's a failed hypocrite just like her ideology is a failed hypocrisy.

This should be as convicting for both society and Christians and here is why. As a Christian, I should know that I have been told by my Lord to NOT judge people because I am a sinner and am therefore not qualified to serve as a judge. We should feel sorry for Ms Spears (both of them) and do everything in our power to help them find their way and not worry about their sin. As a society, we need to be concerned with a trend that I have been made aware of by my wife (who has taught school in a number of places in the last decade) and that is the decreasing in age of the children who are at least trying to have sex. She has seen an ever larger number of children from grades 8 to 6 get pregnant. She has also had to report and stop more than a few elementary school kids from having sex as well. The most disturbing situation is with the 5 year old who has been caught multiple times in the bathroom and classroom with both male and female students engaging in oral sex. I personally think the only way abstinence eduacation can work is with a precipitous decrease in sexual themes in TV, movies, and the Internet. Otherwise, children are going to get conflicting messages and start having sex earlier and earlier and will be not at all equipped to provide emotionally for their babies. What do think about that issue?

As an aside, Fusar, you strike me as a crackpot.

But in any event I believe under California law JL's boyfriend has committed statutory rape. It is surely a misdeameanor and could be a felony, depending on whether he is more than 3 years older than JL (see below). I know she's 16 and he's 19. Anyone know their respective birthdates? I think this guy will be prosecuted.

Excerpts from California Penal Code regarding sex with minors:

"(a) Unlawful sexual intercourse is an act of sexual intercourse accomplished with a person who is not the spouse of the perpetrator, if the person is a minor. For the purposes of this section, a "minor" is a person under the age of 18 years and an "adult" is a person who is at least 18 years of age.

(b) Any person who engages in an act of unlawful sexual intercourse with a minor who is not more than three years older or three years younger than the perpetrator, is guilty of a misdemeanor.

(c) Any person who engages in an act of unlawful sexual intercourse with a minor who is more than three years younger than the perpetrator is guilty of either a misdemeanor or a felony, and shall be punished by imprisonment in a county jail not exceeding one year, or by imprisonment in the state prison.

(d) Any person 21 years of age or older who engages in an act of unlawful sexual intercourse with a minor who is under 16 years of age is guilty of either a misdemeanor or a felony, and shall be punished by imprisonment in a county jail not exceeding one year, or by imprisonment in the state prison for two, three, or four years.

(e)(1) Notwithstanding any other provision of this section, an adult who engages in an act of sexual intercourse with a minor in violation of this section may be liable for civil penalties in the following amounts:

(A) An adult who engages in an act of unlawful sexual intercourse with a minor less than two years younger than the adult is liable for a civil penalty not to exceed two thousand dollars ($2,000).

(B) An adult who engages in an act of unlawful sexual intercourse with a minor at least two years younger than the adult is liable for a civil penalty not to exceed five thousand dollars ($5,000).

(C) An adult who engages in an act of unlawful sexual intercourse with a minor at least three years younger than the adult is liable for a civil penalty not to exceed ten thousand dollars ($10,000).

(D) An adult over the age of 21 years who engages in an act of unlawful sexual intercourse with a minor under 16 years of age is liable for a civil penalty not to exceed twenty-five thousand dollars ($25,000)."

A friend of mine recently bemoaned the fact that his cat kept having kittens. I told him to cheer up, as they know what causes that now; he finally took her to the vet, and, ta-dah! no more kittens.

For anyone at the age of 16 in this culture to say they were surprised to get pregnant, well, they know what causes that now.

And there are multiple ways to prevent it.

Have those of you who condemn Jamie Spears forgotten that she is still a 16-year-old girl? Yes, she's rich and famous, but she's still a girl, and she's probably doing some major soul-searching right now. Would you say such horrible things about your own daughter if she made such a mistake. No, you wouldn't.

Shame on all of you.

And, I'd like to suggest that Ms Tenety choose a new vocation because she seems ill-equipped for a career in journalism. Her "article" here seems like something she must have cranked out in a hurry. Maybe she was studying for her finals and suddenly remembered that she had to to her piece for the Post. "Ugh," she thought, "What's timely? What's in the news that I can I twist into some sort of clever analogy about Christmas? AHA! I'll just feed off of Jamie Lynn Spears' problems and act like I care!"

Shame, shame, shame.

WARNING!!!

GOD IS ON THE LOOSE!!!

LOCK UP YOUR CHILDREN!!!

CALL THE POLICE!!!

It appears that we all have opinions (yes, even me). Why do you all focus so hard on contraceptive? Maybe she was using both birth control & a condom, but it didn't work this time. Everyone has to put in their 2 cents like it matters.

We love to blame and don't care about the real issue at hand. We stab at the symptoms and leave the real problem unresolved, because we think we know better or just don’t care. Real Christians, for the most part, have become silent due to fear, and the so-called Christians have made all Christians the laughing stock and not to be taken serious due to hypocrisy. The problem is that culture truly has a great dislike for the Christian teachings and morals. They are not taught, but now a watered down version is everywhere in various forms. This watered down version, call it something else, but don’t call it Christianity. We all know we are no longer a Christian nation. Most don’t read the Bible for any excuse they want to give. Morals are slowly being systematically removed.

We teach kids to use condoms to avoid STD’s and pregnancies. I think it’s because parents don’t really want a challenge from their kids that comes from the teaching of abstinence. We’re too preoccupied with ourselves and our goal of building up the empire. We don’t have time to teach or to fight those that don’t want to be taught. Yes, we allow the few atheists to take away our rights to pray in school, make it a stumbling block in the workplace, but that’s not enough for them. Don’t make them feel guilty, because they don’t want a conscience. They want to live in Sodom or Gomorrah. We’ve allowed the power to be taken from the schools, police, parents, and the PEOPLE. We elect the supposed lesser of two evils, but it’s still evil. Why let them get that far? They call Christians intolerant, but honestly the liberals are. Christians should be peaceful and understanding, but they see it as weakness and pray upon them. They can’t stand to be defeated by what they view as weak. Christians either speak up for your rights and have faith and courage, or shut up and deal with the situation that you don’t want to change.

No, I’m not a good Christian role model. Sometimes I place myself in the wanna-be category. I stumble and fail. I’m one of the thousands of Jonas that are either turning away from doing God’s will, or already in the belly of the whale. It’s time to pray and turn away from our fears. Let us take back the country. There’s hope still. Look around people are so-called Christians or wanna-be’s like me. Let us band together, become informed, and take action. Let us be real children of God.

Our laws should not just be the minimum standards we can bear; otherwise, we allow this country to become a bottom feeder. Oh wait… that’s what we are. It’s time for a change. Here’s a place I love to get the facts: “http://www.aclj.org/” and “http://www.family.org/”. If that’s not for you then help in little ways like giving to orphans and the poor. Do your research on each charity to make sure they really use the money wisely, or help out your community.

Poor Jamie Lynn! I hope they leave her alone. Yes, she messed up, but it’s not the end of the world. Is it right to correct one wrong or sin (pre-marital sex) with another (abortion)? If your answer is yes, then you need to wake up and smell the coffee the Devil is brewing. The Devil loves destruction. His grip on this world is for a little while. Jamie needs your prayers at this time. I’m sure she has fears untold. It’s Christmas, give her the gift of prayer. Let the love of Jesus Christ shine. Peace!

"Christians have a special sympathy for unmarried pregnant teenagers, "

Really??!! Surely you jest. From what I have seen Christians have a special type of loathing and moral repugnance not only for pregnant unwed teens but also for anyone who practices sex outside of the confines of marriage. And add to that the restriction that birth control cannot be used and you have an ancient, out-of-date, morally judgemental system of values which is, in some part, responsible for situations like Jamie Lynn. The Catholic church needs to join the 21st century, purge itself of some of its most damaging and out of date policies, especially with regards to the use of birth control and unwed sex.

Surely Ms. Tenety is not a real person. Surely she is a fictional character created by Christopher Hitchens to post commentaries on the Internet in the name of Christianity in order to embarrass Christians. Surely this is a sick joke.

No human being could believe that an out-of-wedlock, unplanned teenage pregnancy is some sort of blessed event. No human being who can ties their shoelace cold ignore all the accumulated evidence of what a disaster illegitimate babies are for themselves and the society into which they are born. In the annals of statistics on human behavior, there is no greater predictor of future failure than to be born illegitimate. Your chances of getting an education, a good job, and, in general, of leading a successful, productive life are significantly reduced if you are born illegitimately. On the other hand, your chances of dropping out of high school and becoming a criminal or a dope fiend—in general, becoming a failure—are significantly increased if you are born illegitimately. The downside of all the above is increased even more if you are born out-of-wedlock to a teenager.

Ms. Spears has given us a pluperfect example of gross immaturity, irresponsibility, and selfishness. This is pure hedonism by a rich, spoiled wretch of a human being who does not believe that the rules of common decency apply to her. This is narcissism taken to the level of clinical psychosis. Surely, some court ought to declare the Spears sisters mentally and morally incompetent and declare them wards of the court until they learn the basic requirements for being responsible adults.

But I would agree that Ms. Spears is not the real monster here. The real monster is the media that feeds on the garbage that spews forth from this benighted family. Britney, Jamie, and their mother have offered proof positive that you don’t have to be poor to be white trash. Because that’s the essence of what the Spears are. Pure white trash, acting out in reality the type of lifestyles that one would have thought only a third-rate novelist could have created for a bunch of ignorant, immoral trailer trash to live if they suddenly found themselves rich beyond imagining. What a stunning commentary on the sewer in which our media and entertainment industry wallow, that these despicable beings have been elevated to cultural icons.

But then—who sustains that media and the entertainment industry? You got it. The American public. The people who surpass all understanding in their desire to know the daily actions of debased denizens like Britney Spears. The people who watch “Entertainment Tonight,” and TMZ, and buy PEOPLE and US magazines. Unless the rest of us begin pushing back, not only by ourselves ignoring these people and refusing to buy their garbage, but by organizing boycotts of the networks and the magazines and the sponsors who sustain them, we will continue to witness the vulgarization, debasement, and trashing of our popular culture.

As a first step, let’s all do our part to send Britney and Jamie Lynn Spears into the obscurity they so richly deserve. Above all, let us not see Jamie but anything but the pathetic spoiled slut she is. Let’s make it clear that we will boycott any TV network and the sponsors of any program on which Jamie appears.

These are the translated words of God in the Quran regarding sex outside of marriage and claiming slander against innocent woman such as Maryam; also the verse stating that Maryam was pure and chosen.

17:32 And come not near unto adultery/fornication. Lo! it is an abomination and an evil way.

24:2 The woman and the man guilty of adultery or fornication,- flog each of them with a hundred stripes: Let not compassion move you in their case, in a matter prescribed by Allah, if ye believe in Allah and the Last Day: and let a party of the Believers witness their punishment.

24:4 And those who launch a charge against chaste women, and produce not four witnesses (to support their allegations),- flog them with eighty stripes; and reject their evidence ever after: for such men are wicked transgressors;-

24:5 Unless they repent thereafter and mend (their conduct); for Allah is Oft- Forgiving, Most Merciful.

____________________

God's WORDS exclaiming that Maryam, mother of Jesus (ahs), was innocent and pure in translation:

3:42 And when the angels said: O Mary! Lo! Allah hath chosen thee and made thee pure, and hath preferred thee above (all) the women of creation.

Actually, according to the Holy Quran, God HATES sex outside of marriage. It DISPLEASES HIM. And those guilty of sex outside of marriage who were virgins deserve 100 lashes according to HIS WORDS.

This is a FAR FAR FAR cry from any comparison with Maryam (as), mother of Jesus (Isa), who God calls one of the best women of all womankind. Maryam was pure and innocent and pious and from an excellent, pious, righteous family.

Jamie Lynn Spears committed a major sin for which she should repent and show geniune remorse. Because it is possible that her sinful example will serve to inspire other teens to do the same, she should publicly show remorse and dissuade others from doing as she has done.

AS WELL, the boyfriend ALSO deserves 100 lashes according to God's word in the Quran. And HE TOO should make public remorse to dissuade others from doing what he has done.

Instead in America, they will likely both get more media attention, their careers will improve and both will likely make more money from their sin. They should both donate the wealth they gain from their new media attention and boosts in their careers to charities helping orphan, poor, and fatherless children.

Edward J Cunningham
I'm cuious to know where in the Bible does it say that Mary the mother of Christ Jesus was of immaculate conception?

She is just another pregnant teenager, and not worthy of reporting. It's just more scandle put out by the MSM to avoid doing real news, like why the presidents administration is in on destroying evidence of torture, or how the constitution keeps being desicrated by this currupt president, or how our rights and freedoms are continually being curtailed for the illusion of security.

ho-bag?
The GOD(not god),creator of heaven and earth and the oceans and all that dwells within,loves that girl.

FACTS, NOT ARGUMENT, FOR A CHANGE:

An earlier poster stated that the young lady in question, at 16, was below the age of consent when she became pregnant.

Not so. The age of consent in most American states is 16 or less, including in Mississippi.

Check out http://www.avert.org/aofconsent.htm, which lists the ages of consent for all countries.

The usual age worldwide is also 16 or less.

Very Roman Catholic but also very realistic Italy sets the age of consent at 14.

Something to think about.

FACTS, NOT ARGUMENT, FOR A CHANGE:

An earlier poster stated that the young lady in question, at 16, was below the age of consent when she became pregnant.

Not so. The age of consent in most American states is 16 or less, including in Mississippi.

Check out http://www.avert.org/aofconsent.htm, which lists the ages of consent for all countries.

The usual age worldwide is also 16 or less.

Very Roman Catholic but also very realistic Italy sets the age of consent at 14.

Something to think about.

FACTS, NOT ARGUMENT, FOR A CHANGE:

An earlier poster stated that the young lady in question, at 16, was below the age of consent when she became pregnant.

Not so. The age of consent in most American states is 16 or less, including in Mississippi.

Check out http://www.avert.org/aofconsent.htm, which lists the ages of consent for all countries.

The usual age worldwide is also 16 or less.

Very Roman Catholic but also very realistic Italy sets the age of consent at 14.

Something to think about.

What about criminal charges? Responsibility of the parents and the father of this baby? I am tired of people think that "oh, this will never happended in my neighboorhod". Birth control? No..what about teaching abstaining until marriage?

Read this:
Wilson v. State was a Georgia court case brought about to appeal the aggravated child molestation conviction of Genarlow Wilson.

Wilson had been convicted of aggravated child molestation because, at the age of seventeen, he had engaged in oral sex with a consenting fifteen-year-old at a New Year's Eve party. Wilson was African American as was the fifteen-year-old as reported by Georgia news outlets, The Los Angeles Times and the Associated Press[1][2][3][4] although ABC News reported that she was white.[5]

At the time of his conviction, provisions for similarity in age that allowed underage consent to be taken into account were only applicable to vaginal sex. Because the case involved oral sex the consent of the girl was not at that time legally relevant.[6][7]

On October 26, 2007, the Georgia State Supreme Court ruled that Wilson's sentence was cruel and unusual ("grossly disproportionate"). He was released later that day

Point of fact is that the WORD OF GOD teaches love and forgivness. All have sinned and all fall short of the glory (righteousness) of GOD.
Not all will inherit eternal life.
How about, he who is free of sin cast the first stone.
Fornication is a sin!
Adultry is a sin.
homosexuality is a sin.
lying is a sin.
cheating on ones income tax is a sin
have we all allways respected our parent/parents.
A haughty spirit is an abomination to our father in heaven.
do we love GOD (THE FATHER OF OUR LORD AND SAVIOR
CHRIST JESUS) with all our hearts, all our souls?

We all needed to be saved from our selves, from the lust of our flesh.
shame on all of us for allowing the things that influence our young people to sin. And our CULTURE reveles in it!

The word of GOD TEACHES US TO BE HUMBLE,TO LOVE ONE ANOTHER AS WE LOVE OUR SELVES, TO LOVE THE SINNER AND HATE THE SIN.
WHO OF YOU OUT THERE IS FREE OF SIN?
JUDGE NOT, LEST YOU BE JUDGED. WHETHER YOU WHERE CREATED A GIRL OR BOY.

Point of fact is that the WORD OF GOD teaches love and forgivness. All have sinned and all fall short of the glory (righteousness) of GOD.
Not all will inherit eternal life.
How about, he who is free of sin cast the first stone.
Fornication is a sin!
Adultry is a sin.
homosexuality is a sin.
lying is a sin.
cheating on ones income tax is a sin
have we all allways respected our parent/parents.
A haughty spirit is an abomination to our father in heaven.
do we love GOD (THE FATHER OF OUR LORD AND SAVIOR
CHRIST JESUS) with all our hearts, all our souls?

We all needed to be saved from our selves, from the lust of our flesh.
shame on all of us for allowing the things that influence our young people to sin. And our CULTURE reveles in it!

The word of GOD TEACHES US TO BE HUMBLE,TO LOVE ONE ANOTHER AS WE LOVE OUR SELVES, TO LOVE THE SINNER AND HATE THE SIN.
WHO OF YOU OUT THERE IS FREE OF SIN?
JUDGE NOT, LEST YOU BE JUDGED. WHETHER YOU WHERE CREATED A GIRL OR BOY.

Louisiana white trash.

trailer trash with money is still trailer trash

How sad that this child was allowed, by a foolish mother, to "date" an older guy who legally could be charged with a crime. How sad that young people who are neither emotionally or physically ready for sex think that it is fine (and how pathetic that many adults do as well). This young woman is making the best of a bad situation; she could easily have decided to privately kill the growing child in her womb. For her decision, we should praise her and use her situation as yet another chance to discuss sex and abstinance and the ramifications of both with our children. Mine learned about sex at age 5 (gradually). One is age 13 now and the other is age 7. They know about the double standard, being used, date rape drugs, rape, what God and their parents want them to do (not that they will listen; kids always think they know everything) and the emotional lows that too often come with young sex (as a high school teacher I saw firsthand the pros for guys and the cons for girls). Ms. Spears should be praised for not killing her growing child; she is mature and compassionate in that sense. Wouldn't it be wonderful if she allowed the baby to be raised by a loving, mature, non-Hollywood couple who cannot give birth themselves? God bless this young woman during this time. May she make the best decision for her child...

"Feminists For Life" (i.e. Feminists Against Abortion) are not feminists. Ms. Tenety has found the magic key to getting her Stepford Girl views published in the Washington Post. A real feminist who knows something about pregnancy would define the so-called "abortion issue" as a problem of unregulated male fertility. Men are on average bigger and stronger than women and have, based on that brute fact, both physical and social power to coerce their female targets - and then refuse to allow them to undo the pregnancy they never sought. A real feminist would call men's bluff on the fact that every abortion represents an occasion when a man chose not to contracept. A real feminist would not be welcome on the Op-Ed or Religion pages of the Washington Post. For further confirmation of this reality, go to the Washington Post male reviewer's droolingly fond review of the much ballyhooed movie "Juno" about, guess what, a pregnant 16-year-old girl.

This is a joke right?

Just proves my point. Parents should have psychological testing for competency to produce children.

In this case, both Spears parents and the Spears girls...children...immaturely developed kids.

Just proves my point. Parents should have psychological testing for their competency to have children.

In this case, both the Spears parents and the Spears girls...children...immature developed kids.

Was there a guy involved in getting little Jamie Lynn pregnant?

What's purple and is 3 years older than his girlfriend?

Statutory Grape.

one things Christians fail to realize, is that it is NOT there place to judge anyone, when you point fingers your acting as God, and that there is a sin in itself, yes its a sin to bear child unwed, but its not no ones place to say so....the last time I was up to date on the bible, there is not one sin that can not be forgiven.....

Was there a guy involved in getting little Jamie Lynn pregnant?

What's purple and is 3 years older than his girlfriend?

Statutory Grape.

Hello All,
This girl is an unfortunate sibling of a stupid slutty skank. She has been influenced in the wrong path...by her older sister.

A shameful reflection on the lack of morals in America.

Tragic...

Chris

eric,

"Why should celebrities have to live politically correct lives when we don't have to?"

that's the problem. we should have to live politically correct lives. what has this society become when people can be so amoral?

For anyone who believes in the wonder of life, Jamie Lynn must be praised for her stand instead of taking the easy way out in an abortion. All the standard forms of family and life are taken from boxes constructed by people with no experience at all in situations like this. It is Jamie's decision and what right do we have to question her on something so personal and so wonderful, come what may.

Good thing shes not Muslim eh?

If getting raped gets you 200 lashes in Arab land I imagine a unwed pregnancy equals the loss of a head.

The shame is on all of us who are interested in a non story like this. Who cares what some dumb 16 year old did with her life? She is probalby having a great laugh at this moment at how people are talking about her in Washingtonpost.com. Doesn't this newspaper, supposedly the one of the best in the "greatest nation on earth". have anything better to write about? Does it all care if about ratings or how many clicks its website gets? Shame on Washingtonpost!!!!!!!!!!!!11'

The shame is on all of us who are interested in a non story like this. Who cares what some dumb 16 year old did with her life? She is probalby having a great laugh at this moment at how people are talking about her in Washingtonpost.com. Doesn't this newspaper, supposedly the one of the best in the "greatest nation on earth". have anything better to write about? Does it all care if about ratings or how many clicks its website gets? Shame on Washingtonpost!!!!!!!!!!!!11'

Ms Tenety,
a good journalist should be able to differentiate fac ts from fictions. What the Gospels are ?
Also a good journalist should research: is the mind of 16 years old person- in present times-
fit for motherhood and at the same time happily maturing into adulthood?

I just feel bad for Jamie Lynn and Brittney's parents.....how can you raise BOTH of your children like that?

I just feel bad for Jamie Lynn and Brittney's parents.....how can you raise BOTH of your children like that?

SEX is Not LOVE!

A SAFE thinking teenybobber is a far going teenibopper.

"Trailer Trash"? Ha, Interesting! Ya!

Cassandra: ::

"....I am a 15 year old teenager..."

you--cassandra--are a 15 yr old that NEEDS TO LEARN TO SPELL!!!

Who wants to wiast their time on stupid teenagers?Teens like Liz are a big waist of time.
I am a 15 year old teenager and I think that teens that decide to have sex are just sick and disgusting people-espesially since they are never married. "Aciddental pregnency?" @#!^*@#*^!
Chiah! Whatever! Acident my ass! Every one in the Spears family should be ashamed and, in my opinion, the whole lot of them are trailer trash.
Brit didnt set the best example for Liz, either.
And Brit is one of the worst singers ever!

Ms. Tenety,
1. Nice try at a "hook"- Jesus born to an unwed mother. However, Mary and Joseph were betrothed -- and in their society, a betrothal required a divorce to untie it. Yes, Mary was unwed, but her virginity is a matter of faith, and not to be misunderstood by a 20-21st century sense of the word "unwed."
2. People don't "lose" their virginity unless it is taken from them by force.
3. Jamie Lynn may be "in step" with her peers, but not enough attention has been paid to her family environment. Why do I say this?
[4a] Many years ago, Britney commented that the family sometimes walked around the house in the nude.
[4b] BS has allegedly continued this practice, according to papers filed by K-Fed in their child custody fight.
[5] Someone raised in such an environment has a warped psychosexual development.
[6] "Boyfriend" or not, I should hope that the proper authorities will investigate this as a possible statutory rape. Statutes should always trump so-called "consensuality"

KEWL... IT IS !so! CHRISTIAN for 16 yr olds to become baby factories...

...kewl...keep the women in the kitchen..

...SO CHRISTIAN!!!

It's sad how sarcastic and cynical society is. I can't stand celebrity worship, but the bottom line is that, hey, they're human. (I can hear you all cracking up; you know you just watch these people because they make you feel better about yourselves.) Maybe it's a crazy ideal nowadays, but I really don't want to see people hurting. The writer is saying she hopes that a tough situation this girl is going through can be made into a positive situation. I really don't see what's wrong with that at all.

Considering that she was too stupid to figure out birth control, I do not have high hopes for her child.

Bobby-

just because you might have waited for sex doesn't mean the majority of teens do. because they don't. sure a few may wait, but the rest will have sex. Abstinance only sex-ed is complete crap, if people followed the rule "no glove no love" we wouldn't have people getting knocked up as much.

Fact is, she's not at all typical. She's rich, rich, rich (albeit exploited in a sophisticated way). But unlike most pregnant teens, she'll be able to afford whatever she wants to make motherhood a breeze compared with the typical high school age mother.

Hey, this is par for the course. Most young girls with an older sister grows up idolizing her. Big Sister Brittany has not been setting the best example of being a role model. While there is plenty of blame to go around in the Spears' family, we have to blame a lot on our society. Sex among teens is about as common as the cold. Look at the trends in the dress today. Our kids are walking advertisements for sex. Listen to the music, Alyiah for instance ("Rock the boat, work the middle, change positions") AIDS does not scare anyone these days. Some are willing to roll the dice. If the young lady had any other common last name, she would become another statistic. But we seem to feast on the lives of "stars." This is no reason to celebrate, it is time to pray. Hopefully, our teens in America will see the damaging effects of this young lady (and young man's) action and change their ways.

Actually, for health reasons, teenagers are the only ones who should get pregnant. The human body begins to decay after age 19.

Good Christian values as these young people met in Church. Now Americans celebrate this action as they do Britney. This young man has no worries as White kids don't get charged with underage sex. But now Black young men who obey the Republican Christian law or as we're seen they will go to jail for 20 years if they have sex. Yes this is the example of the Republican Christian Values of America. Rev. Huckabee's son David tortured and kill a dog and Daddy had is case squashed. Michael Vick did the same thing and goes to jail. Welcome to the Bush Administration's new American. Where lying and sex even child molestation like with Fingers Foley is legal, hiring prostitutes like Senator Vitter and of course solicitation for sex in the men's room like Larry Craig. If a Black person blinks and eye in America he/she will got to jail.

What ??????
A young teenage "white girl" pregnant!!!!

Elizabeth Tenety's Campus Catholic column "Our Pregnant Teenager" sounds almost like some kind of rhetoric designed to obfuscate the real issue. Jamie Lynn Spears was very publicly committed to a stance favoring teen abstinence. In other words, she publicly portrayed herself as being a virgin.

Now, this self-professed "virgin", an actress on cable who has seen more success than most teens dream of, has now squandered her position, abandoned her rhetoric about abstinence... and she's going to rear a child? How Ms. Tenety managed to spin this situation into a rallying cry to support and love Ms. Spears is beyond reason. Ms. Tenety seems to ignore such thorny issues as statutory rape, parental fitness, and the logic of expecting a healthy child-rearing home when kids are having kids.

It should be remembered that Ms. Spears made a conscious choice to endorse abstinence, and appear as a role-model entertainer. Ms. Tenety cannot be allowed to ignore that.

There are millions of unwed pregnant teenagers in this country every year who never had what Ms. Spears is throwing away. Will Ms. Tenety's charitable nature extend to them, including those who are non-white, non-middle-class, and non-Christian? What about unwed teen mothers who are black, or American Indians? I think not. How many of these unwed teen mothers will ever finish school, get a decent job, or otherwise ever have a chance to get control of their lives? And how will their children grow up? If an unwed mother is unable to support her new family, will Ms. Tenety volunteer to move and take care of them both?

Sanctifying Jamie Lynn Spears' hypocrisy can only have one goal: the endorsement of the old world view that women should be kept barefoot and pregnant. My message to Ms. Tenety: you go first.

So this is America . . picking on a 16 year old who is pregnant and making judgments long distance. What a wonderful nation.

If only there was some kind of birth control that could be given to people as they hit puberty that would last for the rest of their lives unless, after turning 18, they applied to have it reversed... but only if they proved they were mature enough, responsible enough and smart enough and financially able to care for the child.

Then we might not have so many children growing up in hellish and nightmarish situations.

I mean seriously... you need a license to drive a car, you need one to own a gun, but to bring another human being into the world, a human being who is completely dependent on you?

Nada.

Just doesn't seem right.

Pulsar, get your terms right. You do not mean "immaculate conception." You mean "MIRACULOUS conception" or the Annunciation. The "Immaculate Conception" does not refer to the conception of Jesus in the womb of Mary. It refers to the conception of Mary in the womb of St. Anne. Anne and Joachim had sex for this to happen. The "immaculousness" of the conception has nothing to do with sex. It has everything to do with protecting Mary from original sin, since otherwise Jesus would have inherited it.

I'm sorry, but the judgement comes when you call something a "sin" in the first place. I don't know anything about these teenagers or their circumstances (except that Britany is her sister), but the substance of the situation has nothing to do with Christian notions of sin. If the couple has enough emotional maturity they'll be fine. Papers and pedophiles are immaterial.

Well said: Most of the worst problems in this world have been caused by overbearing religious fanatics and bigots! Look who are making the worst unfounded comments about this girl? Maybe she is in love with the guy and vice versa. Just because it doesn't always work doesn't mean that it never works. Every time I think of old biddies, both male and female who run to church every Sunday and talk horribly about other people behind their backs and in whispers just burns me up.

Liz - Thanks for trying to raise constructive discussion about important issues: how families with Nick-viewing kids should deal with the Jamie Lynn Spears news and reconcile it with family and Church opinions on sex & pregnancy without marriage, teen sexuality, and family & community support of pregnant girls and women. Like many here I too have a hard time being sympathetic given the Spears family history, and I also don't like the inequity between how celebrities & people of wealth are treated compared to others. But I still think it's important for parents and church communities to use this "teachable moment" - especially in this season of Advent and Christmas - to reinforce the importance of embracing life once conceived, and ensuring adequate prenatal and postnatal care and support, while at same time reinforcing that premature sexuality and sex-without-commitment can have very difficult consequences. Merry Christmas.

To Ted,

Ted:
As noted a couple of times elsewhere, the Bible describes Mary and Joseph as married before the birth of Jesus--see Lk 2:1-7 and Matt 1:18-25 RSV.

Betrothed is a promise to marry. Understand! They weren't married. Joseph at sometime promised to marry this women. She had a baby while they were not married.

I agree with your plea for some tolerance and restraint but not for the reasons you try to argue.

Are you trying to compare JLS with Mary, Aldridge with the Holy Spirit, the statutory rape with the Immaculate Conception, OK! Magazine with the Old Testament's prophecies?

It is ok to base this argument on the fact that the God you believe in is a God of love, foregiveness, acceptance and redemption

Perhaps Logic 101 should be part of the training for Journalism 101.

Ellen,

So-called pro-life people don't care about babies once they are born. The exception seems to be white babies or english or western european descent. People will pay big bucks for them.

The rest seem to be left on their own to be raised or often not raised by whatever and whomever. A sad fate to be born but unwanted.

shame on us. she gets knocked up and we are the ones who should feel shame?
how about we put daddy in jail for statutory rape and mommy to be in juvy hall - where the poor folks would be if they did it.

shame on us. she gets knocked up and we are the ones who should feel shame?
how about we put daddy in jail for statutory rape and mommy to be in juvy hall - where the poor folks would be if they did it.

Ellen,

So-called pro-life people don't care about babies once they are born. The exception seems to be white babies or english or western european descent. People will pay big bucks for them.

The rest seem to be left on their own to be raised or often not raised by whatever and whomever. A sad fate to be born but unwanted.

People are talking about why did they come out with the info so soon? well lets think about this, if they hadnt announced it, then it would have been an even bigger "scandal" then it is now. i mean the girl is going to keep the child, so why do people feel she should have hid it? to be quite honest, she shouldnt have had to say anything. but hey i would rather announce my own dirt and get paid $1 million for it, then to have some reporter or paparazzi think they busted me. but who really cares, she's 16, having a baby, big woop. there are plenty like her out here, some who will be like her and some who are products of girls like her.

As noted a couple of times elsewhere, the Bible describes Mary and Joseph as married before the birth of Jesus--see Lk 2:1-7 and Matt 1:18-25 RSV.

Religion aside, there is a reason societies typically strongly discourage sexual activity and pregnancies among the unwed, especially girls, and that is because most simply do not have the resources, economic or otherwise, to care for the babies alone. One of the (milder) ways this is discouraged is through shame. And when there is no shame for some--e.g celebrities--then others will say "Well, if its OK for her, its OK for me." For most of these unwed girls and their babies this is a mistake that can lead to a very difficult life. Abortion is not the answer, but a little shame at sexual activity among the unwed would be very worthwhile.

All of this hype on TV about this stinks. I heard all the laughing newscasters last night on Fox News, the dregs of all newscasts in the first place. 16 year old teenagers were getting pregnant in the 1950s (I was there), the 1960s and in the 1940s and before. Prior to the 1970s most got married to the young man. Some stayed married and raised their child, some got divorced and took their child, some got divorced and abandoned their child to the Dad or the grandparents, and some put the child up for adoption. This girl is no different from those who went berore, except she has a famous and somewhat disoriented sister. It's time to lay off, especially laughing hiena newscasters and newspaper writers above all.

Looks like a case of Farfalotis.

Farfalotis of the Blowhole!

"Christians have a special sympathy for unmarried pregnant teenagers, especially during Advent. Jesus Christ was born to one."

But they have more sympathy for the statutory rapist - GOD!

GOD is a rapist!!! Turn him in!!! Get him off the streets!!! He's a dirty filthy disgusting pervert!!!

Put GOD on the SEX OFFENDER list!!!

It is a fact that a 16 year old woman is biologically fit to have babies.

My only regret is that Ms. Spears is having the baby out of wed lock. Which is a sin.

I hope when Jamie gets older she can still shake that moneymaker like big sis. Sometimes, pregnancy can make a woman less sexy and more dumpified. I hope for the sake of her career she doesn't look dumpy. K-K-K-K-K-K-K-K-K-jang-jang!

I hope when Jamie gets older she can still shake that moneymaker like big sis. Sometimes, pregnancy can make a woman less sexy and more dumpified. I hope for the sake of her career she doesn't look dumpy. K-K-K-K-K-K-K-K-K-jang-jang!

Ellen,

Being "pro life" and the issues of youth pregnancy are mutually exclusive. From what I've read, this isn't exactly what she wanted. But, of course, not having sex was obviously too big a challenge for her. I speak only for myself, but I would argue that she made a terrible, foolish mistake, but seems to want to accept responsibility for it by not sprinting to the nearest abortion clinic (which would be the cheap and easy way out).

Chaotician,

If only your own mother shared the same view.

To GOD,

You are right. I wanted to father this child. First, please pardon me of statutory rape. I am jealous. I 'feen' and yearn daily for the forbidden fruit. I still can't get any. If that baby shows any signs of nappy hair, it will be disowned. Today, you can find new born babies crying in dumpsters. It must have been a nappy-headed baby with thick lips. Michael Jackson extractd most of his big lips. Michael had his thick wide nose chopped down to a narrow thin long pointed at the end kind of nose. The new image earned him millions more dollars because after the series of surgeries were completed, he could crossover and appeal to the society that could buy his products. This strategy was pounded in his head by the record label who employed his talents. Michael chose the forbidden fruit to have his babies by method of insert the seeds (by a long object) (Michael get that long (or short) black thing away from my fruit) in her forbidden fruit vagina. This is the American way. Believe in my Jesus. If you don't believe, I'll have the CIA visit you.

Miss Tenety, this might just be the pinnacle of your journalism career.

Good Christians,

You can't even find any verifiable proof that Jesus was even born much less that his mum was a Virgin, not to mention that he was a third of a God. If you choose to believe based on the word of a Roman Emperor, then you might just as well believe in Zeus!

We have 7 Billion people and counting; it is not a good nor moral to bring this additional life onboard for irrational theology, parental exploitation, or childish naïveté'.

A. Where are all of the "pro-life" groups? They should be rallying around her and celebrating that she didn't have an abortion, unless they are hypocrites.
B. For those who have written in, talking about contraception, many of these same "pro-life" groups do not believe in contraception or at least providing information to people about it.
C. This is a prime example of what happens to a young woman who unexpectedly finds herself pregnant....she is ostracized by society. People are outraged and she and her mother (like any parent can really control what their teenager does all the time) are judged harshly by society. Why do you think so many people get abortions? Unwed mothers aren't exactly treated kindly by people...and especially people of faith.
Most of the reactions I've seen in the news have been how shameful and bad this is and how she is a terrible role model....how unlike the response that Jesus would have had. I hope that every person who has had a reaction to this girl's pregnancy does a little soul searching about themselves and about what it must be like to be a woman who finds herself pregnant.
To the "pro-lifers" out there. Let's hear your loudly rejoicing voices here, defending this girl for having her kid. Unless your views really aren't about pro-life and are more about punishing women for having sex. This young women and every woman out there facing pregnancy deserves your support, and if you can't be unjudgementally supportive, then maybe you need to rethink your stance on abortion.
To the parents who don't want her for a role model: What were you thinking in the first place, having a celebrity as a role model? This actually presents a great opportunity to have a discussion about sex and your beliefs about it w/ your kids. And please don't teach your kids that she is a slut or a bad person....that just perpetuates unkindness.
I am pro choice and I salute this girl for keeping her child. I hope that society supports her decision and helps to prepare her to be a better parent than her sister appears to be (heck, both of them need our societal support...they need parenting classes, etc...and they definitely can afford it).
And I hope that Nickelodeon does not cancel this show. It would be a horrible signal to any young woman who finds herself pregnant....and really sends the signal that in order to continue her life, she should terminate her pregnancy and go on as before. If we could show that you can be an unwed mother, raise your child well (with help), and go on w/ your schooling or job or whatever.....it would really make choosing to have a child over an abortion a more appealing choice.

Bobby,

In one of your posts you note that abstinence is

"simply the moral, decent thing to teach them."

Why is abstinence moral and decent? Is it not simply a practical behavior choice that eliminates the risk of pregnancy and reduces the risk of negative emotional consequences that could result from intimate involvement with another person.

I see no basis to conclude abstinence to be a act of moral superiority or decency nor do I see other sexual activity choices to be inherently immoral or indecent. An example of immoral and indecent, as I see it, is when one person's will is imposed on another through guile or force.

As for young people, common sense suggests that if you cannot afford the consequences of risky behaviors, don't take the risk. In general, life rewards the wise and is cruel to fools. For young people whose life, as they intended or wanted it to be, is "ruined" because they made a baby, I have no sympathy, no handouts, no job, and no help to give you. You made your choices, as we all must, now deal with the consequences.

If you continue to be a screw up, others will step in and take away the child. If you choose this path, you are beneath contempt for such behavior is truly indecent and immoral.

If you wanted a baby and are prepared to be an adult and do right by this new person by fully meeting your lifetime parental obligation (not easy when you have no money, limited education, and no useful skills), then good for you.

Jesus Christ was born to an unmarried VIRGIN teenager because his mother was chosen by God. Jamie Lynn will be an unmarried mother because she had sex when she was still a child, and didn't use birth control, which is *extremely* effective, regardless of what the abstinence-proponents want you to hear. And perhaps also because her parents allowed her to live with a man when she was just a child.

I cannot believe that you compared Jamie Lynn to the Virgin Mary.

That's got to be a first.

You are all very sad people. Historically, pregnant 16 year old women are common and accepted. It has only been in the last 80 years that this puritanical, negative stigma has been applied to pregnancies of women under the age of 18. Many women were married by their 15th birthday. Why Jerry Lee Lewis legally married a 13 year old back in the 50's.

In an age where 14 and 15 year old girls in the inner cities and poorer neighborhoods around the world become pregnant faster than you can turn your heads away and pretend you don’t know about it, why are you so transfixed on this one girl? Because she's white, pretty, blond and wealthy? I know you men here are jealous that you didn't have the opportunity to father this child. I’m sure the likelihood that you'd stick around to be a part of the child’s life is pretty good also unlike the inner city and poorer neighborhood girls that you abandon. If you who believe in me declare that life is sacred, why aren't the children of the inner city and poorer neighborhood girls even more important than this child? Why must these children go hungry? Why must they be abused, neglected and abandoned? I would encourage you to look within yourselves and ask what your morbid fascination is here and please leave Jesus, Mary and Joseph out of this insidious and saddening conversation.

This College Catholic sounds like a deluded lunatic! Get over yourself, and your cult of the stupid already. Crazy Christians, simple victims of fraud, or just plain stupid?

At any rate, her little piece could not have been more self serving, or more deluded. The modern Christian way. Hail the Second Coming!

To jashu51,

A 16 year old women would know much about becoming a mother when after the arrival of the child. Have you ever been at the touch of a new born leaving the shaft of a vagina. Childbirth is real. When the doctor places the child in the arms of the mother, she becomes the real and authentic mother. The milk soon drain to the breasts and the milk sucking commences. You become a mother when the child can't (finds it difficult) stop sucking on the breasts. The child begins to crave his mother's breasts and the milk becomes addictive. Many mothers do not breast feed their children. The bond between mother and child becomes unbreakable. The milk from her breast is not like any other thing a child will ever have in his life. A mother is real. She becomes a mother instinctively (naturally). It only takes a microsecond for those instincts to kick in. It is beautiful. A 12 year old mother would engage a mother as quickly as a 40 year mother to be. It would be too long before the child vociferously screams for its mother. The child needs the mother and I hope Jamie Lynn will be ready for motherhood. It indeed is an important decision. You have to be committed to the newborn human being. The child needs to suck the breasts.

Who's the daddy?? Mi Ex-boyfriend....

To start, she is not the first or the youngest, and second, look who her older sister is: Britney Spears! The worst teenage role model since Madonna.
She doesn't have any good examples in her life.
I just don't understand what the rush is for these girls to have sex. I am 23 years old and recently married. I waited until after marriage to loose my virginity and I gave it as an ultimate gift to my husband out of love to him. He doesn't have to wonder or worry at all about my past, because it's clean. It was not a religious decision, but a personal one, and I have to say it was the best promise I have ever kept! I wish I could make other teens understand that.

What's all this about feminism.

It's the hermaphrodites that get the raw end of the deal, really, think about it, what ARE they options ?

It's pretty darn limited, granted pregnancy won't come from it.

I'm amazed there will be a full generation of Stepford zombies - one nation - under god - monica goodling style that are going to have to grow up the hard way, or get the mexicans to take care of their lawn while they find their self personalized afterlife preserved through demeaning others potential to have a quality life.

Author of this article - you live in a fantasy land.

I hope Pat Robertson has his way with you on a bible beating trip.

Khayla---who's the daddy? Do you know? See you on "Maury"! Later, hon'.

Frank, that's some hilarious shizznit!

Keep it coming! Oh wait - isn't that what Britney AND Jamie said?

I'm 17 ---- " I'm a happy mom " (single)

What was it she said, something about "being the best mother I can be". Maybe I'm just an old geezer, but would somebody explain to me why her pregnancy couldn't have waited 10 years?!? WTF does a 16-year-old know about being a mother?

I'm so tired of people not taking responsibility for their actions. The general public isn't at fault for this dumb chick getting knocked up. That's between her and the boyfriend (isn't that statutory rape, by the way?).

But it's the mother who must also be accountable. What a schlocky job of parenting she's done. And this was the broad who was writing a book on parenting? That is hilarious.

When is the Spears family just going to vanish?

get serious are really having a disscusion about this

Dianna,

Yes, but you are referring to the "king of kings' in this society. He can do no wrong. His image will be maintained upright. He is the media. It can be altered to maintain his image on high. He is God. He can create wars. He can enslave. He can clone. He can nuclear bomb the world with the mere touch of a button. Do you know who I am talking about? He is none other than 'Superman'! He is everyone's delight. Black women love him. Black men dispise him and want to emulate him. That ain't happening. Superman doesn't have to worry about paying child support. He will always have a job. He had Sadaam hung. Superman can't find Bin Laden. That puzzles me. He found Michael Vick and put him in jail for killing dogs. If Micheal were smart, he would have sent all the dogs he didn't want to China. You know what I mean? There are a billion and 300 million chinese who need to eat. They eat everything including cats. Jamie Lynn's lover will not receive any scruity, honey, he is the symbol of manhood in this society. He is above God. I'll eventually have to work for the PIMP.

Dianna, you're right, it's not her fault. It's Britney's fault for looking so dang sexy and making the boyfriend want to have sex with her younger sister. He and K-Fed should get together and compare notes. K-K-K-K-K-K-jang-jang!!!

It's embarassing that this made the news in the first place and even more embarassing that this so called "journalist-to-be" would contemplate covering such drivel. The Spears family should be sterilized as should the author.

Please!!! , :?

What else would you expect from such a WT family? One sister is twice divorced with 2 kids, overweight and a laughing stock, and now the other, right on cue gets pregnant at 16! How delightfully predictable!

You people (and by "you people" I mean the religious fanatics that are screwing up our country) are so blind to the reality that this "poor girl" (I wish I was as poor as her!!) knew exactly what she was doing when she was doing it!

She has an older sister who just had two children. She knew full well what the outcome of unprotected sex could be. Growing up in the shadow of her sister who, at the same age or close to, was made very much aware of the possibilities of becoming pregnant. Brittany was often questioned about her sexual activity when it was 1st discovered that she was dating Justin Timberlake. She protested loudly about her "Christian faith" and how it was wrong to have sexual relations out of wedlock and the results of unprotected sex. And Jaime Lynn was right there, next to her sister the whole time.

This will only send the signal that it's okay to have sex at a young age, unprotected, and that it's okay to get pregnant. After all. If it weren't for Brittany's celebrity, these two would just be another pair of white trailer trash rednecks who got knocked up on a Saturday night.

But what do I know. I'm just a heathen Jew.

Has everyone forgotten that there was a man involved in all of this? It's so easy to cast blame on the pregnant woman, wag your finger "shame on her!" and totally lose sight of the fact that it truly takes two to tango.

(1) She is a 16 year old girl who has become pregnant -- and has decided to keep the child;

(2) She is a member of a family that can afford to handle this, and has a significant income of her own, so obviously, there is no need for child support;

(3) The father seems to be on board and supportive and stepping up to the plate;

So what's the problem here? Arguably, having a child at 16 or so is not the best thing to do, though the late Brooke Astor got engaged when she was 16 and got married three weeks after her 17th birthday to her first husband, who was 23 (still, she didn't have a child until she was 22). And certainly such an incident is enough to get everybody hot under the collar -- most especially people who know nothing about what's going on in that young woman's mind, heart, family, et cetera.

It just amazes me how so many people are throwing stones and anxious to give their opinions when, frankly, it's none of their business. Is this a nation of ambulance chasers? Stop the celebrity gawking and attend to your own families, your own troubles, your own issues. The world would be a much better place if we did something constructive with our time than spouting off (ignorantly) in forums like this.

Religious Right Extremists Psychos can TRY to teach abstinence but studies show it does not work. The more you talk about sex, the more likely they are going to get some. Most of the Religious Right Extremists Psychos are Hypocrites and Religious Frauds like the White House War Criminal, the VP of Torture, Larry Craig, Ted Haggard, David Vitter, etc. Publicly they are moralizing, but privately it is the exact opposite.

Maybe, the Hypocrites can stone women to death like the Islunatic in the Middle East. The bible promotes the stoning of women.

John 8:5
Deuteronomy 22:21
Deuteronomy 22:23-24

http://www.ajc.com/opinion/content/opinion/tucker/stories/2007/12/11/tucked_1212.html

Bush policies likely to blame for more teen births

The Atlanta Journal-Constitution

Published on: 12/12/07

First, violent crime. Now, teen birth rates.

After declining for more than a decade, births to unmarried teenagers suddenly increased 3 percent among 15- to 19-year-old girls between 2005 and 2006, according to the National Center for Health Statistics. Like the uptick in violent crime, this could signal a worrisome trend — another sign that undesirable social phenomena the nation struggled to curb in the 1990s have begun to ooze back up through the sewer grate. The one-year increase in births to teen moms could be an anomaly. Maybe the numbers for 2007 will show another decline, as adolescent girls stick to their abstinence pledges or remember to use contraceptives. Maybe the 3 percent increase is just a slight bump in the long road toward ending adolescent motherhood.

CYNTHIA TUCKER
MY OPINION

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But the figures are troubling because they come after years of national folly, including a White House strategy of endorsing and funding abstinence-only education. President Bush and other social conservatives have long rejected giving adolescents information about contraception while also encouraging abstinence. They insist that teaching kids to rely on chastity will prevent sexual experimentation.

That never made much sense, given a culture that uses sex to sell everything from toothpaste to T-shirts. Adolescents are hardly immune to those continuous cultural signals, pumped through music, videos and youth-oriented TV shows such as Fox's long-running drama, "The O.C." Over the last couple of years, a raft of studies has given scientific weight to the nagging suspicion that "abstinence only" education is a dud.

In 2005 and 2006, researchers surveyed 2,000 teenagers in two rural and two urban communities. They found that students who had had abstinence-only education were just as likely to have sex as a control group of teens who did not receive the instruction. Among sexually active teens in both groups, the average age of the start of sexual activity was just shy of 15. A majority of those had two or more partners, they said. Just 23 percent reported always using condoms.

The recent rise in teen births stands in stark contrast to more than a decade of decline. Between 1991 and 2005, the rate of births to females aged 15-19 plummeted by 34 percent, from a high of 61.8 births per 1,000 in 1991 to 40.5 live births per 1,000 females in that age bracket in 2005.

And that stunning drop was by no means mere coincidence. Activists and community volunteers who genuinely wanted to curb adolescent pregnancy — as opposed to those who just wanted to rail against abortion and inflict their rigid moral codes on others — worked hard to find programs that actually worked. They formed clubs for teen girls. They wrote scripts for role-playing, teaching teenagers how to say "no" to sex. (Those activists, too, believe in abstinence, but they're not naive about its utility.)

High school teachers assigned homework in which students spent a week caring for crying, fidgeting, diaper-wetting baby dolls, so adolescents would learn how difficult and demanding infants can be. They handed out contraceptives, including Depo-Provera, an injection that proved effective with teenaged girls who were unlikely to remember daily pills.

Through the 1990s, that overlapping network of programs was supported and partially funded by the Clinton White House, which believed in a pragmatic response to social problems. While President Clinton supported a woman's right to choose, he also said abortions should be "safe, legal and rare." The same pragmatism brought federal support for crime prevention efforts, including federal funds for hiring police officers.

By contrast, the Bush White House has turned back to a conservative ideology that mocks government as the source of problems — unless taxpayer funds can be used to further far-right objectives. So Depo-Provera is out, but abstinence pledges are in.

Maybe it's just coincidence that

mary magdalene,

You paint the reality. That sweet little child of GOD will need much attention. When you are 16 or 17 years of age, you will not want to sit and change any diapers and smell that s*^%t. You will want to go out and get drunk all night long with your peers. But that baby will need milk 4 or 5 times a day. The baby will need to go back and forth to the doctor. The baby will need clothes. At 16 or 17, you will not have your mind of those matters. So, you'll (she'll) dump it on your mother. Right? You had 20 minutes of pleasure and now you will be giving a mother some more pain for life because you can't stay at home long enough to care for your bastard. Now, I see why you Christians are hooping and hollering. If I were the mother, I'd move to Siberia where I couldn't be found. I'd leave the Trailer Trash. I don't condone dessertion but I do understand.

Anon,

Re:Planned Parenthood and free services

Could it be they must charge for their services because they are not supported by the mighty church?

PS-the FFL and USCCB perform free abortions??

"Obviously you don't know what you're talking about, bc FFL and the USCCB give money and support to pregnancy centers all over the country that exist precisely for pregnant women in need- single, married, black, white, ANYONE, to give them prenatal care and material and financial assistance for FREE. Even planned parenthood charges for their services - they don't do free prenatal care or free abortions."

TO: Kentuckienne:
"No, shame on her mother for selling the story of Jamie Lynn's pregnancy to the highest bidder. She's being exploited by members of her own family.

Also, what services do "Feminists for Life" and the US Conference of Catholic Bishops offer pregnant teens? Are they sponsors of prenatal care so that the baby is born healthy, or childcare so that the mother can finish school? Or do they simply tell pregnant teenagers that they shouldn't have an abortion?"

--Obviously you don't know what you're talking about, bc FFL and the USCCB give money and support to pregnancy centers all over the country that exist precisely for pregnant women in need- single, married, black, white, ANYONE, to give them prenatal care and material and financial assistance for FREE. Even planned parenthood charges for their services - they don't do free prenatal care or free abortions. Get informed before you accuse.
www.care-net.org
www.lifecall.org

punxnbutter wrote: "I can't believe the mother has a parenting book...was it released on April 1st?"

It was due to be published next April. The christian book publisher announced the release is on hold, indefinitely. Oh the irony...

How about we all stop making a BIG DEAL; since this is not the first 16 year old in the United States to have a baby. Let her and her family do what they need to do to get through this time and maybe work on our own situations.

JACYJ, you make a good point. Britney Spears was already firmly established in the entertainment industry, but her sister has been riding her coattails for her entire short "career." If she gets the same "oddball" label as her sister, she'll just end up as a "has been" at the age 16. Hollywood is a cruel ruthless monster. Just ask Dustin Diamond.

I hope someone has been investing that girl's money into some good real estate.

I don't know theology at all. Never took a class. I'm not Christian either, so I don't know if Mary was married or not. However, Ms. Tenety, you attended Georgetown undergrad majoring in theology and now attend one of the best Journalism schools in the country. Shouldn't you know the basics about Catholicism?

BTW - Wasn't Mary married to Joseph?

Skanks and Skags are all the same. They need to ball a baller. What? You Christians can't view the world that way. My God! up or down here in the heavens. Heaven on earth, baby. It can be Hell on earth if you bring bastards into this world. I ain't a bastard and it is still hell. Don't look up anywhere in the sky. You had better keep your eye down here on Johnny the 18 year old Stud because he will knock-up your little white daughters and make them all "trailer trash". That is the greatest fear and threat to a white man and his religion. Just can't tolerate "trailer trash" - not since we stole America and had slaves working for us and amassing our wealth.

If you look at their family they seem to crave the spotlight at all costs and despite their income they will forever remain swamp trash. Consider them a sneak peek into southern culture where it's a competition to have kids of your own as soon as you get your first period. Is anyone really surprised? Does anyone care to inquire how this "woman" even qualified to be an actor?

I can't believe the mother has a parenting book...was it released on April 1st?

I agree with what Elizabeth wrote except for

Christians have a special sympathy for unmarried pregnant teenagers, especially during Advent. Jesus Christ was born to one. Our particular religious history is one reason why the news that Britney Spears’ 16 year-old sister Jamie Lynn is three months pregnant is an important cultural moment.

Jamie Lynn is a star in her own right, the lead character in the Nickelodeon TV show Zoey 101. After her pregnancy became public, Viacom issued a vague statement about their respect for Jamie’s “decision to take responsibility” for her pregnancy.

Although her pregnancy is being portrayed by the media as an anomaly in the life of teens, in at least one way, Jamie Lynn is right on target with her peers: The average American loses their virginity at 16. Jamie’s decision to keep her baby was met with brutal scrutiny that few pregnant teenagers have ever had to endure. In some ways, the easier thing to do would have been to privately terminate her pregnancy. She and her family would never have had to endure this kind of media exploitation.

There are many good people within the Church and outside it who have dedicated themselves to serving women like Jamie Lynn. In doing so, they model the Christ of John’s Gospel, when during the Last Supper, He set himself to wash his followers feet as a sign of Christian charity. Christians follow Christ in that way, to love the sinner and hate the sin, to judge not, but show love through humane service.

Young women across the country are taking note of the uproar. Will the message they receive be that unplanned pregnancies bring deserved shame, or that women experiencing unplanned pregnancies also deserve unplanned joy?

Eric wrote: "Who says she wasn't instructed on how to use birth control? Birth control is NOT 100%"

Jamie grew up in MS and was educated at Parklane Academy, a christian private school. Christian teens in MS having sex and not using birth control is as certain as the sun rising in the morning.

Here is a nice map of rates of teen pregnancy rates:

http://www.teenpregnancy.org/america/statisticsDisplay.asp?ID=3&sID=18

MS is pretty high. What I take from this map is to raise your kids where it is cold, a blue state, and where your neighbors could care less what religion you believe in and if you are a christian, could care less what type of christian you are.

A few important points--

1. She met the boy "AT CHURCH". There's her first mistake right there! Any good Catholic girl will tell you, those church boys will Fu#@$ you every time.

2. Insiders will tell you that the Spears family is just FREAKING out right now...not because there is another mouth to feed, but because they really and truly now do not know where the $$ will come from, now that their CASH COW Jamie Lynn is off the streets. These parents and the world should not be shocked at Jamie's promiscuity--They have been PIMPING their kids to Hollywood their whole lives, not allowing them to have a life.

Let's all pray to the Baby Jesus that Jamie Lynn does not become the kind of mama her big sister turned out to be......yikes.

Moral of the story?? Dont ruin your life over kids when you are that young.

Fusar, I couldn't agree with you more about it being best at ages 18 and 19. Ahh, the good old days!

Note to Andrew-The Right Winger, I'm with ya buddy. Next, let's cure cases of meningitis with prayer magic crystals!

An 18 or 19 year old male is at the peak, at the zenith, of his sexual performance capability. It doesn't get any better for a male. It is all down hill from 19 on. Most males know this and most women as well. Females had better enjoy the 18 or 19 year old male. I have been told that young males are experimenting with Viagra and Cialis, which makes the verility of the sexual experience for a female that more appealing. What female would not want to have sex with a male at his peak with Viagra to boot. She couldn't say no at any age when she has become viable for sex. There is so much competition nowadays to please the female so that she will not churn the male and sleep around because of poor sex performers. Holler! Get real or close this forum. What would Jesus have to say about this?

welll...I want to ask...WHY IS SHE HAVING SEX IN THE FIRST PLACE!!! SHE IS 16 PARENTS NEED TO CONTROL THEIR KIDS! IT'S THE LIBERALS OF THE WORLD WHO WANT TO FIX THE PROBLEM WITH CONDOMS!! WELL WHY NOT TEACH ABSTENANCE?

How sad it is that so many feel the need to criticize this young girl! True, she could have exercised better judgement in engaging in unprotected sex. But is she not taking responsibility for her actions now by having the baby? Pro-lifers should realize that publically shaming those who choose to be teenaged mothers only causes others in similar situations to consider abortion!

Rebbe, you wrote that a male of 19 years isn't a man yet. Huh?

So are you saying that all our 18 and 19-year-old soldiers who have died in Iraq and Afghanistan are boys?

If you are 31 and your daughter is 16, it means that you had her when you were 15. Did your mother kick you out of the house when you told her you were pregnant? If so, that's very sad. You probably deserved to have better parents. At the time they should have asked "What would Jesus do?" I pity you. I hope Jamie Lynn Spears' parents are nicer than yours were to you.

How sad it is that so many feel the need to criticize this young girl! True, she could have exercized better judgement in engaging in unprotected sex. But is she not taking responsibility for her actions now by having the baby? Pro-lifers should realize that publically shaming those who choose to be teenaged mothers only causes others in similar situations to consider abortion!

Let me say that Jamie Lynn still has time to end it. Abortions occur right on up to the time when the embryo... Now don't get me wrong here. I love life but if I have all of these Christians judging me and saying that I have done wrong, then I want to right myself of my wrong in the eyes of all the saints. Abort now or ye shall have this bastard in approximately 6 months. The sex was good and I enjoyed it. Can I do this again? Woe, good sex begotten (while the getting is good) by others not so promiscuous as I. You all are so jealous of my actions. Get your own life.

You people have all missed the point here. The cat is out of the bag. The girl is pregnant. The world knows. Who cares?!

The real problem is that another child has the unfortunate luck of being born into this most dysfunctional family. When will someone come to their senses and sterilize the lot of them so no more children will have to suffer for the stupidity of their irresponsible young mothers or their idiot grandmother

Why should celebrities have to live politically correct lives when we don't have to? WHAT'S WRONG WITH YOU PEOPLE?

Who says she wasn't instructed on how to use birth control? Birth control is NOT 100% SUCCESSFUL! It is unfortunate that a lot of people seem to not have been instructed about that important fact.

Jamie Lynn does not seem like the type of girl who wouldn't use birth control, or be dimwitted enough not to use it. If she comes out now and says she's pregnant and that she's keeping it, we shouldn't judge her. I know plenty of people (I'm 22) who around her age had abortions and went about their lives as if nothing happened (of course I support a woman's right to choose). I think it's noble of her to keep this baby, even at the expense of her reputation at the moment, though I'm sure that the financial security she enjoys is one reason why she decided this.

Why are we judging Jamie Lynn (or for that matter, why are we judging Britney) when we haven't had our own lives under such close scrutiny? I'm sure that the paparazzi could find plenty of things wrong with us to exploit just as easily.

I fart in your general direction. All of you.

Rebbe, Catholic has been spelled UPPERcase in all her other articles, so I'm guessing she means the one run from the Vatican. It was a nice try, but it won't work. She means THE Catholic Church.

You also wrote: "You are old enough to take responsibility for anything that may come of it." What about young girls who are raped? What about girls in countries where birth control is outlawed, e.g. strict Muslim countries?

Your folksy little comments are cute, but not realistic. If my teenage daughter got pregnant, I would do everything I could for her. Afterall, she is my child and MY responsibility. That's what being a parent is all about -- teaching your children to grow into responsible adults and helping them out when they forget the lessons. We all make mistakes, and few are so great to merit banishment. What good would it do me to have my daughter and grandchild living in squalor? Yeah, that's a nice lesson to teach -- you messed up, so now you have to get out. Not in my family. We take care of each other. Maybe I just care more.

Remember, what would Jesus do?

When you walk into a church today, one of the first questions you are asked, "What church are you a member?" The preacher has one and only one thing on his mind - money and getting you to join the tithers. More money in his coffers is what he is thinking. Oftentimes, there is the building fund and the we need this fund. It is a business. Church meetings can become very political. Some parishoners have no voice and will not be allowed to be heard. The ideas are too revolutionary and non-traditional. Religion can take a hike.

The Medill School must be so proud.

OMG - this poor excuse for a writer did NOT dare to compare the Spears girl to the Virgin Mother - did she??

Jamie Lynn Spears appears on a show that is supposed to depict her as a role model for other teens - ending up unmarried and preggers at the age of 16 in this day and age is attrocious and certainly not "role model" material.

Let's also not forget the other Spear girl - Brittney who is so out of control, has barely been able to hold on to even visitation with her kids and is so badly in need of a real family that it is simply not possible to believe that the mother dared to pen a book on parenting while her two girls were falling so badly off the rails.

Personally I think there is something quite sick and twisted daring to compare the prolems of the Spears girl to the mother of Jesus Christ.

Now, who cares about Jamie Lynn Spears's pregnancy?

What is the matter with you, Elizabeth? Are you really so brain-addled?

Dear Webster: 'Spattered' is the correct word. I suggest doing a bit of research before commenting.

The preacher is a PIMP. Give me all your money so I can buy a Mercedes Benz. I can't preach without some tithes. Give it up all you gullible people. I'll have you believe that I am GOD when I am done with the proselytizing. I can have you believe that you don't need any of your money nor your wife. I am the PIMP preacher.

To Ms. Tenety --

Mary and Joseph were married. Your statement that Jesus was born to an unmarried teenager is therefore incorrect.

First, Frankie sweetie, catholic means "universal" which is what the church once was. So quit picking on the the etymology of the word.

She is not the Virgin Mary. There are no comparisons. She's only making headlines because she is the relative of a celeBritney. This is a fluff article that's filler for the evening news, designed to jerk at the emotions. And it has, both ways. So it has been successful.

Now, I'm 31. I remember being in my teens. If my 16-year-old daughter were seeing a 19-year-old boy (he ain't a man yet, sorry guys), there would be a shotgun and lawyer involved. And if he EVER got her knocked up... Just run. Fast. My husband is faster than I am, so be afraid. When I've calmed down, then come back and sit. We'll have some tea. Also, there would be a long talk with the 3 of us about consequences and future plans should I get news that there's a bun in the oven. I can be quite reasonable. But I ain't raising grandbabies and no kids are living in my house.

What is it with these parents, not making their children take responsibility? I watched my own (younger) sister give up one of her own for adoption because she was too young to raise her. Tough decision and she caught some hell for it, but it was best for the child.

I can hear the protests: "But she's only 16! She's not old enough!" She can get a job, learn to care for this new life. Or give the child up. Her parents learned to care for her. Now it's her turn to become an adult. She just decided to grow up sooner than later. Her body, her choice.

You're old enough for sex? You are old enough to take responsibility for anything that may come of it. You will strap on a raincoat, get on the pill, use protection, any other precautions necessary.

Time to grow up, kiddies.

Webster:

Sorry, buddy, but "spattered" is a real word, used correctly in this case.

Why don't you and Kurtz take out an ad in a journalism periodical and lecture each other . These trashy stories about exploited and developmentally challenged young women , including Monica Lewinsky , are not the result of popular demand .

This is one of the most asinine pieces of fluff I have ever had the misfortune to read.

The author is correct that teens usually have had sex by the time they are 16. However, to pour sympathy on this child and her "mother" for the "exploitation" they are enduring in the press is too much! They SOLD this story to OK, AND the rights to the first pictures! You can't cry exploitation in the face of that.

Well, you can ... if you're pointing the finger at MOM.

And to share in the JOY of a 16 year old getting knocked up by her 19 year old boyfriend?

Elizabeth, you look to be about my age. Wake and smell what you're shoveling, please.

"Spatter" is correctly used, like when they say "blood spatter" on CSI and in court.

These Hypocrites are just like Mission Accomplished and Religious Right Extremists. They all are Frauds exploiting religion for personal gain. They only worship Money, Fame and Power. Only the ignorant would trust these Frauds.

Publisher delays memoir by Spears’ mom
Book was to tell story of her experiences raising children in public eye
The Associated Press
updated 1:40 p.m. CT, Wed., Dec. 19, 2007
NEW YORK - Lynne Spears’ book about parenting has been delayed indefinitely, her publisher said Wednesday.

Lindsey Nobles, a spokeswoman for Christian book publisher Thomas Nelson Inc., said Wednesday that the memoir by the mother of Britney Spears was put on hold last week. She declined to comment on whether the delay was connected to the revelation that Spears’ 16-year-old daughter, Jamie Lynn, is pregnant.

“I can tell you that we are standing behind Lynne and supporting her decision to be with her family at this time,” Nobles told The Associated Press.

“Pop Culture Mom: A Real Story of Fame and Family in a Tabloid World” was initially scheduled for release May 11, Mother’s Day. Spears, the mother of three children with ex-husband Jamie Spears, had been working with a Michigan-based freelancer since March on the memoir chronicling Spears’ experiences raising a family in the public eye.

Jamie Lynn Spears, star of Nickelodeon’s “Zoey 101” and sister of Britney, told OK! magazine in its new issue that she’s expecting her first child and the father is boyfriend Casey Aldridge.

Nobles and representatives for Britney Spears said they did not know how Lynne Spears could be reached for comment about the status of her book.

© 2007 The Associated Press. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten or redistributed.
URL: http://www.msnbc.msn.com/id/22329243/

Our Campus Catholic wrote:

"Young women across the country are taking note of the uproar."

What "uproar?" The only uproar is coming from the bozos in the media who have nothing better to do than make trouble and feed off the woes of a 16-year-old girl.

In high school, A friend of mine got pregnant when she was 15, but I didn't see any uproar from the Washington Post or the other media.

This is "uproar" only because Ms. Spears is famous our Campus Catholic girl figures that it would be an easy article to write and she could join the other pigs in the media and feed off of celebrity. Yeah, eat up Liz. Yum, Cheap journalism tastes good.

Why don't you find something relevant to talk about, like how the Catholic church turned a blind eye to the suffering of European Jews during the Holocaust? Why don't you talk about how the Catholic Church then aided fleeing Nazi War criminals? Why don't you talk about how birth control can help prevent teen pregnancies and teen STDs? Why don't you talk about condoms could save women and children in Africa and elsewhere from the scourge of AIDS? Oh, but that would probably require courage and also get you excommunicated.

Oink, oink Liz!

Bobby:

"Bull. Condoms can and do break during coitus and there's nothing you can do to prevent that. Technically you were being safe and "Oops" is all you can say."

My advice wins.

Posted December 20, 2007 2:52 PM

Bobby,

No one says abstinence will not lead to a reduction (elimination) in teenage/unwanted pregnancies. But not everyone on this planet adheres to your Christian beliefs. Even among those who do, not everyone chooses to base their lives around what the Church says is or is not good.

Obviously, the Abstinence only teachings have not been as well received as you would like. Protection gives the next best chance of preventing pregnancies and everyone who is sexually active knows that. If a condom breaks, there's always a plan B. As long as you know about it.

16 is too young an age in today's world to have a baby. until the past 50 years, women didnt have the opportunities of today. its a shame to see a 16 yo screw up her life as well as that of her kid by digging this hole.

Sticking your head under the sand will not prevent this from happening. Unless you go the Taliban route and segregate the women from the men, you will not be able to control young adults from engaging in this natural behavior. I'd rather have them educated in their options so that they can live their lives to the fullest as well as take advantage of all their opportunities than try to police them or even have them suffer the consequences of these actions.

Not that the Spears family has shown any living signs of Brain cells in their actions so far....

Dear Editor,
The correct word is "splattered."

The vast majority of parents do not approve of teenagers having extramarital sex. That is not the kind of image Nickelodeon wants to present. Christian charity is one thing, but the escapades of Britney, Lindsay, Hilary, etc. are not fare for pre-teens. I'm tired of seeing my kids' role models splashed across the tabloids.

Dear Editor,
The correct word is "splattered."

Elizabeth: Your article is spattered with grammatical errors. Bravo! to Northwestern's School of Journalism.

Bobby-
are you joking? condoms break therefore don't use them? Have you ever interacted with a person under age 30? Ever? Abstinence isn't advice, it's a fantasy.

Elizabeth Tenety - I respectfully suggest you use your educational opportunities to learn something about this world rather than trying to bootstrap current events and news into your preconcieved notions about life, religion and feminism.

Mary was NOT married when she got pregnant so technically she was a "soiled dove". Good ol' Joseph married her anyway at the urging of his Creator according to the bible. I wonder what the citizens of his hometown thought when the story got out. "Poor Joseph.. that Mary. I knew she was a little tramp!!"
Sounds like an episode of "Maury".
Come on people. Another teen pregnancy is not worthy of serious discussion!!

The stud that impregnated Jamie Lynn is the man. He had to have it. I've felt that way before. I really didn't care about the costs of it all. I just had to have it and she gave me the opportunity. That is a no-brainer - hit it. You can't get blood out of a turnip. He has no money and doesn't have to worry about a $10000 a month child support payment. He'll be ordered to pay $50 dollars a week. The thought of paying this measely amount angers most of the child support seeking mothers of today. Their hopes are to get pregnant by a baller--someone with a six-figure income. Jamie Lynn has her money so she doesn't need welfare from a man nor the state she lives. She'll probably have 5 children by the time she turns 18. Sex is addictive. Holler!

Two words: Who cares?

Wow. Reading Ms. Tenety's drivel I'm getting flashbacks to my hopelessly backward Catholic education. The ability among Catholics to avoid talk about a serious public policy problem by spewing vapid pieties truly boggles the mind.
Showing compassion and support for a pregnant 16 year old should be a matter of human decency.
But Tenety shouldn't gloss over the unfortunate fact of another teen pregnancy by suggesting that god has shone his heavenly light down upon this child and blessed us with another bundle of "unplanned joy."
Babies aren't tragic, but teen pregnancy most definitely is -- if of course you agree that education, financial independence, and sound mental health should be the top priorities for young people these days.

Jonathan,

"Jesus was not the immaculate conception. MARY was the immaculate conception. She was immaculately conceived so as not to be tainted by original sin, thus she could be the vessel of God's Son. Jesus was was begotten of the holy spirit. BEGOTTEN NOT MADE, one in being with the father."

This whole nonsense about immaculate conception came along when we first learned about DNA. Before then, it was thought that the woman's role in reproduction was that of a vessel. But when people realized that women contribute half their DNA to their offspring, the Catholic church decided that in order to have produced a child (Jesus) free of Original Sin, she herself would have to have been born free from Original Sin. IT'S ALL MADE UP.

Is anyone holding the father the least bit responsible in this debacle? Speaking from experience, the sexual pressure is usually coming from the male in the relationship (heterosexual-speaking) and the pressure to not use condoms usually comes from the same source as well. It's not like she climbed on top of herself and got pregnant.

Leave it to the Church to obscure the Law. I'm pretty sure the hub-bub about this person has been hijacked when the Dream/Idol maker machinery took her up as the poster child for compassionate rape.

Yes, it's Statuatory Rape. When is the Fella going to be arrested and charged with that crime?

I dare say that there is a putrid double standard being exposed here; Take any other case of an adult getting a child pregnant, and you'll see there is much pain involved. Lives are ruined.

So what happened? Is the Boy a regular tither in church? Is that what's made this an, "aw...." story?

Revel in your advocacy of lawlessness, WAPO/newsweek.

Maybe she wanted a baby. I know many 16 year old girls who do. Nature gives them the right to make that choice. Our culture and its evolved K-selection strategy is pushing the other way, so nature will also decide whose offspring succeed.

Bobby, you're living in the Stone Age, man.

God is probably shaing his head, thinking, "WTF? I give them brains so they can develop contraception menthods, and they're still adhering to rules from 2000-5000 years ago?!?"

And JC is thinking, "Man, GWB is using those ancient rules to develop public health policy, and now he's got the first rise in teen pregnancies in 14 years. Why don't those people get with the times and EDUCATE, not intimidate?"

It's the 21st century, people. Either get with it or stay home.

I wish your bio hadn't included you went to Medill.

Is this what 'journalism' is? Do you have nothing better to write about? And shame on us for reading this crap!

"If Ms. Spears knew what a condom was, we wouldn't be having this discussion either."

Bull. Condoms can and do break during coitus and there's nothing you can do to prevent that. Technically you were being safe and "Oops" is all you can say.

My advice wins.

This whole thing is much ado about nothing. Teenagers from inner cities get pregnant every day...and no uproar. Bottom line is that teenagers have been having sex for millenia..and will continue to do so for millenia more...its human nature...

Bobby,

Jamie Lynn will be the last white girl to get pregnant at age 16. She certainly wasn't the first. I wouldn't be surprised if white girls start getting pregnant at age 13. Sex is natural for the wild human being. You must think human beings are more than mere animals.

Who established that you have to get married to have sex? Who?

"Well, you know, the bible said." I know what you are going to say so say it. Say it Bobby and say it loud.

I'll have an opinion.

Jamie's boyfriend just wanted to experience the hotness that Britney had a loooooong time ago.

What losers - all of them.

Bobby:

You are incoherent Fusar.

Here's a simplification for you:

Get married and then have sex. If you dont thats fine, but if Ms.Spears (mother and daughter) followed thru on my friendly advice we wouldn't be having this discussion now would we?

Posted December 20, 2007 2:38 PM

Bobby,

If Ms. Spears knew what a condom was, we wouldn't be having this discussion either.

Your friendly advice fell on deaf ears. "Maybe" the concept of contraception and protection would have helped her out.

Mark got it exactly right. Nice post.

To "Trippin"...AMEN!! And to the "journalist student" who wrote this piece: girl, stop wasting your money on this degree because you're obviously drowning your facts in a flood of "Christianity" and ignorance.

I agree with MArk about the Spears et al. hypocrisy but I disagree that no one is able to practice what they preach.

I think a lot of the backlash is in part due to people enjoying (rightly or wrongly) the hypocrisy of the whole situation. The Spears girls have spent large parts of their "careers" promoting chastity, innocence, virtue. Despite Britney's sexy image, she took great pains to tell everyone she'd be a virgin till marriage, etc. Her sister was happy to be the star of a kids network. When you make your living off this image, don't be surprised when the public delights in your mistakes, especially when what you've been doing in private for so long is completely anathema to what you preach in public. Actually, I guess this could apply to almost any religious figure or politician...

You are incoherent Fusar.

Here's a simplification for you:

Get married and then have sex. If you dont thats fine, but if Ms.Spears (mother and daughter) followed thru on my friendly advice we wouldn't be having this discussion now would we?

Your writing sounds more like a PR piece for "the Church" than journalism...

snore.

the MOM has Parenting BOOK OUT!? Woah. . .Now why does that seem wrong? Why did the mother let her 16 year old daughter live with her 19 year old boyfriend? Well. . . its no wonder she got pregnant then.

Bobby,

Who ever said that teen sex is not OK? Christianity says that it is not OK! Christianity will never ever fix this problem. Have you established a moral age for doing anything? That age has been set to age 18 in this society when you would be deemed a responsible adult. Have your babies then young girl when your mommy and daddy do not have to provide sustenance for the "little bastard/s". I hate the word bastard. I abhor and loath it. Yet on the other hand, Why don't Christians re-write the Bible to establish the age when you can become sexually viable or ready. Women or girls can get it on at age 13. It happens every day in this moral Christian world.

"I love it MHR. Obviously, you are a conservative. Think back to the "good old days" that you long for when girls got pregnant as soon as they could. During the height of christian influence, girls were being married offn and impregnated by men twice their age. That sounds great, as long as you can be forgiven by Christians, doesn't it?"

No. The good old days are when most of society thought the acceptable norm was to get married,then have sex and kids. Sure some didnt follow the norm but that was the gold standard. Today, the gold standard is just wear a rubber. If that is the new gold standard then imagine what people who deviate from that low standard will do.

It's not the end of the world when a celebrity, or any female for that matter, is having a baby at sweet sixteen. After all, mother nature meant for women to have their children young (maybe not this young) but definitely before 30 to have your first child. This is why young women get pregnant so easily, and usually have their babies without complications. As for all you commenting negatively, I guess you didn't have sex at that age? Hell, like the article states, the majority of women in America lose their virginity around age 16. Don't get me wrong, I do not condone this behavior. Hell, if I were a teacher, I'd teach my students to view their bodies as temples, to let no one come asunder. Anyway, she gots plenty of money to take care of this child, that's for sure, which certainly helps and makes a difference. Me? I'd rather raise a baby rich and unhappy than poor and unhappy any day. Peace.

Jamie Lynn is so young that Ma Spears (the elder) probably still has her baby clothes lying around somewhere that Ma Spears (the younger) can swaddle her brat in.

I am baffle. The real issue here is not whether teenage girls get pregnant or the other non-sense mentioned. The real issue is, at least for me, our youth is having unproctected sex and getting infected with HIV or uncurable STD's. I'm glad Jamie Lynn is pregrant and not diagnosed with HIV.

It's not the end of the world when a celebrity, or any female for that matter, is having a baby at sweet sixteen. After all, mother nature meant for women to have their children young (maybe not this young) but definitely before 30 to have your first child. This is why young women get pregnant so easily, and usually have their babies without complications. As for all you commenting negatively, I guess you didn't have sex at that age? Hell, like the article states, the majority of women in America lose their virginity around age 16. Don't get me wrong, I do not condone this behavior. Hell, if I were a teacher, I'd teach my students to view their bodies as temples, to let no one come asunder. Anyway, she gots plenty of money to take care of this child, that's for sure. Peace.

"Christians have a special sympathy for unmarried pregnant teenagers, especially during Advent. Jesus Christ was born to one."

Um, Mary was married to Joseph by the time Christ was born. Also, the age that young women married and had children was typically in the teen years back 2000 years ago. As the centuries have passed, the age where it is socially acceptable to be pregnant has risen as well.

I love it MHR. Obviously, you are a conservative. Think back to the "good old days" that you long for when girls got pregnant as soon as they could. During the height of christian influence, girls were being married offn and impregnated by men twice their age. That sounds great, as long as you can be forgiven by Christians, doesn't it?

How typically hypocritical of a person to exploit the condition of little Ms. Spears while lamenting how she's being exploited.

BTW Ms. Spears and her older sibling are prime time examples of how good Christian women live these days when money and fame go to their heads and they get exploited by the media, hollywood, the music industry, family, friends, and of course significant others.

We should invade other countries less often and try and invest in bringing morality and ethical conduct back into mainstream life. Pity is when our elected leaders play footsie in bathroom stalls can we expect moral and ethical leadership from them!

"I merely am stating that Christians for a long time have clouded my perception of good and bad. Christians arrived on Pilgrim Rock and look what happened to the natives. Christians arrived on shores of Western Africa and look what happened. Of course, the Christians colonized all of the ocntinent of Africa, killing and pillaging."

Oh boo hoo.

If your'e unable to grasp cultural and historical issues related with these incidents (that have nothing to do with Christian tenets) then you are a fool. What about non-European Christians bub? They had nothing to do with NAtive Americans, slavery and theyve been around since the APostles.

"I am so confused about Christianity. "

Thats not necessarily Christianity's fault. Im confused about geology and opera. Big Deal.

Where in your deep theological commentary is the notion that teens having sex should be regarded as OK?

What was Britney's song,

"Oops! I did it again?" :-)

Good luck to her.....nice to see another statistic for teenagers.

Campus Catholic, you are brainwashed beyond belief!

To Give me a break: The immaculate conception refers to the conception of Mary, not Jesus.

So there he was on a water-bed
Drinking a cola of a mystery brand
Reading an airport novelette,
listening to Andrew Lloyd-Webber's "Requiem"

He said, before it had really begun,
"I prefer the one about my son"

I've been wading through all this unbelievable
junk and
wondering if I should have given the world to the monkeys

God's Comic
E. Costello
Spike 1989

"Just because "Bobby" can keep his pants one does not mean that everyone can, or should."

I was simply showing Fusar that his absolutist statement that no teens are abstinent was baloney.
Fusar's opinion :"Hey, don't ask me to do something that nobody can do". Guess what? People can do what you couldnt/wouldnt. Chew on that. Of course his next post is that people who do abstain must be deviant/deformed/rabid or somewhat abnormal. Weak comeback.

" a previous commenter alluded to, Judeo-Christian beliefs engender a patriarchic worldview of men as lords and women as servants/property."

When I teach my son and daughter to save sex for marriage it has nothing to do with advancing a men=lord, women=property babble agenda. Its simply the moral, decent thing to teach them.

The sneering comments about abstinence need to remember that these classes would not be needed f parents at home stopped treating premarital sex by kids with a mischievous wink and a grin.

yeah, throw more contraceptives at them without telling them that certain actions are wrong. God forbid we restrain their playful young selves from "experimentation".

This farce proves once again the truth of:

POST COITUM OMNE ANIMAL TRISTE

Better to teach that fact than the supposed moral virtues of abstinence.

The Bush administration should switch its abstinence-teaching grants to the teaching of Latin - it would do everyone more good.

For those who prefer English:

FORNICATE IN HASTE OR MORE SLOWLY, REPENT AT LEISURE

Where is the cake.
Half the world is turning upside down and all we care is this schmock?

Stupid IS as stupid DOES. It must be heriditary...

First of all, why are people calling her a slut for having intercourse with her boyfriend? Last time I checked, consensual intercourse was a natural, fun, loving and entirely healthy activity. An activity that, I might add, happens in many other countries outside the U.S. at a much earlier age than 16 as part of religious and culturally-sanctioned arranged marriages. I'm not advocating teen intercourse, but I am saying that people need to lay off the judgment. What works for your values isn't what works for everyone else's.

Second of all, the calls for statutory rape charges against the father are ridiculous (just as they were in the case of the young black man who is now in jail). Consensual sex is not a crime, and the fact that we prosecute young men for sleeping with their girlfriends while many rapists go unpunished (after putting the victim through a whole slew of humiliating testimony to prove they "weren't asking for it") is just plain absurd. Not to mention a huge waste of taxpayer dollars. I'd much rather that money be spent going after parents who are delinquent on their child support payments.

Finally, where are all the conservative Christians out there who advocate for pro-life policies, including restricting access to birth control??? Now is the time to step up and preach about how a child is a "blessing" to a family, and while the timing might not be great, teen parents deserve society's love and support. Not judgment, name-calling and public derision, because those create the "culture of shame" that encourages young, unmarried women to seek abortions. If America is going to deny women the right to control our reproduction through access to contraception and medical procedures, America needs to change its tune when it comes to pregnancy and parenthood. Note I say PARENThood, not just MOTHERhood, because the fathers need to feel the weight of America's moral expectations, too. (I didn't hear anyone call Casey a "slut", ahem...)

"To take responsibility for one's actions by keeping the baby is far better than allowing it to be murdered."

Abortion isn't murder, nor is it a sin. I know this because I am just as Christian as you, and God told me so.

"We all say that it didnt mean to happen or it was and accident but if your having sex without a condom then you meant to get pregnant...And if anyone has anything to say about what i wrote well then keep it to yourself because its my opinion."

You have no way of knowing whether or not she used a condom. They do break, you know. And my opinion is that you should learn to spell and form a cohesive statement before posting on these fora.

What's important to look at here is the culture in which we live. Yes, abstenance-only sex-ed is silly and ahistorical, but it's an issue that many people feel very strongly about. Unfortunately, the indistry that both Britney and Jamie-Lynn are in is one in which sex is pushed, sold, and broadcasted, all day long. In this day and age, in particular, our young people are targeted by the media with a relentless bombardment of messages to have sex and look sexy, while simultaneously being told by teachers and parents to "just say no". This contradictory message isn't working.

It's easy to criticize Jamie-Lynn selling her story to OK magazine, and this may have been a bad decision - stage mothers aside - but the Spears family is probably just trying to do damage control in the way the industry mandates it be done. When a politician faces a scandal, they hold a press conference. When you screw up in Hollywood, you give interviews to magazines, you go on Oprah and Tyra.. they're playing the game, and it's our choice to care or not care, to watch or not watch.

She's 16, she made a mistake, and these things happen. I could have been in a very similar situation at the age of 15, but wasn't. Let's move on.

Your ignorance knows no bounds. Why would the Washington Post link itself to such pathetic reasoning. In this one article, the author shows a complete lack of understanding of the bible and of history in general. Does she really want to compare Jamie Lynn with the mother of Christ?! The editor should be fired.

Proof positive: you can take white trash out of the trailer park and give her tons of money, but she still remains white trash.

The author needs a reality check with regards to what she 'thinks' is the history of her religion and the reality of the actual history. Christianity, as practiced by the majority of established churches, is inherently misogynistic in nature. Her version of the discussion at the last supper is grossly out of step with reality.

For a grad student, your incredibly naive and uninformed. And this is the kind of tripe that gets published?

Jesus was not the immaculate conception. MARY was the immaculate conception. She was immaculately conceived so as not to be tainted by original sin, thus she could be the vessel of God's Son. Jesus was was begotten of the holy spirit. BEGOTTEN NOT MADE, one in being with the father.

As far as JLS - I feel sorry for her b/c she has made her live much harder than it needed to be and has included another person, which they did not ask for. This has nothing to do with white/black - it has to do with her celebrity status. If it were Moesha a few years back, you all would be arguing the same things...

Bottom line is this - We all need to do a better job of not judging our fellow beings. We all need to do a better job of treating others as we would like to be treated.

She must have missed the week of abstinence-only sex education.

Another fantastic success for 'abstinence ed.'

Just because "Bobby" can keep his pants one does not mean that everyone can, or should.

I am not advocating promiscuity, but experimentation by teens IS a fact of life, from time immemorial. Education is the key here folks, especially for young women. When the media and society only validate women for their bodies and their "abilities", is it any wonder why so many girls get caught up in these behaviors?

Boys/Men feel like they are entitled to sex and they are shielded by a double standard (men are studs while women are whores) and girls, especially adolescent girls, who are struggling to be validated by men and find their place in the world, sometimes succumb to the lowest common denominator.

If we could somehow keep religion out of the argument, we’d be better off. I think a heavy does of societal reflection would be better. As a previous commenter alluded to, Judeo-Christian beliefs engender a patriarchic worldview of men as lords and women as servants/property. Domestic violence plays directly into this structure as well as other entitlement issues that some men have with women.

We need to change the dialogue in this country, to one of how we can view women as intelligent, articulate, thinking beings, not just projections of male fantasy.

The Spears girls along with all the other examples listed have to take responsibility for their actions and the consequences. But, in a society where we ignore women who think and succeed in business and academia, and promote those who sell their bodies to promote fantasy – can we all be really that surprised?

Just because "Bobby" can keep his pants one does not mean that everyone can, or should.

I am not advocating promiscuity, but experimentation by teens IS a fact of life, from time immemorial. Education is the key here folks, especially for young women. When the media and society only validate women for their bodies and their "abilities", is it any wonder why so many girls get caught up in these behaviors?

Boys/Men feel like they are entitled to sex and they are shielded by a double standard (men are studs while women are whores) and girls, especially adolescent girls, who are struggling to be validated by men and find their place in the world, sometimes succumb to the lowest common denominator.

If we could somehow keep religion out of the argument, we’d be better off. I think a heavy does of societal reflection would be better. As a previous commenter alluded to, Judeo-Christian beliefs engender a patriarchic worldview of men as lords and women as servants/property. Domestic violence plays directly into this structure as well as other entitlement issues that some men have with women.

We need to change the dialogue in this country, to one of how we can view women as intelligent, articulate, thinking beings, not just projections of male fantasy.

The Spears girls along with all the other examples listed have to take responsibility for their actions and the consequences. But, in a society where we ignore women who think and succeed in business and academia, and promote those who sell their bodies to promote fantasy – can we all be really that surprised?

Just because "Bobby" can keep his pants one does not mean that everyone can, or should.

I am not advocating promiscuity, but experimentation by teens IS a fact of life, from time immemorial. Education is the key here folks, especially for young women. When the media and society only validate women for their bodies and their "abilities", is it any wonder why so many girls get caught up in these behaviors?

Boys/Men feel like they are entitled to sex and they are shielded by a double standard (men are studs while women are whores) and girls, especially adolescent girls, who are struggling to be validated by men and find their place in the world, sometimes succumb to the lowest common denominator.

If we could somehow keep religion out of the argument, we’d be better off. I think a heavy does of societal reflection would be better. As a previous commenter alluded to, Judeo-Christian beliefs engender a patriarchic worldview of men as lords and women as servants/property. Domestic violence plays directly into this structure as well as other entitlement issues that some men have with women.

We need to change the dialogue in this country, to one of how we can view women as intelligent, articulate, thinking beings, not just projections of male fantasy.

The Spears girls along with all the other examples listed have to take responsibility for their actions and the consequences. But, in a society where we ignore women who think and succeed in business and academia, and promote those who sell their bodies to promote fantasy – can we all be really that surprised?

In response to MHR,
I have had the pleasure of attending many high school graduations, all but one in the Washington/New York corridor. All were wonderful events with kids happy as clams tossing their hats and hugging one another as a life milestone was reached.

I then attended a newphew's graduation in Dallas, TX. The night before my sister-in-law held a party for her son, who was graduating, and his friends and parents. My being a federal employee almost caused a few fist fights. Lots of republicans down there, lots of evangelicals down there. The federal government is the enemy you know... Many kids were openly talking about missionary work, which I thought was great, some were talking about jobs they had secured, some about colleges they would be attending. The next day was graduation. My mouth dropped as about 20 pregnant girls, some so far along they required assistance to walk up to the stage, received their diplomas.

I mentioned to my sister-in-law that kids must get married down here in Dallas at an earlier age. She rolled her eyes. Married?

Since then I've noticed that as you move to less educated areas, the religion on the sleave gets bigger and the number of teenage mothers goes up. I really do not think religion has that much to do with it though the religion does little to stop it. Its education pure and simple, eduation of the parents who do not educate their children and so on and so on.

So we have yet another 16 year old girl pregnant by a boy no one seems interested in interviewing nor will anyone care about the baby. All that people focus on is the social stigma. The people who care less about teenage pregancies talk about the wonderful decision to not have an abortion. They fail to mention they would have gladly imprisoned Jamie and forced her to have the baby if they had their way. Stupid is as stupid does.

My 15 year old daughter is appauled. She is not appauled based on any religious teachings. She is appauled at how this girl chose to have sex in the first place AND not using protection. She also was shocked at Jamie's "shock" at finding herself pregnant. She asked me "didn't she learn anything in sex ed class?". My guess is if you asked Jamie that she would answer "what sex ed class". Jamie's schooling has been at Mississippi's Parklane Academy, a self described "christian" school. I wonder what their sex ed class teaches, if they have one.

What is the big deal about another teenage mother? Forget the fact that she is peripherally famous. She's just a kid. It is simply stupid for children to be raising babies. At least this one has the sterling example of her big sister to follow.

Child mothers have an historically hard time. This girl is just lucky to have money.

What is the big deal about another teenage mother? Forget the fact that she is peripherally famous. She's just a kid. It is simply stupid for children to be raising babies. At least this one has the sterling example of her big sister to follow.

Child mothers have an historically hard time. This girl is just lucky to have money.

She and her boyfriend are too irresponsible to use birth control. Who is going to support this kid? Is this "Campus Catholic" going to give Britney's sister money for child support?

She and her boyfriend are too irresponsible to use birth control. Who is going to support this kid? Is this "Campus Catholic" going to give Britney's sister money for child support?

MHR: Dumber than a box of rocks. No matter what the topic, some drooler will spew about "liberals."

"Christians have a special sympathy for unmarried pregnant teenagers, especially during Advent. Jesus Christ was born to one."

How could a Catholic say that Jesus Christ was born to an unwed mother? Mary was married to Joseph. How could you make such a mistake?

Fusar, Im re-posting this to make cleare what I wrote. No lie.

"Teens do not practice abstinence in this society."

Oh really. I guess Im lying to myself when I first had sex on my wedding night to my virgin wife.

And many of our friends who did the same. And surprisingly enough we are all educated professionals. Many normal teens wait till marriage and thats a fact jack.

I NEVER SAID IT WAS EASY, BUT THATS THE TRUTH.

SORRY TO BURST YOUR BUBBLE.

put down your copies of Teen People and do something productive.

I'm sorry but I'm not quite sure why the news that Britney Spears’ 16 year-old sister Jamie Lynn is three months pregnant is "an important cultural moment." Nor am I uncertain that (if you want to say her pregnancy is a cultural moment) that she and her family are being exploited. She and her family are not unfamiliar with the media and the pro's and con's that come with being a celebrity. The family's fame and fortune has been made as a result of their being in the public eye, and the continual quest (not just by membes of the Spears family) for publicity. Unfortunately they (and others) can't have it both ways; you can't say Me, Me, Me, Look at Me, Gimme, Gimme, Gimme, fame and fortune, and exploit yourself for attention when you want it, and then expect "please give me privacy for personal events". They have, for whatever reason, opened the door of their life for fame and fortune, and now there's more to the story which people who are their fans and supporters (personal and/or financial) want to know. And, it seems that Ms. Spears, at 16, previously made it known she was apartment hunting for her and her boyfriend, and it was her that announced, for a front page magazine story, her pregnancy.

A fact is that if she was having relations with her boyfriend, that she should have known and been prepared for what "could" happen, and not be shocked by something so unexpected. If that was the case, she was probably a little less mature for her actions than she is for having a "cultural moment." If nothing else, having been brought up in a highly visible family (as a result of her older sister's life), and in part because of the last several months of her older sister being highly profiled for her actions (personal and family), the younger Ms. Spears should have paid a little more attention to her own actions. At worse (at best?) someone in her family and/or advisors should have paid some attention to her actions and activities and helped to either prepare her for her actions (leading to pregnancy) or worked to discourage her actions and activities so that she wouldn't have been "shocked" at the news.

I'm sorry but I'm not quite sure why the news that Britney Spears’ 16 year-old sister Jamie Lynn is three months pregnant is "an important cultural moment." Nor am I uncertain that (if you want to say her pregnancy is a cultural moment) that she and her family are being exploited. She and her family are not unfamiliar with the media and the pro's and con's that come with being a celebrity. The family's fame and fortune has been made as a result of their being in the public eye, and the continual quest (not just by membes of the Spears family) for publicity. Unfortunately they (and others) can't have it both ways; you can't say Me, Me, Me, Look at Me, Gimme, Gimme, Gimme, fame and fortune, and exploit yourself for attention when you want it, and then expect "please give me privacy for personal events". They have, for whatever reason, opened the door of their life for fame and fortune, and now there's more to the story which people who are their fans and supporters (personal and/or financial) want to know. And, it seems that Ms. Spears, at 16, previously made it known she was apartment hunting for her and her boyfriend, and it was her that announced, for a front page magazine story, her pregnancy.

A fact is that if she was having relations with her boyfriend, that she should have known and been prepared for what "could" happen, and not be shocked by something so unexpected. If that was the case, she was probably a little less mature for her actions than she is for having a "cultural moment." If nothing else, having been brought up in a highly visible family (as a result of her older sister's life), and in part because of the last several months of her older sister being highly profiled for her actions (personal and family), the younger Ms. Spears should have paid a little more attention to her own actions. At worse (at best?) someone in her family and/or advisors should have paid some attention to her actions and activities and helped to either prepare her for her actions (leading to pregnancy) or worked to discourage her actions and activities so that she wouldn't have been "shocked" at the news.

Um....I'd hardly call Mary's pregnancy "unplanned." Maybe she wasn't married when she first became pregnant but that baby had been planned for a looooooooonnnnngggg time.

Elizabeth, you religious nut jobs are unbelievable. Jesus was born to an unwed pregnant teenager?!?! Who the heck was Joseph? You know, Mary's husband. Equating the Immaculate Conception to Jamie Lynn Spears having sex with her 19 year old boyfriend is unfathomable if not bordering on blasphemy.

Immaculate conception? Right! Believe this. I have three children and they all were born to a virgin. Why have these lies been told through the years? I am surprised Jamie Lynn didn't get pregnant at age 13. It shocks people in this country that a white girl could get pregnant at such a young age. White people have set the moral standard for the world. They make the laws and then they break their own laws. White people can't believe that white young girls can perform the same activities of so called "ghetto black young girls". Get real. Age 16 is the time a women should have children. Nature calls for sex and why not have it.

Immaculate conception? Right! Believe this. I have three children and they all were born to a virgin. Why have these lies been told through the years? I am surprised Jamie Lynn didn't get pregnant at age 13. It shocks people in this country that a white girl could get pregnant at such a young age. White people have set the moral standard for the world. They make the laws and then they break their own laws. White people can't believe that white young girls can perform the same activities of so called "ghetto black young girls". Get real. Age 16 is the time a women should have children. Nature calls for sex and why not have it.

"Teens do not practice abstinence in this society."

Oh really. I guess Im lying to myself when I first had sex on my wedding night to my virgin wife.

And many of our friends who did the same. And surprisingly enough we are all educated professionals. Many normal teens wait till marriage and thats a fact jack.

I hope you are on your knees repenting of your comparison to this obvious lost soul to the virgin mary. Christians should not have sympathy for a young girl who cant keep her clothes on. Was she raped. NO, she is just another looser like her older sister.

You are offensive to the whole christian community.

The only thing I can say about Brittney & her sister Jamie Lynn is that instead of being good role models to the girls who idolize them and imitate them, they've manage to lower the bar on celebrity behavior even more. The public image of these girls are a mess. Yet, mother is set to release a parenting book! It is LAUGHABLE and tragically sad to hear in media reports that she and her boyfriend were "completely shocked" to find out she was pregnant. In this day and age, I guess some people still really believe in immaculate conceptions.

Teens do not practice abstinence in this society. You will do what your body (nature) prods you to do. You will have sex at the first opportunity no matter what society says. You will fornicate. That is probably our first major sin besides the acts of stealing and lying. Would you have placed a chastity belt of Jamie Lynn? If so, you will have to place one of every teen girl in this world. Human beings have to be taught that sex is for the purpose of reproduction and not pleasure. First time sex can result in pregnancy, HIV or any other STD, or simple or immense pleasure. Anyone whom engages in sex takes a chance. There are so many contradictions to religion. Thou shall not fornicate! Baloney! Thou shall not have sex without first a wedding or marriage license! Baloney! Humans are wild animals whom initially have wild and exuberant sex cravings. See how you feel when you try to suppress those feelings. Do you remember?

Teens do not practice abstinence in this society. You will do what your body (nature) prods you to do. You will have sex at the first opportunity no matter what society says. You will fornicate. That is probably our first major sin besides the acts of stealing and lying. Would you have placed a chastity belt of Jamie Lynn? If so, you will have to place one of every teen girl in this world. Human beings have to be taught that sex is for the purpose of reproduction and not pleasure. First time sex can result in pregnancy, HIV or any other STD, or simple or immense pleasure. Anyone whom engages in sex takes a chance. There are so many contradictions to religion. Thou shall not fornicate! Baloney! Thou shall not have sex without first a wedding or marriage license! Baloney! Humans are wild animals whom initially have wild and exuberant sex cravings. See how you feel when you try to suppress those feelings. Do you remember?

"Christians have a special sympathy for unmarried pregnant teenagers, especially during Advent. Jesus Christ was born to one. Our particular religious history is one reason why the news that Britney Spears’ 16 year-old sister Jamie Lynn is three months pregnant is an important cultural moment."

are you seriously comparing jamie lynn spears to VIRGIN mary? need i point out the difference between the two? i would think that a grad student could figure it out, but because its obvious that you cant, jamie lynn spears had premarital sex. thats how she got pregnant. mary didn't. so unless you are suggesting that this is gods work and that jamie lynn is carrying the next jesus, the comparison between the two women is completely ludicrous.

and as for her announcement being "an important cultural moment" give me a break. 16 year old girls get pregnant all the time. as a matter of fact, my entire school has been gossiping about someone that just got pregnant all week. so i agree with the person who said that at most this topic belongs in junior-highs gossipy hallways. so you even realize that there are more important things going on in the world? such as war, disease, hunger, and corruption? find something more worthwhile to write about.

and as for feeling bad for the family because of the exploitation they are facing, i wouldn't doubt the fact that they are just going to use the whole thing as a big publicity stunt. for all we know, jamie lynn's mom has been trying to get her pregnant to bring in some extra revenue and attention to the family since the K-fed britney affair has calmed down. i wouldn't put it past any of them, seeing as the members of that family that we hear about have absolutely no morals.

bottom line is, kids are going to have sex. use a condom. get on birth control. don't pity her for exploiting her own personal life when she could have prevented it.

People make mistakes. She could have had an abortion to cover hers up but she didn't. And I don't know why people are acting like this is such a shock. I'm 30 and I recall classmates getting pregnant when I was in the 6th grade. Tragic as that was,teen pregnancy has been a constant reality since the beginning of time :-p

People, you have to much free time in your hands

Just goes to show what the Spears family really is
White trailer trash.

Why do Catholic Christians have a soft spot for unmarried teens who find themselves pregnant?

Because the Mother of God accepted just such a condition through a sheer and generous act of faith.

Now mind you, that does NOT in any way sanction teen (or any) fornication--the Virgin Mary's situation was a special case, to say the least.

But still, having made poor choices, we have the power to move on with the situation as it is and make better choices. Deciding not to terminate a life prematurely is a very good choice, all the other choices surrounding this event notwithstanding. And wonder of wonders it comes to light during our Advent season.

Non-believers will scoff at such a belief and coincidence; so be it. But I've often wondered how this season came to be celebrated with such joy. My private belief is that it's had Divine underpinning.

"What happens when female human beings get horny? The same question for males. They yearn for sex."

So what? When I yearn to defaecate I control myself until the right time and place.

Yearning for doing something does not excuse doing it in an irresponsible manner.

Dearest Elizabeth,

Are you suggesting Ms. Spears be compared to
Mary?? Come on. I am a non-denominational christian and I can't even see the two of them mentioned in the same sentence. First I believe that Jesus is Lord. period. But Mary, a holy
woman, set aside by God himself, and she DIDN'T
have SEX for her baby. Ludacris.

I have a 16 yr. old and I can tell you I would
be devastated. First I would need to look at
me and where I missed the mark because my
daughter shouldn't be having sex....let alone
having a baby. Money does not make you a parent.

And this "boy" wouldn't be dating her to begin with. I am not oblivious to this generation been there and done that. BUT we as parents
hav failed our children that's why they fail us.

PEACE

the question no one has asked so far is whether the father, her BF, should be in Jail or not. From what I have read, he is apparently 18 or 19, whereas she's 16, below the age of consent.
Thats plain and simple statutory rape, in accordance with current laws. Or am I missing something?

If Average Americans become sexually active at the age of 16, then shouldn't the law be adjusted to reflect that?

Wasn't (the virgin) Mary impregnated around the same age by someone more than two years her senior? Being an unwed teen mother gets you chastised and scourged in the modern media and probably 20 to life in Saudi Arabia...

Pregnancy happens, deal with it. If it didn't, none of us would have to deal with anything.

Another "abstinence only sexual education" success!

Don't even waste your ink on low life trailer trash like this. Both she and her sister are trash. What A FAMILY OF LOSERS. They are also probably Republicans. !!

What happens when female human beings get horny? The same question for males. They yearn for sex. At what age could this happen? It depends on the maturation of that female (male) human being. Present day society does not condone early pregnancy for the (minor) because society knows that the minor can't provide for the child. The minor can't work when the minor is expected to attend school until the age of 18. In reality, the jungle doesn't care when the female gets pregnant. The jungle doesn't care about responsibility. Society does. She could conceive prior to her first menstruation or after. Right? You hear about young girls getting pregnant at age nine and ten. Have they experienced menstruation? Human beings are animals who must begin to realize that sex has the purpose of reproduction and not pleasure. She copulated with the intent for pleasure without a realization that there was the likelihood of motherhood. What does religion have to do with the act of copulation? How can any human being be born without the act of sex? So many lies have been told. What is your perception? Why do you continue to brainwash human beings with this concept of religion? The first men were born in the jungle.

There is nothing to be admired here. There is nothing to be learned here. There is nothing here except another foolish 17-year old girl who thought she was bullet-proof -- and found out she wasn't. I don't feel sorry one bit for any hardship she encounters -- she made definite choices here, but I do feel sorry for this baby. This baby is barely in the second trimester of development and one can already see how difficult a life he/she will have -- the baby doesn't get a choice. If the media would stop standing up for these people and attempting to make them heroes, then maybe 16-years old might think twice before making the same choice.

Why do we even care?

Until society stops feeding into the Spears' sisters media fest they are not going to go away.

We all know they're talentless hicks that need to go back to the bayou.

Start caring about things that are important, like each other.

The worst part of this story? Since she is only 16, we'll have to wait two long years before anyone will publish pics of her without underwear.

In response to A Realist:

Perhaps something you missed in your catholic education is this: while premarital sex is a sin, the greater sin would be to have an abortion based on convenience. To take responsibility for one's actions by keeping the baby is far better than allowing it to be murdered. There is still a sin committed that must be atoned for, but to have another sin on top of the one already committed would not right the situation. Contraception only aids in a relationship based on lust, not love. Perhaps others will find this comment particularly offensive, but I stand by it as a Catholic. Plus, one might be tempted to not use a condom/birth control method and an "accidental" pregnency might result. Not to mention the fact that there are lots of pills available for birth control that amount to the same result as an abortion.

No, shame on her mother for selling the story of Jamie Lynn's pregnancy to the highest bidder. She's being exploited by members of her own family.

Also, what services do "Feminists for Life" and the US Conference of Catholic Bishops offer pregnant teens? Are they sponsors of prenatal care so that the baby is born healthy, or childcare so that the mother can finish school? Or do they simply tell pregnant teenagers that they shouldn't have an abortion?

I'd say shame on you, Liz

Hey Folks,

Who really gives a rat's patooey? Don't we have more pressing and important things to worry about? It is beside me why the media even bothers to report the antics of Britney, Lindsey, Paris and the lot. They are all screwed up and we really don't need to hear about them or care about them.

Let's see now, maybe there is something really important we can discuss..........

So are we disappointed that she is pregnant or that she's having sex? Because if its the latter, we should be upset at our kids, probably ourselves and everything else we allow that encourages 16-year-olds to have sex. The baby is not the problem.

We're hemorrhaging blood and treasure at an alarming rate engaged in an indiscriminate, illegal and immoral Crusade against Islam. Meanwhile the perpetrator of 9/11 runs free. Nuclear Pakistan is on the brink of collapse, Turkey is bombing the Kurds in what was the only peaceful and controlled part of Iraq using our intelligence, turning our strongest in-country allies against us. Our borders are wide open.

Our middle class is evaporating before our eyes, our health care system is broken, income disparity is ballooning, profligate pilfering of the Treasury runs rampant, we're tortuting prisoners, habeus corpus granted since the Magna Carta is but a quaint memory, and we're granting immunity to the unholy fascist alliance of corporations and government who illegally spied on American citizens without a court order.

And still we waste time on the plight of another hapless, helpless, cute little white girl.

So much for the priorities of the faithful.

"Christians have a special sympathy for unmarried pregnant teenagers"

Why? What is it about unmarried pregnant teenagers that necessarily demands sympathy? The assumption is that the situation is inherently tragic. But why assume this to be the case? Does a couple of extra years and a ceremony officiated by a pedophile transform this curse into a blessing?

"love the sinner and hate the sin, to judge not"

I'm sorry, but the judgement comes when you call something a "sin" in the first place. I don't know anything about these teenagers or their circumstances (except that Britany is her sister), but the substance of the situation has nothing to do with Christian notions of sin. If the couple has enough emotional maturity they'll be fine. Papers and pedophiles are immaterial.

The writer speaks of the media exploitation that Ms. Spears has to endure. Ms. Spears chose to announce her pregnancy on the front cover of a tabloid. Who is exploiting whom?

i dont think any one should show any sympathy for her. She is 16 years old and is 3 months pregnant by her 19 year old boyfriend. We all say that it didnt mean to happen or it was and accident but if your having sex without a condom then you meant to get pregnant. That was a risk and she was willing to take and she committed to it. How is she suppose to be a role model if she is 16 years old and pregnant.What is that saying? that young girls all over can get pregnant because the media says its ok. And i personally think that this was all a media stunt. We didnt have to know that she was pregnant, the family could have just kept it within the family. And if anyone has anything to say about what i wrote well then keep it to yourself because its my opinion.

i dont think any one should show any sympathy for her. She is 16 years old and is 3 months pregnant by her 19 year old boyfriend. We all say that it didnt mean to happen or it was and accident but if your having sex without a condom then you meant to get pregnant. That was a risk and she was willing to take and she committed to it. How is she suppose to be a role model if she is 16 years old and pregnant.What is that saying? that young girls all over can get pregnant because the media says its ok. And i personally think that this was all a media stunt. We didnt have to know that she was pregnant, the family could have just kept it within the family. And if anyone has anything to say about what i wrote well then keep it to yourself because its my opinion.

I agree with Danielle. She (nor the family) should've never decided to go public with this story until it was absolutely necessary (i.e., baby bump spotting at a Starbucks or something). Personally, I think all of this may be a lie and a divertion from all that crap Britney is going through. They needed to take the pressure and spotlight off of her trainwreck of a sister for awhile! I don't think these people should be ridiculed though...I think they need prayer and a really good psychiatrist!!

Hmm, Elizabeth, you're right on most of what you're saying, except the part about the scrutiny she's receiving. Why on earth would a 16 year old go to OK magazine and tell this story? Why would a parent allow her daughter to go to OK magazine? It tells you something about their family. While I sympathize with Jamie Lynn's situation in general, I have absolutely no sympathy for the fact that I, and the rest of the country, know about it. That's their doing. No normal person would decide to turn this into some sort of media opportunity.

Also, on a side note, how "shocked" could Jamie Lynn have been about her pregnancy? Perhaps a little surprised, perhaps saddened, perhaps scared, perhaps worried. But "shocked"?

"Our particular religious history is one reason why the news that Britney Spears’ 16 year-old sister Jamie Lynn is three months pregnant is an important cultural moment."

Puh-leeze.

The fact that some girl in Louisiana got pregnant at 16 is not an "important cultural moment". In fact, it doesn't even rise to the level of "who cares".

As a "graduate student at Northwestern University's Medill School of Journalism", can't you find anything--anything at all--more important to write about?

At best, this is the stuff of junior high gossip. A graduate-level journalism student should aim higher. No wonder journalists in the US have failed us so miserably over the past 10 years.

Shame on all of us.

hahhaa...last comment is great.

who cares about this girl anyway????

Folks this is about money and even though you may have it - it does not change the facts of life

Fact - these 2 girls parents have made money off of their lives- while doing so they did not educate them- insturct them- teach them about life in general!!! I dont care how "Christian" they were! Both young women have no moral compass and now the proof in the pudding!
Shame on the parents- the money is in the bank and this is the reward for all the hard and probably manipulated work.

I undertand the Mother has a parenting book out- NO Thank you! Perhaps she would be better suited to write a book about Managing my underage minor's career for Money Fame and Nothing more.

where's the cake?

Has everyone forgotten that this is a personal matter that this young woman and her family must deal with in the best way that they see fit?

If we, as a society, would stop focusing on celebrities and their lives maybe we could dare to challenge "REAL" social and political ills.

You have got to be kidding me. We should celebrate in her joy? She's 16. What is wrong with this culture?

"She and her family would never have had to endure this kind of media exploitation."

Um, baloney. She and her family signed up for this "media exploitation" when they sold her story to OK magazine. She could have very easily dealt with this privately and there was absolutely no reason to make a big announcement.

We've heard her story ad naseum since the story broke. It's time to hear from the guy who got her pregnant. Someone should interview him with the same vigor. What was he thinking?

Probably "I got Britney's sister".

His thoughts probably did not include a life-time connection, just the duration of copulation.

Girls, protect yourselves first. Birth control, condoms and spermicide, all the preparation may take some of the romance out of it, but it will also take the possibility of pregnancy out of it as well.

Pregnant at 16 is ridiculous.

Hey, she should use this as an opportunity to launch her music career. She could do remakes of "Papa Don't Preach", "Rock-a-Bye" and "Love is a Battlefield". She could get Britney to sing backup vocals and KFed as a backup dancer. It would be a win-win-win.

"There are many good people within the Church and outside it who have dedicated themselves to serving women like Jamie Lynn. In doing so, they model the Christ of John’s Gospel, when during the Last Supper, He set himself to wash his followers feet as a sign of Christian charity. Christians follow Christ in that way, to love the sinner and hate the sin, to judge not, but show love through humane service."

Really? Apparently this charity is only extended to famous white teenagers who find themselves pregnant and not to black teens in the same situation. They are considered pathological and welfare queens.

It's really not very feminist to say that an unplanned pregnancy will be an "unplanned joy" to all. One thing feminists recognize is that there is not one path for every woman, which is why choice is necessary. Jamie Lynn made her choice, whether it was truly hers or not. She should be respected for that. It is sad, however, that she wasn't using protection, or at least not enough protection. I think that's the real issue at hand here.

I also don't get how Christians (namely, Catholics) can let go of the fact that believe premarital sex to be wrong when a girl doesn't choose abortion. It's like the premarital sex wasn't wrong to begin with as long as it doesn't result in an abortion, and of course as long as contraception wasn't used? I just don't get it, and didn't get it while I was recieving my Catholic education, so I had sex at 17 and used contraception and have been pregancy-free ever since. I think... maybe... contraception is the answer?! Huh!?

Bless your naivete, dear, keep on speaking up for that gospel-pure feminist view, but understand some fundamental facts of your religion: the first being that Judaism was a patriarchal social order in which women were property and sex was considered a silent abomination, an attitude passed straight through to Christianity; the second, that Protestantism was a movement that substituted social class beliefs for the ideologies of the gospel and evangelicalism in America is its latest incarnation of that error. The mixed messages about this poor girl's pregnancy are coming from the classic conflicts about women, sex, and politicization of the Christian message built into the culture and the religion. In Christ's gospel one would celebrate life, tolerate doubt, forgive transgression, comfort suffering, and women would be equals. You'll make a good case worker toward those ends...

I hope the message that sexually active teenagers across the country get is that they should be using contraception if they want to avoid pregnancy.

It is unfortunate that she was not instructed how to use birth control.

Amen

Amaen