Dear Gadfly42,

Sex is designed to produce babies. However, we do not have to limit sex to that. Sex is enjoyable so people will want to produce babies. We are able now to enjoy sex without producing babies, and there is nothing wrong in enjoying sex without producing babies. The sensible thing is not to abstain but to enjoy what we can. That is, unless you're a killjoy and a wowser which you apparently are..

Going through nine months of pregnancy and having a baby for someone else to adopt is not going away unscathed. Making the best of the bad job which is an unwanted pregnancy is abortion. That is especially true when the pregnancy is due to incest or rape

Contraceptives should be freely provided and instructions given in their use so unwanted pregnancies are few and far between.

Of course, contraceptives are not perfect. To lessen the chances of unwanted pregnancies sex education should include techniques of oral, anal and any other forms of sex which do not need contraceptives.

@david_f
"However, we do not have to limit sex to that."
Then you may be missing the whole point. Pregnancy is a natural consequence (one may even argue the goal) of sex. Maybe all people need to learn of this unalterable truth.

"The sensible thing is not to abstain but to enjoy what we can."
Some people find smoking enjoyable, some find racing down the roads at 160kmh enjoyable, some people find arson enjoyable, some find dismembering live animals enjoyable, therefore....

"That is especially true when the pregnancy is due to incest or rape."
Maybe the best to address this particular issue are people who are born as a result of rape: http://www.rebeccakiessling.com/index.html
On a separate but closely related note: http://www.dailymail.co.uk/femail/article-1043041/I-raped-left-pregnant-16--I-love-baby.html
By the way, one US study discovered that rape and incest comprises less than 1.5% of the reasons for abortion: http://www.guttmacher.org/tables/370305/3711005t2.pdf

"Contraceptives should be freely provided and instructions given in their use..."
I remember watching a Channel 9 60-minutes program a few years back about teenage mothers. Most of the young mums on the show said they did receive safe-sex advice when when the time came, they said they've completely forgotten about such advice. One young man on the show said he does know about condom use, but he said he actually hates them and won't use them. Another young girl said she and her boyfriend were using a condom, but it broke when they were having sex.

"To lessen the chances of unwanted pregnancies sex education should include techniques of oral, anal and any other forms of sex which do not need contraceptives."
Don't they have STD concerns?
The overall safest route to avoid unwanted pregnancies is still abstinence (for both guys and girls).

Dear RMW,

You are right. Abstinence is the safest option. However, in this world it is an option that doesn't work. Abstinence education has been tried in the US. It does not work.

I wrote: "The sensible thing is not to abstain but to enjoy what we can."

You wrote: "Some people find smoking enjoyable, some find racing down the roads at 160kmh enjoyable, some people find arson enjoyable, some find dismembering live animals enjoyable, therefore...."

Dear RMW.

Your equation of sex with all sorts of antisocial activities shows what you are. I feel further interaction with someone like you is completely pointless.

Agreed david f :-)

@david f
"Abstinence education has been tried in the US. It does not work."
What are you talking about?
http://www.aolnews.com/2010/02/02/study-teaching-abstinence-works-better-than-sex-ed/
http://abcnews.go.com/WN/study-abstinence-works/story?id=9731048