BattleCry

Never before in our country's history have teenagers faced such a threat from the influences of pop culture.*90% of 8-16-year-olds have viewed porn online?most while doing homework (?Pornography Statistics 2003,? Family Safe Media). *Teens see some 14,000 sexual scenes on TV annually (American Academy of Pediatrics). *By age 18, a U.S. youth will have seen 16,000 simulated murders and 200,000 acts of violence (American Psychiatric Association). *Kids see about 10,000 television rapes, assaults, and murders each year (University of Michigan). *MTV is watched by 73% of boys and 78% of girls ages 12 to 19, and it is profoundly influential in the lives of its young fans by glamorizing drug and alcohol use, sexual promiscuity, and violent behavior (Parents Television Council, 2004). oKids see, on average, 9 sexual scenes per hour, are subjected to roughly 8.9 un-bleeped profanities per hour, and an additional 18.3 bleeped profanities per hour. *Popular video games featuring violence and sex are so disturbing they are drawing protests from national law enforcement agencies. (NLEOMF.com)And never have they been less equipped morally and spiritually to combat the "virtue terrorists," which we have unwittingly invited into our living rooms and bedrooms.*83% believe that ?moral truth depends on the circumstances? (Barna). *Only 6% believe that moral truth is absolute (Barna).Some call it harmless "entertainment" but it is really "edutainment" teaching our kids how to destroy their own lives.*VIOLENCE?After playing the video game "Grand Theft Auto" a teenager allegedly shot two police officers and a dispatcher to death in 2003, mirroring violent acts depicted in the popular game (CBS News). *SUICIDE?This year, thousands of young people between the ages of 15-24 will commit suicide. It is the 3rd leading cause of death in this age group (Centers for Disease Control). *TEEN PREGNANCY?About a third (34%) of teenage girls will become pregnant at least once before they reach the age of 20?about 820,000 a year (Kaiser Family Foundation, January 2005). *STDs?Approximately four million teens will contract a sexually-transmitted disease (STD) this year. That?s 8,000 teens a day (Kaiser Family Foundation, January 2005)! *INTERNET IMMORALITY?At MySpace.com, NBC?s Dateline recently found ?scenes of binge drinking, apparent drug use, teens posing in underwear, and other members simulating sex, and in some cases even having it.?BATTLECRY?Unlike the youth of the 1960s who were determined to do away with all rules, teens of today recognize that boundaries can protect them from those who want to take advantage of them. If society won?t set the boundaries, they will!An initiative of Teen Mania?one of the world?s largest youth organizations?BattleCry is a national movement of hundreds of thousands of teenagers who, fueled by their Christian faith, are taking a stand against the pop-culture forces contributing to the unprecedented spread of STDs, drug and alcohol abuse, violence, and suicide among their generation.*Three HUGE national BATTLECRY RALLIES in San Francisco (March 9-10, 2007), Detroit (April 13-14, 2007), and Baltimore (May 11-12, 2007) where tens of thousands of teens will mobilize. Top Christian leaders and entertainers include Ron Luce, Franklin Graham, Jack Hayford, Ted Haggard, Miss America 2004 Erika Harold, TobyMac, Jeremy Camp, Delirious, Pillar, and the popular hip-hop Groovaloos dance group. *Cutting edge, teen-inspired BATTLECRY technology, including high-impact podcasts and state-of-the-art Web platform *A national BATTLECRY coalition of teens, parents, churches, pastors, and everyday concerned citizens who are banding together to put an end to virtue terrorism *Customized BATTLECRY materials for teens, churches, youth pastors, and parentsCall to ActionTeens:*Engage?Commit to living a purpose-filled life shaped not by pop-culture, but by God *Enlist?Attend a BattleCry event and/or join the BattleCry coalition at www.BattleCry.com; read BattleCry for My Generation *Recruit?Share the BattleCry message with your friends, peers, parents, and concerned adults *Advance?Help double your church youth group every year for the next five years to reach as many teens in your community as possibleAdults/Parents:*Engage?What kind of America do you want to give this next generation? Recognize and react to the ?virtue terrorism? that we have invited into our living rooms and bedrooms *Enlist?Read BattleCry for a Generation and It?s Only a Tattoo; join the BattleCry coalition at www.BattleCry.com; attend BattleCry events with the kids in your family, church, and community *Recruit?Get books and resources into the hands of teens, parents, youth pastors, and concerned adults in your community. In addition to your own children, bring children from the neighborhood, your church, and community to BattleCry events *Advance?Help double your church youth group every year for the next five years to reach as many teens in your community as possibleChurches:*Engage?Churches need to become hospitals for the heartbroken; senior pastors need to fully engage in youth ministry *Enlist?Youth pastors, senior pastors, and youth ministry volunteers read Revolution YM; join the BattleCry coalition at www.BattleCry.com; attend BattleCry events with the kids in your church and community *Recruit?Get books and resources into the hands of teens, parents, other youth pastors, and concerned adults in your community. Bring children from your church and community to BattleCry events *Advance?Double your church youth group every year for the next five years to reach as many teens in your community as possible