Cutting Edge explores the purity movement in America, where one girl in every six pledges to remain a virgin, or to save her first kiss, until her wedding day.
Award-winning documentary-maker Jane Treays investigates whether this decision is made by the girls themselves or their parents, and follows a group of fathers and daughters as they prepare to attend a `purity ball’ in Colorado Springs, run by Randy Wilson and his wife Lisa.
Okay, I’m all for saving yourself for marriage or choosing to abstain from sex for a set period of time. I am 18 and still a virgin and in my experience, my choice has given me a different perspective about relationships and what is important in a person. However, I completely disagree with what they say about girls without fathers. I have grown up without a father in my life yet here I am, making the same choices as them about who I want to marry and seeking a committed, monogomous, serious relationship. I never ran off with every guy who threw me a piece of bait like these people seem to think. Their heart is in the right place, but seriously, they have no idea what theyre talking about.
This is what struck me:
“At the ball’s
centerpiece is a homemade wooden cross around which all the attending daughters
will dance, and pledge their commitment to a pure life.”
Wouldn’t pagans (women) dance around an erected, wooden
maypole as part of fertility ritual/sex worship – the maypole being a phallic
symbol?
Sorry if someone already said this.
I know this is from a while ago, but I saw no one ever answered this question. Pagans are not all women. We are women and men. And the maypole dance is a ritual still practiced today on Beltane (May Day). The maypole is generally a really long log, and it is a phallic symbol. The dance is a celebration of fertility, because it is a fertile time of year.
I hope that helps. 🙂
umm, i don’t think they think all pagans are women, it’s that the women would be taking place in the fertility ritual. and i think it’s a rhetorical question illustrating the irony of christian chicks dancing around a pagan phallic symbol. they didn’t need help, just sayin’
umm, i don’t think they think all pagans are women, it’s that the women would be taking place in the fertility ritual. and i think it’s a rhetorical question illustrating the irony of christian chicks dancing around a pagan phallic symbol. they didn’t need help, just sayin’
“umm, i don’t think they think all pagans are women, it’s that the women would be taking place in the fertility ritual”
But both men and women take part in that fertility ritual…
I don’t think it was clear whether or not the question was rhetorical, so I decided to answer just in case it might answer someone’s question. So whether the original commenter needed help or not, I saw a misconception about Paganism and decided to correct it. I don’t see why that would bother you.
“umm, i don’t think they think all pagans are women, it’s that the women would be taking place in the fertility ritual”
But both men and women take part in that fertility ritual…
I don’t think it was clear whether or not the question was rhetorical, so I decided to answer just in case it might answer someone’s question. So whether the original commenter needed help or not, I saw a misconception about Paganism and decided to correct it. I don’t see why that would bother you.
This is what struck me:
“At the ball’s
centerpiece is a homemade wooden cross around which all the attending daughters
will dance, and pledge their commitment to a pure life.”
Wouldn’t pagans (women) dance around an erected, wooden
maypole as part of fertility ritual/sex worship – the maypole being a phallic
symbol?
Sorry if someone already said this.
Well people are reacting to two things in these comments. Firstly the no sex before marriage thing was very mainstream not so long ago so i don’t mind that these people are trying to uphold values that society has discarded.
I think the other thing that is hard for people to process is the mannerisms and glazey eyed look of the American Evangelicals on this video. It would appear that 1 in every 6 Americans is related to Ned Flanders going by the look in these peoples faces. I think this is what is creeping people out more then the whole chastity issue. These people look like they have been sleeping in a sack full of opium for the last 10 years. They’re high on Jesus and they have the vacant stare to prove it!!
Ridiculous American hypocrites……just as bad their Muslim fundamentalist counterparts. WAKE UP and get your heads out of your ass!!
this whole purity ball is ridiculous, but saving yourself for marriage is not in my opinion! i’ve been dating a guy for 2 and a half years and both of us are virgins, and plan to remain that way until our wedding days, whether that be to each other or to whoever our future spouse may be. we were in now way brainwashed, we just find it as something important to both of us and something that as Christians we find God calls us to do. And also, my boyfriend didn’t have to ask my parents to date me…I have a brain of my own and they lt me live my life.
Now everyone messes up, and I’m not exempt from that, I could certainly mess up, but I don’t think it’s unrealistic…I’m a pretty down to earth person. Look at the stats, couples that saved themselves statistically have more enjoyable sex…I’ve been waiting for so long it’s gonna be great
nuts… you have no idea HOW to do it either when times comes. practice makes perfect…and believe me… i’m gog gift to women. i do my best to give as many women as possible as many orgasms as possible. that’s my gift to you. by the way. their is no god. i mean do you also believe in santa?
That is a little harsh. I myself didn’t wait until I was wed, but that was my personal choice. The girl has values that were not pushed on her by others and that deserves respect. If they learn together then they can help find what the other likes without getting stuck in a sort of “routine” that most men and women do. I’m not a Christian or a virgin, but I say good for Lynn. She knows what she wants and shouldn’t be made to feel outcast because of it.
It’s a whole system based on irresponsibility. Like that woman around 6:30 who tells us she got pregnant because nobody told her about hormones, the birds and the bees. Or that man who had 9 children with 7 different women !!!
You people should leave god (wich does’nt exist) out of this and start being responsible for your decisions and your actions.
Those people practice what we could call psychological incest.
It’s a whole system based on irresponsibility. Like that woman around 6:30 who tells us she got pregnant because nobody told her about hormones, the birds and the bees. Or that man who had 9 children with 7 different women !!!
You people should leave god (wich does’nt exist) out of this and start being responsible for your decisions and your actions.
Those people practice what we could call psychological incest.
What I took from this documentary is how innocent and good these little girls are and then they grow up and are corrupted by society………..If they are strong in their faith they will over come temptation if they are weak they will fall.
Choosing to stay a virgin etc by yourself is fine and good but shielding children to this extent is a little insane. Education is more important than shielding 🙁 It’ll be a shocker when they finally get out into the real world. They’re missing out on the human experience. Good or bad.
Another thought-There’s all this talk about these dad’s who “inspect” their daughter’s potential boyfriends and clear them to be their daughters as being better dads… I disagree completely. My dad TRUSTS me and my sister to make the right decisions about guys. He knows that we will make the right choices when it comes to them.
Yep, it all makes sense now…I’ve had sex therefore I’m probably going to end up a single parent. Just because you save your virginity for marriage doesn’t guarentee you from heartbreak and being left alone to raise kids.
these fathers are breeding mindless women … sad
Do they realise they are gonna wait for that someone special, meanwhile that someone special will be watching as much pornography, and visiting stip clubs as he can, Men are creeps, my advise is abstain altogether and buy a good dildo
Chose to live in an illusion…
Its a cult… They are just striving for an identity beautifully provided by the “founders” of the cult… I mean get a life! Though in many parts of the world girls kind of marry one man- kiss him till they are married and all… This doesnt mean that those who have been in many relations have lost something “So pure” … I dont even know if the first intercourse is purer than a life spent with a man who you love and chose to be in love with.
Though– the only thing I do agree with — the world is really obssessed with sex these days… this might have been the motive behind the whole movement… buh no– they’ve gone too far!
AND BY THE WAY — WHATS WITH ALL THE NON EXISTING VIRGIN SONS????????
If this is really about wanting the young girls to be treated well by men, then shouldn’t the focus be on the boys- and training them to be respectful? Why isn’t there a “mother and son” ball?
This is nothing new, they just found a new way to control women, and treat them like property.
Another thing- heartache is part of the human experience. By trying to sheild these girls, they are destroying their human experience. They will all end up with cold empty hearts.
And how disgusting was that dad with the toupee?
i fully agree with you, i was thinking the exact same thing watching this. it’s just disgusting, to watch these young girls swearing their virginity away to their fathers. some of them are hardly even old enough to be thinking about sex, let alone deciding if they want to wait until marriage or not. it’s so sad for me to see these girls being manipulated into thinking they are doing the right thing. i’m not saying there is anything wrong with waiting until marriage, but being physical is part of a relationship–not specifically sex, but hand-holding, cuddling, etc. and i think telling them otherwise, and denying them that, is wrong.
If this is really about wanting the young girls to be treated well by men, then shouldn’t the focus be on the boys- and training them to be respectful? Why isn’t there a “mother and son” ball?
This is nothing new, they just found a new way to control women, and treat them like property.
Another thing- heartache is part of the human experience. By trying to sheild these girls, they are destroying their human experience. They will all end up with cold empty hearts.
And how disgusting was that dad with the toupee?
If this is really about wanting the young girls to be treated well by men, then shouldn’t the focus be on the boys- and training them to be respectful? Why isn’t there a “mother and son” ball?
This is nothing new, they just found a new way to control women, and treat them like property.
Another thing- heartache is part of the human experience. By trying to sheild these girls, they are destroying their human experience. They will all end up with cold empty hearts.
And how disgusting was that dad with the toupee?
The American religious right has done it again…. They are off base, out of touch with reality it’s freaking scary!
Where is the mother-son purity ball? Purity is a personal and spiritual choice. All dating chaperoned or in groups? Where is the line? Parental relationships are key – but there needs to be love. This is not love, this is control. Anxiety and guilt stemming from the parents is becoming manifested here as meticulous and suffocating control. These ladies are going to remain permanent children. They are not being permitted to mature and grow intellectually or spirituality. What are they going to do when their fathers die? “my daughters will have the same freedoms and liberties awarded to all other women of this society.” That’s a cryptic statement…What women currently have or what you would like to see them have? Sharing a kiss does not seal a relationship. It is intimate and beautiful – but it is not a sin. These men have a serious God complex. They are pretending to be God and guess what – that’s a sin.
it must be nice to live in a bubble … until it pops.
hahahaha…yes i agree. but if we take away the core of how “creepy” it sounds, i think for a woman thinking about their sexuality in it its purest form. I think that is valuable. it is way too easy to throw away something so precious. plus, it does not help how the media portrays women’s sexuality.
Where once this was common, now people write “vomit” in the comments section. *rolls eyes* My husband and I didn’t have sex until we got married. We’ve been happily married for seven years now. If anything, it’s a mature decision, not a “nauseating” decision.
You’re missing the point, Sarah. Waiting until marriage for sex is one thing, being brainwashed and pressured into it is another. These parents are obviously overbearing on their children, using tactics of shame and guilt to rule their lives. It’s frightening how they treat young women like cattle…
And as for ‘mature decision’…if you trust someone enough to marry them, then you should trust them enough to sleep with them. Marriage isn’t a stronghold, and it’s easy to get out of through divorce; it hardly means anything but a deduction of taxes. Sexual activity is healthy for a growing individual, the ‘nauseating’ part if when young adults are shamed for their natural growth and exploration.
Many people often believe that newer generations are less moral and more promiscuous than older generations. This has been said for centuries and is just a trick of the mind.
Many people often believe that newer generations are less moral and more promiscuous than older generations. This has been said for centuries and is just a trick of the mind.
Many people often believe that newer generations are less moral and more promiscuous than older generations. This has been said for centuries and is just a trick of the mind.
This was made in 2008 and it is ’11. Keesha is 19 now? Alright.
This was made in 2008 and it is ’11. Keesha is 19 now? Alright.
men are evil, daddy is going to inspect the boy for me ,….. let her hit puberty hormones will beat faith by a lottt
one of the more disturbing things to see
These father’s are control freaks and are stunting their daughters. Why not let them decide what’s right for them and not thrust this decision on them before they’re even thinking about it. They are NOT property. Their sexuality is not some DOWRY. This is all about the father’s ego. Disgusting.
What’s with the cross? You can’t be pure in you don’t believe in an imaginary man up in the sky and his zombie son? What kind of prejudice is that?
1:07 Sooo disturbing to see how he caresses his daughter’s neck. The whole thing is creepy, bordering incest (and we don’t know what’s going on at home)
vomit …
its also strange we need a licence to do so many thing in today’s age… but you can manipulate your kids.. no licence needed
Sometimes I think licence is needed to HAVE kids. Lol
what the fuck.. our world is completely run by capitalists wanting to manipulate and drain its victims
what the fuck.. our world is completely run by capitalists wanting to manipulate and drain its victims
Holly shit!
They are all living in a box with no windows to outside world
If you want your kids without spinal cord, personality and a real knowlege of life…well keep them virgin untill menopause 🙂
I’m from an eastern-european country that nobody gives a shit but it’s better here than in the wack-world.
that little girl need to reread the commandments cause i dont believe theirs a you shall not make kissey kissey face with bobby down the block
I do agree with the fact that if a father is not in a young girls life she might seek approval from other men who could potentially be bad for them. Otherwise, this is a bit too much.
I believe that tolerance to all sort of creeds is quite important, but this view about how to live a life it is totally unrealistic in my opinion. I am not a supporter of promiscuity but i believe sex has a heavy weight in a relationship and if it doesnt work, the relationship will be hardly healthy. I think marriage is like buying shoes(even though sounds silly), you need to try them before buying.
they make it sound as if fathers that don’t choose the path for their daughters are bad parents. What about people of other faiths besides whatever denomination of christianity this is. How do they view them? and no virgin sons?!
Why did they steal the soundtrack from the movie “Glory”? http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Pa6hyhgV6Ps&feature=related
i have two words to write. – overprotective fathers.
“im not interested in them getting cancer of the cervix.”
hahaha, what a guy eh
The one dad said “how cool would it be to say I’ve kissed one man in my life.” What happens if the husband of the ‘pure’ daughter turns out to be abusive. If the daughter has a mentality that it’s so important to remain with one person, she could end up creating a mental blockade, crippling her and making her ability to leave her husband next to impossible.
There are many forms of mind control, and it’s always best to have young flexible minds to mold, just ask any military recruitment officer, hopefully they are able to adjust to reality when it comes knocking on their door.
There are many forms of mind control, and it’s always best to have young flexible minds to mold, just ask any military recruitment officer, hopefully they are able to adjust to reality when it comes knocking on their door.
i think that the whole father/daughter relationship is important but sex is apart of being human. its important to experience it before you get married; at least thats what i thiink. girls who have sex before marriage are not all looking for fatherly attention outside the home. girls who do that are usually ones with bad fathers, no fathers, have been abused, families have lower income etc. having young intimate relationships is not bad, its a beautiful part of growing up. you learn alot about who you are, who you like, what you want from a relationship…just because you wait til marriage doesnt guarantee a good man, good sex, no divorce, no heartbreak, no hurt. and last point….what about the boys???? why arent boys doing this, pledging their virginity.
I do agree that “sex is a part of being human”. It’s funny how a typo can change your text and put you in the other side of the argument by saying “sex is apart of being human”. I guess I’m a grammar freak.
This is one step away from incest.
America what the fuck is wrong with you?
that is what i was thinking dude. those fathers are creepy.. and i promise you, this is not typical america.
That was interesting. After hearing so much about how abstinence doesn’t work, it is interesting to hear their motivations. It is nice to see it comes from a place of love. Perhaps we can all agree on some of what they say, like important father daughter relationships, and the importance of sex, and how its easy to go to far. It was all about love. Sex ed is still really, really important, and so is forgiveness, judging from that one girls pregnancy story.
That was interesting. After hearing so much about how abstinence doesn’t work, it is interesting to hear their motivations. It is nice to see it comes from a place of love. Perhaps we can all agree on some of what they say, like important father daughter relationships, and the importance of sex, and how its easy to go to far. It was all about love. Sex ed is still really, really important, and so is forgiveness, judging from that one girls pregnancy story.
Whats up with the over protecting parents?? Thank god I live in Europe 🙂
no virgin sons???