1. Why are you asking this question in preparation for dating? Do you already know someone that has an STD? Just curious why your mind is going here, you don't have to answer anyone's questions.
2. It's a good question and gets people talking about it. Lots of people have STD's and are either too embarrassed to talk about it or don't know they have one.
3. Almost everyone by the time they have reached their 40's has been exposed to HPV and 1 in 5 have HSV. I have had these talks with my kids.
4. You can be in a relationship with someone with an STD and never contract it. I had a friend who was with a man for over 10 years with HIV and never contracted it. It's harder than you think to contract it if proper protection is used. Not advocating that relationship (they weren't married) or premarital sex.
5. The standard STD test does not cover HSV & HPV. You have to request it. If you are male there is no test for HPV. If you are female, you can get tested for HPV DNA along with your annual PAP. Hundreds of stains of HPV and it can cause cervical cancer. Get educated, it can't hurt. I have had "high risk" cervical cancer and it comes from a strain of HPV. Thank goodness I no longer deal with this but many, many women do.
6. If you are sexually active, you should make sure that you and your partner have documented proof that they have no STD's or are educated on the ones that they have. Make sure they get the extra tests -- lots don't even know they have it. Don't judge before you get your test results.
7. Always use protection. Also, know that condoms do not prevent all STD's. Again, not advocating sex outside of marriage but people do it and if they are going to, it's better to be educated.
8. Lots of people get involved in "mixed" relationships with someone that has an STD and never contract anything. Some people have no symptoms at all. Most people won't tell you they have one, so better to be in a relationship with someone that is honest. Don't walk away from a great girl or guy just because of a skin rash. What would Jesus do?
Hope this educated and opened people's minds about this. Would you reject a woman that had a baby out of wedlock due to a rape? Would you reject someone that was given and STD by a spouse that didn't tell? Be careful before you judge someone. Always pray and seek God's will in every situation.
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I like the good way of this being explained for you, DotHack0. The Lord leads. I would just say to not worry about STD or anything else with a girl you like, let the Lord lead you, and, her, and, if it is something like AIDS then that would need attention, of course.
I kinow you are being sincere in your asking these questions, DotHack0, I can hear the honesty and even the innocence in your asking and even your responses to others. Just, my Christ bro, let Jesus lead your llife in ALL areas, learn to understand Him more and more, through the bible, your pastor, reaching out for good positive stimuli, like christian chat, like christian music station (
www.spirit1053.com), like church pastor or youth leader, or whatever that God gives you to spend time doing or whoever He puts in your life to spend time doing things. Everything else is easy if you learn to follow Him. Learning is not the hard part either, we have learned long ago that God's ways are tough and boring sometimes even but His ways are BEST for us. The hard part is obeying and in so doing there will be great JOY in your 'boring' life
God bless you, DH0, and, you too, Flower