A few days ago modeling photos of Carrie surfaced on the internet, showing her in various provocative poses, some even showing her bare breasts. She contends that the wind blew her vest away (it was a wardrobe malfunction) and that the photographer snapped the pictures without her permission and then he released them on the internet. We’ll take her word for it. But my question is: “What were you doing with a man in such a precarious situation where your breasts were only a wind’s breath away from being seen even by him?”

Some have said, well she was only 17 at the time (she’s now 22) and so she didn’t fully know what she was doing. Perhaps so, but I want her story to serve as a warning to all 17 year olds: “What you do now may haunt you the rest of your life.”

Before these photos surfaced, Carrie Prejean was fast becoming the new posterchild for injustice done against a conservative Christian. She appeared on Sean Hannity, and even Dobson’s Focus on the Family for two solid days last week. But the emergence of these photos have seriously tainted her credibility. To skeptics, she’s viewed as hypocritical–championing moral purity in one area, but overlooking it in others. To conservatives, she’s now a dilemma.

I feel so bad for her. For the rest of her life, people will view her either as a fallen hero, or a big hypocrite. Those pictures can never be erased–in fact, they will continue to multiply. And thanks to her celebrity status, those pictures she didn’t want taken will now allow millions of guys to rape her in their minds. We need to pray for her–few things could be more tragic.

My audience for this post is teenagers. My point in this post is that what you do today can have serious repercussions. All sin is equally evil, but some sins have major, lifelong consequences. Be aware of that! They could alter your entire future. Believe me I’ve seen it enough times. One little mistake today could cause you regret for the next 70 years.

This is prom weekend–no better time for me to remind you!

Some examples of sins that will never go away
Pregnancy–you have no idea of the cost!
STIs–many never go away.
A photo of you that could circulate forever and jeapordize your future (ex. sexting). Cameras are everywhere now! Ask Michael Phelps.
A drink of alcohol that lowers your inhibitions to do something stupid.
Hanging with people who might take advantage of you.
Premarital sexual involvement of any kind that will rob your future spouse of intimacy.
Pornography, which affects your view of others and fosters addiction.
One use of drugs that might lead to your addiction.

I could tell you heartbreaking stories about people I know who have been taken down by each of the sins on the list above. Please be cautious. The “I was only 17” excuse won’t get you off the hook.

And now here’s the final installment.  Part 4.