by besty 40 Replies latest watchtower child-abuse
Religous leaders tend to think in Black and White scenerios it is either this or that it kind of goes with the territory so to speak.
As far a punishment for crimes this can be very costly for the state(inprisonment), rehabilitation or corrections seems to be a more profitable approach and a step above the old tooth for tooth and eye for an eye aproach to justice.
So, designs, you agree that pedophillia is a mental disease? That's really the question, though you know I hate to ask you to get off your soap box for any reason.
At the risk of being impossibly pedantic, let us consult the Encyclopedia of Mental Disorders, at tedious length:
Pedophilia is a paraphilia that involves an abnormal interest in children. A paraphilia is a disorder that is characterized by recurrent intense sexual urges and sexually arousing fantasies generally involving: nonhuman objects; the suffering or humiliation of oneself or one's partner (not merely simulated); or animals, children, or other nonconsenting persons. Read more: http://www.minddisorders.com/Ob-Ps/Pedophilia.html#b#ixzz2NqOBuNiM
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Pedophilia is defined by mental health professionals as a mental disorder, but the American legal system defines acting on a pedophilic urge as a criminal act. Read more: http://www.minddisorders.com/Ob-Ps/Pedophilia.html#b#ixzz2NqOHKryr
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The focus of pedophilia is sexual activity with a child. Many courts interpret this reference to age to mean children under the age of 18. Most mental health professionals, however, confine the definition of pedophilia to sexual activity with prepubescent children, who are generally age 13 or younger. The term ephebophilia , derived from the Greek word for "youth," is sometimes used to describe sexual interest in young people in the first stages of puberty. Read more: http://www.minddisorders.com/Ob-Ps/Pedophilia.html#b#ixzz2NqPP61xK
Of course, the vast majority of the abuse cases were this latter kind -- ephebophillia -- and overwhelmingly homosexual in nature. The attraction to post-pubescent youth is what hip-hop artist R. Kelly found himself in hot water over. This is not considered a phychiatric disease.
So, boys and girls, it would seem that on the facts, the Cardinal is correct when he says pedophillia is a disease.
You may now return to your regularly-scheduled rage.
Address the issue of these Prelates not contacting the police and you may find the real issue. These Cardinals actions of shifting child molesters around so that more people were harmed!
Of course its not a crime, where does the BIble say pedophilia is wrong ? It doesnt apparently Jesus was more concerned we pay taxes to the governments which he mentions many times. The fact is hating and criminalising pedophilia is a relatively recent standard. Pedophilia, slavery, and so on were normal in the old days especially back in jesus day. Everybody knows the story of MOhammad and his 9 year old bride. Only in our western society is this condemned other places and especially the past it was standard practice.
Cardinal Brady of Ireland is an example of how the culture of abuse gets processed and disminished or dismissed- When Brady was exposed for the sexual contact he had with seminarians he did not resign, his big action was to not go to Rome and vote along with his other Cardinals. He is still a Cardinal in the Church of Rome and no one in authority has stepped forward and told him to resign.
I agree that pedophilia is a disease and as someone who's been directly affected by an individual who "suffered" from it I would like to put forth the treatment regimen that I've developed. This treatment is called FLI or Fast Lead Interdiction treatment. It involves shooting the patient in the head.
It should work for the disease known as Catholic Clergyism Syndrome as well.
What really gets me about this argument is this:
Does the person know it is wrong to act on those feelings and urges?
If the answer is No they don't know it is wrong then why the secrecey? Why the hiding and doing it where others won't see them.
If the answer is yes and they do it anyways then they are responsible and should pay the price.
Pedophiles are:
They might be mentally ill but they are also criminals
LadyLee
Most are criminals. The moment they hide or lie about their victims they show that they fully understand the situation and are simply attempting to weasel their way out of responsibility, they are not sick they want to do what they do.
His entire comment manages to sound logical and outrageous at the same time. Pedophilia can be an illness to the perpetrator, but it is still a crime against the child victim. Sure, circumstances behind the mental status of criminals is taken into co nsideration on what to do with them, but we don't move them from parish to parish to run away from their crimes. We can get them help if they stop the crimes and stay away from children. But they might need to be locked up for awhile.
They need to remember that their illness caused them to commit a crime.
Criminality may be open to interpretation depending on the country. For example, the Federal Law in Mexico establishes the age of 12 as the minimum age of consent, whereas in the USA the age of consent is set between 16 and 18 in all U.S. states. What is considered criminal in the USA may not be criminal in Mexico or other countries where the age of consent is lower. In the Muslim world, Aisha was six or seven years old when she was betrothed to Muhammad and nine when the marriage was consummated. So, the Cardinal could be correctly suggesting that since laws regarding child abuse can be open to interpretation depending on the laws of a particular country, he is calling it an illness so that it can be treated as an illness too, without interpretation to law since child abuse is a global problem.
I feel that child abuse is most definitely an illness and disease, as well as morally repugnant and criminal, and people who abuse children need to be treated with any tools available, whether it be meds, therapy, possible castration, societal exclusion, etc. or a combination of these things.
Since different countries have different laws, I think it is a good idea to treat child abuse in a triune way-Criminally, Medically, and Morally. If we attack child abuse from all those angles, not just one or the other, there's a better chance that it can be treated and kept under control worldwide.
The Cardinal could have just kept his mouth shut and tried sweeping everything under the rug as some others have. I give him some credit for acknowledging that there is a problem to begin with. It may not appear to be much, but he is doing more than others in his position are doing (Or not doing).
