Richard Dawkins defends “mild pedophilia,” says it does not cause “lasting harm”

by chrisuk 320 Replies latest watchtower child-abuse

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  chrisuk

  It's a typical leftie thing to say really; arrogant and inappropriate considering what Westminster is going through. He should keep his mouth shut
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  frankiespeakin

  I think you are over reacting which is a symptom of black&white thinking, that all or nothing, 2 choices right or wrong, which leads to trouble if not kept in some sort of check.

  http://www.mentalhelp.net/poc/view_doc.php?type=doc&id=513

  1) extreme black-or-white thinking patterns;
  2) patterns of idealizing then devaluing other people or themselves;
  3) patterns of distrustful, suspicious thoughts;
  4) patterns that frequently include unusual or odd beliefs that are contrary to cultural standards; or,
  5) patterns of thoughts that include perceptual distortions and bodily illusions.

  Let's look at these five thought patterns a little more closely:

  Black-or-white thinking....
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  OneEyedJoe

  He seems to be the victim of two (of his own) oversights here.

  1. He's smart enough that he should've known that saying anything that has any twinge of a failure to demonize pedophilia is going to leave him very unpopular.

  2. He seems to have made the easy, common mistake of assuming that one's experience is objective, and therefore common. He was unaffected by what happened to him, but he's only one of a huge number of individuals that will all have a slightly different experiences that can color a common experience.

  This is the problem with any great advocate of a cause finding too much time in the public eye. Everyone's flawed, and everyone makes mistakes, but when a well-known leader of some cause makes a mistake, it damages the cause even if the mistake has nothing to do with it. In this case, his statement in no way discredits him in the field of evolutionary biology, but people will react to it as though it does.
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  chrisuk

  Frankie, I'm sorry but I'll only ever see child abuse as black and white. Once somone is convicted of such a crime they are, as far as I'm concerned the lowest of the low. Again, what these subtle shades of gray you speak of as regards child abuse?
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  frankiespeakin

  Well thank you for telling us how you veiw it, so we can keep this in mind when we read your comments.

  I think this is an interesting subject, if we increase our awareness of the subtle shade of gray but if this turns out to be a bash Richard Dawkins for his veiws then it will quickle become very boring as a venting thread.
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  chrisuk

  That's fine Frankie. Please, Please be sure to keep in mind that I'm totally against child abuse and see it as a black and white issue. Who is the we you speak of? And, again what are these subtle shades of gray as regards child abuse?
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  frankiespeakin

  God you black& white thinkers want everything spelled out for you, read the context and guess/form your own opinion.
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  problemaddict

  What a moron. Way to go Richard.

  What the hell is "mild" pedophilia anyways? Pure arrogance to judge ones own reaction to something as universally not back and ineefective at causing harm for all people.

  It has nothing to do with one time period judging another. Why? Because we are in the time perior we are in.
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  chrisuk

  You say black and white thinkers want everything spelled out, yet you clearly look at psychlogical books or websites for definitions of black and white thinking. Label me all you like, but I judge using my own morals not by using the work of psychologists. That's no better than being told what's right and wrong by the WTS. Given your opinions on child abuse maybe you should consider going back? Maybe become an elder? I'm done with you anyway.
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  bohm

  Dawkins is talking of his own experience while in school.

  Apparently he is not allowed his own oppinion on how much harm that caused him... I know, i know, as a victim, it is other peoples job to tell him how he should feel.