Why Would Anyone Think This

[emmie]

I wonder what the new Pontiff thinks.


http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/world-africa-21810980

[bert_h]

Well, a couple of generations ago, there was the same kind of disagreement about homosexuality, with a vocal majority claiming that it was a criminal activity - just like today's majority view on paedophilia - and hurling dog's abuse at anyone who dared to suggest otherwise.

[ummmm]

Do you not believe that paedophilia is a psychological condition?

For someone to find a child sexually attractive and be able to convince themselves that the child enjoyed the sexual abuse, is not right in the head, fact!

I worked in a psychiatric hospital and the vast majority of males held on secure wards are paedophiles.

[emmie]

he has said that he knows two priests who were abused as children, and have gone on to be abusers themselves, as they say two wrongs don't make a right.

[emmie]

well you have your opinions, i don't happen to agree. As to males on psych wards, the ones i came across were mostly drug, drink dependant, or those with serious illnesses like schizophrenia, bi polar.

[hc4361]

Not all paedophiles enact their urges - they may be celibate and avoid contact with children but they are still paedophiles.

They are suffering from an illness and are not criminals.

[Noth43]

I think he's right. It is a psychological illness that leads to the crime, the committing of the act itself. But sick b******s shouldn't ever be excused of there deeds and all should be punished.

[LazyGun]

^^ what Noth said.

[emmie]

so if a paedophile rapes a child, that isn't a crime?

[Noth43]

*their deeds if found guilty

[hc4361]

Of course it is a crime, em.

But being a paedophile is not a crime in itself.

[LazyGun]

who is that addressed to Em?

[ummmm]

Yes, you get those too. The majority doesn't mean all of them, just the majority.

[ummmm]

hc is right. It's not illegal to be a paedophile. Acting on the urges is.

[Gromit]

There is already a question on this below.

http://www.theanswerbank.co.uk/News/Question1225395.html

It seems to be a personal opinion rather than one backed up by scripture (I hope). It is clearly criminal because laws are broken. So the question is, should it be against the law? Clearly it should, children need protection from bad people.

The Catholic church has long had a problem with peadafile priests and has caused the organisation great harm. Perhaps this priest has something to hide? Or perhaps he does not want to admit that his church is full of bad people and prefers to think it is full of ill people instead.

[emmie]

i suspect the law on paedophilia says different, look at where the case of Jimmy Savile has gone, or any of those who have been arrested in the last year.. accused of sex with under age children..

[emmie]

i didn't see that post...

[hc4361]

I can't fathom what you are trying to say, em.

[emmie]

that this man is wrong.

[ummmm]

He's not wrong though.

Abused children often go on to be abusers.

He's not saying it shouldn't go unpunished.

[emmie]

no but he thinks its an illness which can be cured? like chickpox or measles.