quote:

ORIGINAL: Ialdabaoth

Unfortunately, every society needs a bogeyman, and for this society, it's kiddy-diddlers - and people we can accuse of kiddy-diddling.

quote:

ORIGINAL: Ialdabaoth

quote:

ORIGINAL: Sunnyfey

I don't agree with the death penalty for pedophiles. Life imprisonment yes.....Not that they would make it long once the other inmates found out.

Whereas I personally think that 17 years, 364 days, 23 hours, 59 minutes, 59.999999 seconds seems a touch arbitrary, especially given how much earlier the biology starts prepping for it.

(Now, on the other hand, I agree that our society is way more complex than the societies that primitive man evolved under, but even so - the obsession about hebephilia in our culture (emphatically both pro and con, confusingly enough) seems to just be an artifact of our particular culture's hang-ups, and not any sort of indicator of any "objective morality".

That isn't to say that someone who rapes and kills a 6-year-old isn't a seriously damaged person, but I think there's a distinction between that person and someone who sleeps with a 16 year old with a fake ID, you know?

Of course, to hear the law and the courts of Public Opinion tell it, ANYONE who would sleep with someone that they thought were 19, but was actually 16, is really a child-rapist who slavers for the flesh of our precious babies.

It's damn near impossible to have a rational debate on the subject of what is and what isn't an actual problem.

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ORIGINAL: Sunnyfey
That's why I said pedophilia and NOT sex offenders. Someone convicted of PEDOPHILIA should get a life sentence. Not that poor 18 year old who slept with his 16 year old girlfriend.

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ORIGINAL: sirsholly
thats why pedophiles should be on death row

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ORIGINAL: Ialdabaoth



"pedophilia" is a mental disorder, not a legal crime.

"Sexual abuse of a child" is a legal crime, but isn't directly related to pedophilia - plenty of pedophiles go through their whole life never abusing a child, and plenty of people who sexually abuse children aren't pedophiles at all.

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ORIGINAL: daddysprop247
thank you Ialdabaoth for making this point. pedophile does not = kiddie rapist. i actually feel much sympathy and compassion for most pedophiles...the overwhelming majority who do not commit crimes against children and moreover have no desire to commit crimes against children. it is the sick and twisted, evil incarnate monsters like the man who abused me from age 5 on who deserve society's scorn and hatred (not to mention testicle removal, 10 years of prison gang rape, then death by quartering), not "pedophiles."

quote:

ORIGINAL: Ialdabaoth



I actually almost wholeheartedly agree. The only thing I disagree with is the idea of a decade of violence, mutilation and torture, followed by a horrific death. People like that are damaged. They're like Old Yeller. At some point, they were some mother's sweet little boy, and then something went horribly wrong.

They don't deserve that treatment, any more than you deserved what happened to you. It's best to put them down quickly, cleanly and compassionately, and then get on with repairing the damage and healing those who can be saved.

You are better than that. The fact that you can recognize that what was done to you is wrong makes you better than that. But that fact also comes with an obligation, to not descend to the level of those who have wronged you, even in retribution - no matter how horrifically.

And I say this as someone who was also sexually abused as a child.

quote:

ORIGINAL: daddysprop247
and to that all i can is...my whole life i've tried to be good, deep down inside, really pleasing and helpful and thoughtful and compassionate and caring and just plain GOOD. but i am will admit to not yet being that good. His continued happy, successful, praise-filled, consequence-free life makes that impossible for me, and puts a really huge dent in my belief in karma.

but thanks.