NewGuyOnTheBlock
Cult Survivor/Fundamentalist Pentecostal Apostate
First, I am impressed by some of the people here saying that pedophiles should receive treatment. There are just a few points I disagree with and would like to mention:
1. Pedophilia is a disease as the person who is so afflicted has strong urges to perform acts they find morally reprehensible. This is why most of them want to be "cured". When one's thoughts or urges is opposed to their moral compass, that is, at the least, a "disorder".
2. Treatment does work for many, many pedophiles. Treatment, today, focuses on Avoidance/Escape models and intervention; In other words, the former offender is trained to recognize those situations that are potentially dangerous to his/her self-control; avoid them; and escape from them long before the opportunity to offend is even presented. Sadly, not all such persons are receptive to treatment; but, treatment is much more effective than is commonly believed.
3. Pedophiles are not necessarily sociopaths, as sociopaths are marked by lack of conscience. Many pedophiles have consciences, as is evidenced by statements here in this very thread indicating many of their desires to be "cured". If one was not bothered by their conciseness, I fail to see that they would want to be cured.
4. As pedophilia is marked by harmful behavior, suffering and destruction, I would find it unconscionable to withhold or prevent the findings of treatment based on how it may affect us gays. That, imo, is extremely selfish thinking.
5. Should such knowledge become manifest and that knowledge abused to change people against their will or used as forced conformity, we should feel morally obligated to oppose that kind of abuse.
6. Another thing to consider is this: Pedophiles have common denominators, generally during their formative years. Each has been abused, neglected or abandoned in early life; or at the very least, lived in an environment of poor social and sexual boundaries. This is not abuse excuse; this is simply statements of fact. There are no such common denominators for gays.
Stop It Now | Together We Can Prevent the Sexual Abuse of Children
Safer Society Foundation
1. Pedophilia is a disease as the person who is so afflicted has strong urges to perform acts they find morally reprehensible. This is why most of them want to be "cured". When one's thoughts or urges is opposed to their moral compass, that is, at the least, a "disorder".
2. Treatment does work for many, many pedophiles. Treatment, today, focuses on Avoidance/Escape models and intervention; In other words, the former offender is trained to recognize those situations that are potentially dangerous to his/her self-control; avoid them; and escape from them long before the opportunity to offend is even presented. Sadly, not all such persons are receptive to treatment; but, treatment is much more effective than is commonly believed.
3. Pedophiles are not necessarily sociopaths, as sociopaths are marked by lack of conscience. Many pedophiles have consciences, as is evidenced by statements here in this very thread indicating many of their desires to be "cured". If one was not bothered by their conciseness, I fail to see that they would want to be cured.
4. As pedophilia is marked by harmful behavior, suffering and destruction, I would find it unconscionable to withhold or prevent the findings of treatment based on how it may affect us gays. That, imo, is extremely selfish thinking.
5. Should such knowledge become manifest and that knowledge abused to change people against their will or used as forced conformity, we should feel morally obligated to oppose that kind of abuse.
6. Another thing to consider is this: Pedophiles have common denominators, generally during their formative years. Each has been abused, neglected or abandoned in early life; or at the very least, lived in an environment of poor social and sexual boundaries. This is not abuse excuse; this is simply statements of fact. There are no such common denominators for gays.
Stop It Now | Together We Can Prevent the Sexual Abuse of Children
Safer Society Foundation
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