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The Bish...
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Frederick Williams
Mar 16, 2013, 2:01:40 PM3/16/13
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The Catholic Archbishop of Durban, Wilfrid Fox Napier, has described
paedophilia as a psychological "illness, not a criminal condition".
That is a quotation from
http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/world-africa-21810980. Good, I'm glad
somebody knows that paedophiles aren't criminals, but nor are they ill.
The dictionary tells us that paedophiles are people who are sexually
attracted to children. Sometimes 'people' is 'adults', and sometimes
'children' is 'pre-pubescent children'. No matter, it has no relevance
to the point I'm making.
From time to time, I hear talk of a 'convicted paedophile'. If a
plumber robbed a bank and was found guilty, she would not be called a
convicted plumber, she'd be called a convicted bank robber. May it
please be the same with child molesters?
From time to time, when I make this point someone will remark, 'Why,
yes, some paedophiles never act on their urges, and we should recognize
that.' I have to remind them that a paedophile can act on their urges
and still not break the law. For example, they may use children's
clothes as fetishes, or they may engage in role play with an adult
partner, and so on.
I must point out that I know nothing about the law in South Africa.
I note that the bish is actually a Cardinal, I think I should be
congratulated for not making jokes like, 'the Cardinal has a point', and
so on.
--
When a true genius appears in the world, you may know him by
this sign, that the dunces are all in confederacy against him.
Jonathan Swift: Thoughts on Various Subjects, Moral and Diverting
paedophilia as a psychological "illness, not a criminal condition".
That is a quotation from
http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/world-africa-21810980. Good, I'm glad
somebody knows that paedophiles aren't criminals, but nor are they ill.
The dictionary tells us that paedophiles are people who are sexually
attracted to children. Sometimes 'people' is 'adults', and sometimes
'children' is 'pre-pubescent children'. No matter, it has no relevance
to the point I'm making.
From time to time, I hear talk of a 'convicted paedophile'. If a
plumber robbed a bank and was found guilty, she would not be called a
convicted plumber, she'd be called a convicted bank robber. May it
please be the same with child molesters?
From time to time, when I make this point someone will remark, 'Why,
yes, some paedophiles never act on their urges, and we should recognize
that.' I have to remind them that a paedophile can act on their urges
and still not break the law. For example, they may use children's
clothes as fetishes, or they may engage in role play with an adult
partner, and so on.
I must point out that I know nothing about the law in South Africa.
I note that the bish is actually a Cardinal, I think I should be
congratulated for not making jokes like, 'the Cardinal has a point', and
so on.
--
When a true genius appears in the world, you may know him by
this sign, that the dunces are all in confederacy against him.
Jonathan Swift: Thoughts on Various Subjects, Moral and Diverting
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