Catholic cardinal says child molesting an illness, not a crime

[martybegan]

I don't see anything in there that says that Cardinal Napier was calling for child rape to be legalized.


Technically he is correct, being a pedophile (one who is sexually attracted to children) is not a crime, it is (according to the DSM-IV-TR) a mental illness. It isn't until that individuals acts on that desire that it becomes a crime.



>>>>

Its still a bad statement to make, and he is rightly called on it. The mistake he is also making, just like everyone else, is that a majority of the cases of priests abusing children is pederasty, not pedophilia, as a large portion of the vicitms are pubescent and post pubescent boys. Pedophiles have an attraction to pre-pubescent children.

I don't disagree that it was not a well thought out statement. My disagreement with the OP was that the less than articulate statement was not a call to legalize child molestation.


>>>>

We can agree on that.

 

[editec]

Pedophilia might be an mental illness.

But molesting children is still a crime regardless of what causes it.

How hard is that to figure out?

 

[HUGGY]

This is liberalism. They want to legalize child molesting.

Cardinal Apologizes for Saying Pedophilia Not a Crime

Monday, 18 Mar 2013 11:35 AM

JOHANNESBURG — A South African cardinal on Monday apologized for offending victims of child abuse when he described pedophilia as an illness and not a crime in a media interview.

Victims' rights groups and others said the comments by Cardinal Wilfrid Fox Napier, the Catholic Archbishop of Durban, comments were insensitive, especially given perceptions the Catholic Church has not done enough to root out abuse.

Napier, one of the 115 cardinals who took part in the Vatican conclave that elected Pope Francis, had told BBC Radio 5 that pedophilia was a "disorder" that needed to be treated.

"From my experience, pedophilia is actually an illness. It's not a criminal condition, it's an illness," he had said.
.

I don't see anything in there that says that Cardinal Napier was calling for child rape to be legalized.


Technically he is correct, being a pedophile (one who is sexually attracted to children) is not a crime, it is (according to the DSM-IV-TR) a mental illness. It isn't until that individuals acts on that desire that it becomes a crime.



>>>>

Nonsense. If you download child porn onto your computer you can be charged with a crime without ever laying hands on a child.

 

[martybegan]

This is liberalism. They want to legalize child molesting.

I don't see anything in there that says that Cardinal Napier was calling for child rape to be legalized.


Technically he is correct, being a pedophile (one who is sexually attracted to children) is not a crime, it is (according to the DSM-IV-TR) a mental illness. It isn't until that individuals acts on that desire that it becomes a crime.



>>>>

Nonsense. If you download child porn onto your computer you can be charged with a crime without ever laying hands on a child.

You can be charged with a crime for possesing it even if you are not a pedophile. Child porn is one of the few items where even mere possession, not even intent to use is actually a crime.

 

[PratchettFan]

This is liberalism. They want to legalize child molesting.

I don't see anything in there that says that Cardinal Napier was calling for child rape to be legalized.


Technically he is correct, being a pedophile (one who is sexually attracted to children) is not a crime, it is (according to the DSM-IV-TR) a mental illness. It isn't until that individuals acts on that desire that it becomes a crime.



>>>>

Nonsense. If you download child porn onto your computer you can be charged with a crime without ever laying hands on a child.

That doesn't change the point being made. Downloading child porn is acting upon that desire. It is that action which is illegal, not the desire. Likewise heroin addiction is a medical condition. Possession of heroin is a crime.

What the cardinal said was badly put and he had to back track on it. Not surprising there and I don't really know what his motiviations were. However, the attempt of the OP to call it "liberal" was just flat idiotic.

 

[bodecea]

In Islam, it's considered having intimate relations with your child-wife and acceptable and Islam is growing in areas near you.

It is? And our laws will allow that? I think not.

 

[JakeStarkey]

This is liberalism.

Since certain libertarians wish to lower the age of consent so they can engage in their perversion without fear of legal problems, the problem is not liberalism or libertarianism or conservatism.

Perverts come in all political colors.

 

[AmyNation]

This is liberalism. They want to legalize child molesting.

I don't see anything in there that says that Cardinal Napier was calling for child rape to be legalized.


Technically he is correct, being a pedophile (one who is sexually attracted to children) is not a crime, it is (according to the DSM-IV-TR) a mental illness. It isn't until that individuals acts on that desire that it becomes a crime.



>>>>

Nonsense. If you download child porn onto your computer you can be charged with a crime without ever laying hands on a child.

That's because child porn exploits children. Children cannot consent to sexual contact.

WorldWatcher is right. Being a pedophile is not illegal, its acting on your thoughts that is.

 

[Esmeralda]

This is liberalism. They want to legalize child molesting.

Cardinal Apologizes for Saying Pedophilia Not a Crime

Monday, 18 Mar 2013 11:35 AM

JOHANNESBURG — A South African cardinal on Monday apologized for offending victims of child abuse when he described pedophilia as an illness and not a crime in a media interview.

Victims' rights groups and others said the comments by Cardinal Wilfrid Fox Napier, the Catholic Archbishop of Durban, comments were insensitive, especially given perceptions the Catholic Church has not done enough to root out abuse.

Napier, one of the 115 cardinals who took part in the Vatican conclave that elected Pope Francis, had told BBC Radio 5 that pedophilia was a "disorder" that needed to be treated.

"From my experience, pedophilia is actually an illness. It's not a criminal condition, it's an illness," he had said.
.

Okay, cool. So the guy who shot up the movie theatre, he's schizoid: it's an illness, so he didn't commit a crime. Cool. We should let all the pedophiles out of jail and treat them tenderly because they are not bad guys, just ill.

 

[Nosmo King]

[
You should try reading what you quoted again and think about it. Pedophilia is not a crime, it is a mental disorder. If a pedophile does not molest children they have committed no crime and are not arrested. If they go to a mental health professional they can get assistance, not until the fucker touches (or photographs) a child have they committed an illegal act. At that point the molestation is a crime and they can (and should be) arrested and sent to prison (and I'd opt for life).

He's correct, pedophilia is an illness. Raping children is the crime.


>>>>

Get help please. Pedophilia means molesting kids so don't give us that "thought crime" liberal crap.

Wrong. Pedophilia is the state of being sexually attracted to children. That is a state of mind. Acting on that is where the crime occurs.

 

[Esmeralda]

In Islam, it's considered having intimate relations with your child-wife and acceptable and Islam is growing in areas near you.

Absolute total bullshit.

 

[WorldWatcher]

This is liberalism. They want to legalize child molesting.

I don't see anything in there that says that Cardinal Napier was calling for child rape to be legalized.


Technically he is correct, being a pedophile (one who is sexually attracted to children) is not a crime, it is (according to the DSM-IV-TR) a mental illness. It isn't until that individuals acts on that desire that it becomes a crime.



>>>>

Nonsense. If you download child porn onto your computer you can be charged with a crime without ever laying hands on a child.

Not nonsense.

You are not charged with "pedophilia" (the mental state) you are charged with possession of child pornography (the crime). You do realize that searching for and downloading something would be an "act" or "behavior" whereby you act on the desire - right?



>>>>

 

[JakeStarkey]

A pedophile cannot be prosecuted for his belief.

He can be prosecuted for acting on it: downloading child porn is acting on it.

 

[Esmeralda]

A pedophile cannot be prosecuted for his belief.

He can be prosecuted for acting on it: downloading child porn is acting on it.

I think people are just splitting hairs here. When people refer to a 'pedophile,' they are generally referring to someone who has acted on it. We don't even know about pedophiles who don't act on it; even if it is downloading child porm: that's acting on it. The cardinal was most likely refering to priests who have acted on their attraction to children, and he wants them to not be punished but treated medically. No one knows who a pedophile is unless they are caught acting on it.

 

[JakeStarkey]

Esmeralda, I agree with that.

The cardinal in my opinion is wrong, wrong, wrong. Touch a child sexually, go to the Big House for a very long time, if not until death and then an unmarked grave.

Children are sacrosanct. They can't be touched without grievous punishment inflicted on the offender.

 

[ShootSpeeders]

A pedophile cannot be prosecuted for his belief.

He can be prosecuted for acting on it:

HAHAHA. LIsten to these crazy libs. Now they want child molesting classed as a mere "thought crime" and made legal. Just like i said they did.

 

[ChloeP80]

Jesus would not support child molestation, so who is the Pope to? Shame.
Committing a crime makes you a criminal, whether you have an 'illness' or not

 

[AmyNation]

There is a movement to remove the stigmatism from pedophilia in the hopes that more pedophiles will come forward and seek help before they cross the line and hurt someone.

Pedophilia is a mental illness, and needs to be treated like such. Personally I wish we could lock them in a mental institute until they are deemed no longer a danger to society.

 

[Connery]

The Cardinal had no business discussing or drawing conclusions psychological or legal issues in his role as a Cardinal. Should he have attained the requisite qualifications to discuss and render a professional opinion regarding such issues he should do so in those capacities, as a layperson not as a cleric.

So only lawyers are allowed to discuss law and only clerics allowed to discuss religion and only doctors can discuss health care and....

You ain't got a brain in your head.

That is not what I said, read it over for the import of my discussion....or don't..

 

[Nosmo King]

A pedophile cannot be prosecuted for his belief.

He can be prosecuted for acting on it:

HAHAHA. LIsten to these crazy libs. Now they want child molesting classed as a mere "thought crime" and made legal. Just like i said they did.

Good Lord you are dense! Is that a prerequisite for being a far right loon?

Pedophilia is the state of mind of being sexually attracted to children. That is not a crime. We do not prosecute based on someone's state of mind. Should they, God forbid, act upon those attractions and molest a child, they have THEN committed a crime.

No one called for molestation to be legal. But you can't prosecute someone for thinking. Acting is when the legal line has been crossed.