Okay, fine. Let's have at it!neoloGismaker said:
How so? That depends, I believe, on your opinions of the nature of paedophilia as a phenomenon. I hold that paedophilia, along with any other paraphilia and/or aspect of human sexuality, is inherent to the individual and an involuntary response. Thus a person could conceivably be attracted to, and even 'lust after', a child, but due to their rational faculties and empathy towards people, would restrain themselves from acting. Terms like 'twisted' are simply subjective value judgments which depend on an individual's criteria. To me, the most important thing is one's actions, and that people are not harmed; therefore I cannot hold thoughts as evil in and of themselves. The same goes for potential murderers and such. The human psyche, for all its recurring patterns and apparent simplicity, is an unfathomably complex beast, and has many dark and unexplored crevices yet.
Much like 'twisted', 'evil' is also a moral judgment. However, in this case, as the harm done to the individual is real and undeniable, I would agree with your assessment. Above and beyond that, from a rational perspective, the damage done to the child's psychological development is often devastating, and carries with it the potential to cause an individual to lash out at others for the abuse they have suffered, perhaps become abusers themselves, or perhaps against the odds they will conquer the trauma and use it to fuel future success; such people are rare. Nevertheless, it is entirely unjust and one of the purest forms of apathy and selfishness I can conceive.neoloGismaker said:
Well, now, I don't know about that. I would quite happily sanction the genocide of a large portion of the criminal population, who have perpetrated unspeakable horrors against their fellow man and whose genetics, upbringing and psychological profile show they are beyond hope of redemption. I'm only half joking, you know. But I know that in reality it would be a horrible thing, as well as utterly impractical.neoloGismaker said:
But again, genocide... I would consider to be the most repugnant act on this list. One is merely a thought; it harms nobody. Another slashes at a person's very being, leaving a devastating wound that will never fully heal. But genocide is... an unspeakable abomination. You know, when I look at statistics on a sheet of paper, when I see that a million people have died, it doesn't really affect me emotionally at all, because I'm incapable of comprehending such magnitude. I was playing a war game the other day, though, that showed scenes of the D-Day Normandy landing. Normally it doesn't bother me, but I saw them, these people, during the cinematics, talking of hopes, of dreams, and of focus, rushing onto the beach, only to be mowed down on the spot. It wasn't just one, or two... but tens, even hundreds of people, mowed down so mercilessly. Even though they were only game characters, I knew that something like this must have happened. I stopped to think that these people could have had sons and daughters, brothers and sisters, mothers and fathers... and how brightly their life's flame might have burned, leaving its mark on the world, were it not for the freakish storm that blew them all out at once. To think that any one person can instigate such thoughtless, ruinous destruction... words fail me. For them, Hell is too kind a thought.
Right, now that that's done, @Homer Simpson, these are my words to you. It's not about the specifics, but the principles. It's unfair of you to be so hard on yourself for things you didn't know in the past. Ignorance is no great sin when one is able to freely admit their shortcomings and learn from them, and I am certain that, had you known then what you know now, you would have agreed with yourself in the present. Perhaps you had the facts wrong, you were a little misinformed... but you were fully committed to your cause, your heart in the right place. The principle is the same. If I were you, I would be able to hold my head up high. Rather than dwelling on what you didn't and perhaps even couldn't have known, I would instead look to the future and see what you can do next.
