Re: Mainline Christian magazine article
Submitted by Dakota on March 21 2002 23:44:58
In reply to Mainline Christian magazine article submitted by Forgiven on March 21 2002 17:57:31
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I'm sorry, but I have to disagree with your assesment. I didn't find it positive at all. Although the article seemed to try to be compassionate, it still spouted more of the same hysteria, such as "all pedophiles are molesters." Dear God, when will people realize that desires do not always result in actions? Some of the things I had a problem with...... "Or is a paedophile’s behaviour so ingrained as to be beyond redemption?" More of the same bullshit implying that if you are a pedophile, then you behave a certain way, i.e., molest children. "The behaviour of befriending, or ‘grooming’, children is deeply ingrained, and may resemble the actions of someone who really cares for them." So he is saying a pedophile can't actually care for children? We're really just grooming our next victim? Gee, thanks. "Paedophiles must take responsibility for controlling their tendencies, and will need expert assistance to do so." I have successfully controlled my tendancies for many years and haven't had any so called "expert assistance." "paedophilia is an addictive form of behaviour and temptation is always likely to be present." Pedophilia is a sexual orientation. If it turns into addictive behavior, it is another problem, not pedophilia alone. "As one Christian working with sex offenders has said: ‘I do believe that God can transform them – but I still wouldn’t trust them with children in a month of Sundays.’" I guess he doesn't believe in God's transforming power very much, then. "The Church of England has already given some advice on the matter. In Meeting the Challenge, it urged churches to work closely with secular agencies, and suggested that they should require offenders to sign contracts as a precondition of attending services – promising, for example, not to sit near children in meetings or to go to a home group or even accept hospitality if children were to be present." Since pedophiles generally have a sincere caring for children, not just a sexual attraction, to require absolutely no contact with children, even in a supervised situation, seems barbaric. They'll let us attend services as long as we let them cut a piece of our heart out? How gracious of them. Maybe they'll want castration next. I realize this article was aimed more at offenders than pedophiles in general, but it failed to make any distinction between the two. Why is it so hard to acknowledge that there are non-offending pedophiles in the world? When will the Christian church get off it's high horse and recognize that pedophiles are not just a group to minister to? We are their brothers in Christ on equal footing before God. Yes pedophiles need to be ministered to on occasion, but no more so than the next Christian. We are children of God. Not your pet project!!! Dakota |
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