Re: virus: Sins of the Fathers Is child molestation a sickness or a crime? by Thomas Szasz

From: Walter Watts (wlwatts@cox.net)
Date: Fri Jul 26 2002 - 16:28:49 MDT


There's that name again, Thomas Szasz.

He's that fellow I would like to forcibly get addicted to heroin.

And then discuss HIS relativism........

Walter

Hermit wrote:

> [Joe Dees] I fully agree with this conclusion. All in all a closely reasoned article, which I heartily recommend
>
> [Hermit] Actually, on a number of issues I am sure about, the article was horribly incorrect and in any case, much of the reasoning appeared to me to be demonstrably faulty.
>
> [Hermit] "Pedophilia means the excessive (sexual) love of children" - No it doesn't!
>
> [Hermit] The word is derived from two Greek stems. In Greek, "pedo" means foot (and "paedo" means "child"). "Philia" means an (intellectual) love or attraction towards. If sex had been implied, the word used would have been derived from "eros" or sexual love. So in fact "Pedophilia means a loving attraction towards feet" and has nothing to do with either children or sex.
>
> [Hermit] When an author can't even define their subject correctly, I don't expect their writings to be particularly insightful. And this was certainly the case here. In my opinion, this was not so much a researched and reasoned article as a case of tossing together a salad of generally held public misapprehensions, prejudices and biases with an unhealthy topping of whipped emotion.
>
> [Hermit] It seemed to me, that like most people commenting on this field, it spoke from a deep sea of ignorance. How else could it be? The issue is so loaded with emotion that legitimate research in the field is taboo. Any results questioning or contradicting the beliefs of society are discarded and their authors and their institutions assaulted. A pity, because, if I recall correctly, 85% of US females and 70% of US males experienced sexual predation to a greater or lesser extent in their childhood.
>
> [Hermit] The author(s?) of this report demonstrate exactly this bias by condemning unread (or deliberately misreporting) the only modern peer-reviewed work on the impact on the victims of sexual predation of children.
>
> [Hermit] I’d suggest that this is an example of unreasoning closed minds approving writings which appeal to their preconceptions – and not “close reasoning” at all. I heartily recommend placing it in the trashcan of articles better not written.
>
> Regards
>
> Hermit
>
> ----
> This message was posted by Hermit to the Virus 2002 board on Church of Virus BBS.
> <http://virus.lucifer.com/bbs/index.php?board=51;action=display;threadid=25803>

--

Walter Watts Tulsa Network Solutions, Inc.

"No one gets to see the Wizard! Not nobody! Not no how!"



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