• Is Pedophilia a Mental Illness/Disorder?
    240 replies, posted
Note: I do not advocated child abuse whatsoever, I simply wish to discuss the issue of classification. Throughout the many cultures that exist and have existed, one shared cultural judgement has been made. More specifically, almost all cultures, including the U.S today, view their society's morality and ethically norms as somehow being the law of nature, i.e the RIGHT one. When the issue of whether or not Pedophilia is or should be classified as a mental illness arises, most people will make a judgement based on their specific societal morality and laws. I will argue that under objective standards, pedophilia cannot be classified as a mental illness. First, when we look throughout history, every single instance of sexual-activity between gender, age, and other traits has been observed. Cross-examination of cultures also yield that by Western standards, most of us would condemn sexual relations between an adult and child, however when presented with evidence of other societies that have existed, we see that these sexual relations have been the norm in some societies not subjected to the western standard of morality. For example the Ancient Greeks incorporated sexual relations with children into their society. Pedophilia was not considered a sexual deviation in this society, however by many Western standards this would be considered immoral and those with sexual attraction to children would be demonized even in some circumstances. Again I contend that there is no objective way to classify pedophilia as a mental Illness when morality itself subjective. Second, the definition and benchmark for the term child is completely arbitrary and cannot be objectively measured, thus leading to a problem when it comes to classification of pedophilia. Many classifications that are aged-based do not correspond with the biological counterparts to said age. This nullifies any social, legal or moral based classifications if we do not have an objective way to classify the term "child". Again looking at history, in many cultures, the rite to adulthood is pained through many trials and rites of passage. For example a certain tribe in the Amazon's rite to adulthood is by stuffing their hands into gloves filled with bullet ants. Our western standards cannot objectively make a cultural judgement without arbitrary dates and benchmarks. Pedophilia cannot be classified as a mental illness when it is impossible to classify it objectively. In conclusion, pedophilia has been historically observed to be the norm or be the antithesis of morality in every society that has existed. I will be clear to point out this does not mean because we cannot objectively classify, or observe it, that it is okay to persist in our respective societies, but rather classification of a sexual attraction as a mental disorder is not correct. If one contends sexual attraction to children is a mental disorder, one must also contend that homo or heterosexuality is also a mental disorder. One again, our morality is based on our cultural background so we cannot classify Pedophilia as a mental Illness or disorder. source(s) [url]http://www2.hu-berlin.de/sexology/BIB/pedophilia.htm[/url] [url]http://www.ipce.info/library_2/files/asb.htm[/url]
If it is a mental disorder, then technically, every fetish is. Whether that fetish be stockings, or a vocal partner. Doesn't change that pedos are fucking creepy and shit though.
If the both parties in sex are either over 18 or under 18 with legal guardian's permission they should be allowed to have sex. Pedophilia is not a disorder or illness, acting on your necrophiliac urges and breaking the law is.
I didn't know that psychological disorders were conjecture, allow me to now say that schizophrenia is an opinion and PTSD is totally fictitious. Stop hearing voices in your head you horrible people.
It's not a mental disorder to have the fetish, but people who act on those fetishes probably have some mental disorder, hence the lack of self control
[QUOTE=DangerStranger;32645860]If it is a mental disorder, then technically, every fetish is. Whether that fetish be stockings, or a vocal partner. Doesn't change that pedos are fucking creepy and shit though.[/QUOTE] Are stockings seriously a fetish? No wonder why I'm the only one who wears them and people call me a slut :< Anyway, I couldn't consider pedophilia a mental disorder, since what Danger Stranger said, you'd have to consider a lot of other stuff mentally off to make it comparable.
I'm pretty sure it's simply a heightened fetish. People always act on their fetishes, it's just pedophilia is the one that's illegal.
I think it's more akin to sexuality than to a mental disorder. Like homosexuality in the past (and still today in some regards), it's the negative stigma that makes people quickly deem it as a mental disorder. I find it sort of funny that the OP even felt like he had to post a disclaimer to let everyone know he doesn't agree with kiddy-fiddling. Goes to show just how dangerous the stigma of pedophilia is today.
Its just a fetish for gods sake. Its like saying people with yellow fever have a mental disorder.
[QUOTE=imasillypiggy;32648178]Its just a fetish for gods sake. Its like saying people with yellow fever have a mental disorder.[/QUOTE] How is that remotely analogous
[QUOTE=JohnnyMo1;32648201]How is that remotely analogous[/QUOTE] I'm the only one that hears yellow fever being used as meaning you like Asians a lot?
It might be a fetish but it usually involves scarring children for life.
It's a fetish, just a very messed up one. It's not like there's anything wrong with the brain with the pedophile, there is no difference in shape or how it functions. He/she just likes the thought of having sex with children.
Correct me if I am wrong but isn't there a definite correlation between childhood sexual trauma or abnormal sexual development and pedophillia?
OP is right in that Pedophiles cannot be classified by who they had sex with, but they can be classified based on why they had sex with them. If one adult had sex with an underage, but mature person who has had past experience with sex, then he probably did it because he was ignorant or uncaring of the law. However, if a different guy had sex with a child who is clearly underage because he finds adults to be unattractive, then yes, that is pedophilia. He was sexually attracted to the child BECAUSE it was a child, and not because of some other issue.
Let's abandon the ties to fetishism for a moment. Could I possibly ask this: Would anyone agree that if I have random urges to kill random people, that is not a mental disorder, but if I kill or attempt to kill someone, it becomes a mental disorder?
[QUOTE=Elecbullet;32648672]Let's abandon the ties to fetishism for a moment. Could I possibly ask this: Would anyone agree that if I have random urges to kill random people, that is not a mental disorder, but if I kill or attempt to kill someone, it becomes a mental disorder?[/QUOTE]Seems more like varying degrees of the same disorder, that's is unless these urges to kill are part of natural brain function then both having and acting out on them would classify you as relatively healthy. Unless there are other parts of the brain, that in a healthy and functioning person controls the severity of the urges, which for whatever reason end up compromised, then acting out on the urge to kill could be considered a mental disorder.
i seriously doubt it is.
It's a fetish. Some people are into vomit, paedophiles are into kids. It's possible that an illness could lead to paedophilia (as do many things like child neglect and/or sexual abuse), but not every paedophile (or respective extreme fetish) is mentally ill. [QUOTE=cis.joshb;32645892]If the both parties in sex are either over 18 or under 18 with legal guardian's permission they should be allowed to have sex.[/QUOTE] If you're under 18, sex is a want, not a [I]need.[/I] The idea of sex is to reproduce, and when you're under 18 it's really dangerous if you get pregnant (not necessarily all the time, 17-18 is usually fine, but under 15 there's a risk of serious complications).
[QUOTE=Atlascore;32648780]No, because having urges to kill people and having urges to fuck something are in completely different parts of the brain.[/QUOTE] Somehow I don't think this matters in the least
[QUOTE=DangerStranger;32645860]If it is a mental disorder, then technically, every fetish is. Whether that fetish be stockings, or a vocal partner. Doesn't change that pedos are fucking creepy and shit though.[/QUOTE] Yeah, it's just really not right though...going after the young ones.
i guess so r.g ppl that had a bad childhood
[QUOTE=Elecbullet;32648672]Let's abandon the ties to fetishism for a moment. Could I possibly ask this: Would anyone agree that if I have random urges to kill random people, that is not a mental disorder, but if I kill or attempt to kill someone, it becomes a mental disorder?[/QUOTE] A pedophile won't necessarily have random urges to rape a child so this isn't analogous. If someone is attracted to children I wouldn't say they have a mental disorder at all, but if they have random urges to rape them then yes I'd say it's a mental disorder.
[QUOTE=lulzbocksV2;32648261]It might be a fetish but it usually involves scarring children for life.[/QUOTE] Because it's not consensual, and they weren't educated on any of it.
[QUOTE=lulzbocksV2;32648261]It might be a fetish but it usually involves scarring children for life.[/QUOTE] Pedophilia has never hurt a single child. Child molestation, on the other hand, has. But this thread isn't about that.
[QUOTE=cis.joshb;32645892]If the both parties in sex are either over 18 or under 18 with legal guardian's permission they should be allowed to have sex. Pedophilia is not a disorder or illness, acting on your [b]necrophiliac[/b] urges and breaking the law is.[/QUOTE] Uh, think you got your terminology a bit mixed up there bud. I think it only becomes a "mental disorder" when you don't have the self-constraint to not act it out. And at that point, pedophiles should go to a mental hospital rather than a prison where they will likely be injured or worse.
Pedophilia is disgusting and immoral and should not be tolerated whether it is a disorder or genetics
[QUOTE=Mr.Fancy_hat;32649719]Pedophilia is disgusting and immoral and should not be tolerated whether it is a disorder or genetics[/QUOTE] I don't see the logic behind this. If they never actually act on it, who cares? Who are they hurting?
[QUOTE=Zeke129;32649759]I don't see the logic behind this. If they never actually act on it, who cares? Who are they hurting?[/QUOTE] Wait perhaps that came out wrong i was referring to child molestation,or if the person wants to randomly have sex with any kid randomly ...However i still don't see how would a relationship work?What about sex?And matters to discuss for example a kid at the age of 10 would be with a 65-year old...
[QUOTE=Mr.Fancy_hat;32650494]Wait perhaps that came out wrong i was referring to child molestation,or if the person wants to randomly have sex with any kid randomly ...However i still don't see how would a relationship work?What about sex?And matters to discuss for example a kid at the age of 10 would be with a 65-year old...[/QUOTE] Why the hell are people continually talking about having sex with kids in this thread, that was never part of the topic
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