(1) Re: If it is a natural thing ... how can it be punishable by law?
Being pedophile might not be a choice. Acting on this and having sexual intercourse with children must be punishable nevertheless.
For some people - mentally distorted serial killers - killing people is not a choice. They feel they must do this. Nevertheless we punish them, and we should.
For some people mistreating dogs is not a choice. They feel an urge to do this and think they have the right to do this. Nevertheless the majority will not accept this, and depending on the jurisdiction it may be against the law.
For some people raping is not a choice. They cannot control their urge to do so. Nevertheless they are sent to prison, and they should.
(2) Re: Although, there must be some cases where it doesn't hurt children
Nope, there are no cases when it does not harm children. It always does.
Going through it again in a court case may additionally be harmful for some children, and it may be useful for other children to be able to deal with it later. This should be decided together with the child, the parents and a psychologist.
(3) Research indicates that gays are born gay, while pedophiles are not born pedophile. Pedophilia can be treated.
That gays are born gay does not necessarily mean that it is genetical. It could either be genetical or it could be due to pre-birth conditions. Like the level of certain hormons of the mother. This is not known until now, but will probably found out some time.
Being gay is not treatable. There are some gay people who converted to heterosexuality. I long wondered how this is possible, but I have found a reasonable explanation. Most cases involve extreme religious sects. As there are also extreme religious sects that get their members to congegrate in expectation of a spaceship to take them to a different planet, with their passports, and kill themselves, it suddenly seems not very unplausible anymore that somebody could be convinced to be heterosexual.
Pedophiles seem not to be born pedophile. Pedophilia appears to be connected to parental neglect and/or mistreatment.
Pedophilia is treatable. Treatment involves building up self-esteem and teaching the patient to have normal relationships to other adults. It also involves teaching them that the child does *not* enjoy the sexual activity, which is what most pedophiles believe.
Sadly treatment does not always work. I think more treatment methods need to be researched. But I have seen a case on TV where the treating doctor said yes, he would allow his (successfully treated) patient, who was also interviewed, to babysit his children. The patient told how he used to believe the children enjoy it, too, and that he now understands that this is not the case. He also said that after the treatment he feels much better about himself and he has contact with other adults. He didn't have a girl friend, yet, but he could now imagine having one.
This treatment does not involve religion, particularly not religious fanatism. It is a scientific/medical treatment akin to other treatments for various mental and psychological disorders.
(4) Conclusion
So my conclusion is: Homosexuality and pedophilia may appear similar on the surface, but they are very different. Homosexuals do not need treatment and cannot get treatment. They must be socially accepted and not be punished by law. Pedophilia is a disorder. It can be treated. Having sexual intercourse with children must be punished by law.
(5) Side note about the age of consent
In many US states the age of consent is pretty high, often even 18. An 18-year-old having sexual intercourse with a 17-year-old is then guilty of pedophilia. This is a legal definition (with which I do not agree) that has nothing to do with the disorder. Similarly, in Germany the age of consent is 14 (if you are 21 or over you must not have sexual intercourse with anybody under 16, though), so a 14-year-old having sexual intercourse with a 13-year-old is guilty of pedophilia. (Another 13-year-old would not be, because under 14 one cannot be tried.) The same applies: This has nothing to do with the disorder. |
