Paedophiles, Justice and prison sentences...

[Tsuyoiko]

I know what she is suggesting and here is a further reply to that,Many people have fantasies about raping people, or abusing them during sex, that could be considered criminal, I think you will agree with that.

I certainly would not agree with that. Having fantasies about committing a crime is a long way from actually going ahead with it. Believe me, I have had some vivid fantasies about kicking the crap out of one or two people, but I would never act on them!

Are you suggesting as well that all these people should be called something like "Raper" because they haven't actually carried out the crime of rape but need mental health attention. Oh yes and if they commit the crime of rape then then are called rapists?

If they don't commit any crime I don't know what I would call them - people with sick fantasies probably. If they commit a crime then they are rapists.

To use KrazyKat's logic ithen in all actuality all "rapists" in the world were only guilty until they committed the crime of rape, but previous to that if society would have been less prejudiced towards them they should have been able to come forward and seek mental health assistance. I dont think so.

I agree wholeheartedly with KK's logic there. I think it might say somewhere in the Bible that thinking something is as bad as doing it, but I don't believe that, and I don't know of any justice system that does either.

[Revenant]

I think it might say somewhere in the Bible that thinking something is as bad as doing it, but I don't believe that, and I don't know of any justice system that does either.

Mars Man was saying that he read an article on neuroscience that put forth that thoughts often began before we could even make a judgement on them. Were this true, then in some circumstances, believing that thinking something was as bad as doing it could be very detrimental to one's self-image. I like more the idea of being aware of one's awareness, and simply watching a thought that one decides not to act on. The analogy is that thoughts and emotions are like bubbles rising from the deep depths of an ocean. One cannot see the origins of the thoughts and emotions. It is better just to know that one often can't control the kinds of thoughts that make their way up, but one can choose how to react to them, or in some cases how not to react to them, but simply watch them wink out of existence.

[Rich303]

The man who does the raping will of course go to hell as well, two sinners, like two peas in a pod.........since there going to burn for all eternity anyway, and there also punishing other sinners.

Wouldn't it be great if bad people went to hell and good people went to heaven? If only life was that simple.
Unfortunately it's not.

I think people just invent the idea of hell because they cannot get over the fact that people can be cruel / evil / 'sinners'(!), and they will get away with it. It might be comforting to think that all the 'sinners' will pay later, but I think it's just a fantasy. They used to tell people that if they didn't pay their tax to the church, that they would go to hell.

On the flip side, I am proud that as a non-religous person, I don't need the 'reward' of heaven to try to be a good person.

I don't believe in heaven or hell, it's just a theory that was invented long ago to help people make sense of the world.
Well, the world doesn't really make sense - deal with it!

[Templar]

I believe that pedophiles should either be sent to jail/mental-illness institute for life or killed (depending on the severity of what they did).