There was such a public outcry, (including a big threat to boycott Amazon) that the book was pulled and is no longer available.
Just the thought of such a book makes me nauseous; I feel queasy just typing it. But the whole story raises some important questions:
In a society that is so open and affirming to people who consider themselves G, L, B or T, I find it interesting that most people are still quick to oppose those whose "orientation" is P. Don't misunderstand me. I'm glad that the vast majority of people decry pedophilia for the evil perversion it is. I just wonder what standard of decency people are appealing to when they do so, and how that standard applies to other types of sexual behavior. I know the first response is that pedophilia is severely damaging to children (which, of course, it is), though there are some advocates who argue that it isn't, and that it is only an "orientation" which is on equal footing with others which are more socially acceptable. I even read a quote from a gay rights activist once in which she referred not to pedophiles, but to those of a "trans-generational orientation," and argued that those who have that orientation are discriminated against just as homosexuals used to be.
All this makes me think of a quote from N.T. Wright:
"Having decreed that almost all sexual activity is good and right and commendable, we are all the more shrill about the one remaining taboo, pedophilia. It is as though all the moral indignation which ought to be spread more evenly and thoughtfully across many other spheres of activity has all been funneled on to this one crime. Child abuse is of course stomach-turninlgy disgusting, but I believe we should beware of the unthinking morlaism which is so eager to condemn it simply because we hate the thought of it rather than on properly thought-out grounds. 'Morality' like that can be, and often is, manipulated. Lashing out at something you simply know by intuition is wrong may be better than tolerating it. But it is hardly the way to build a stable moral society." (Evil and the Justice of God pg. 27)
"Having decreed that almost all sexual activity is good and right and commendable, we are all the more shrill about the one remaining taboo, pedophilia. It is as though all the moral indignation which ought to be spread more evenly and thoughtfully across many other spheres of activity has all been funneled on to this one crime. Child abuse is of course stomach-turninlgy disgusting, but I believe we should beware of the unthinking morlaism which is so eager to condemn it simply because we hate the thought of it rather than on properly thought-out grounds. 'Morality' like that can be, and often is, manipulated. Lashing out at something you simply know by intuition is wrong may be better than tolerating it. But it is hardly the way to build a stable moral society." (Evil and the Justice of God pg. 27)
Like Wright, I see a big inconsistency in opposing one type of sexual immorality and affirming all others. There has to be a higher standard of sexual behavior than the arbitrary criteria of that which takes place among "consenting adults." (as does adultery).
Certainly this is a discussion-worthy topic if ever there was one?
Mike
1 comment:
MM,
Human beings all look out for themselves. To what degree we do this individually gives an indication of how self-centered we are and also may hint about our morality. Our instinctive selfishness is part of our survival mechanism. I may be oversimplifying here but our own degree of selfishness is what separates us into where we fit on the totem pole of society (whether others see the pole or not, it still exists..). There are so many ways to be selfish that we sometimes forget about the core of this selfishness and just see the surface level of selfish: pro athletes, team owners, corporate owners, business owners, Christians who don’t help the poor, co-workers just looking out for their own interests, those that litter, those that speed to cut you off….the list goes on, we are all selfish every day.
I know my list of selfishness is random and meandering but it serves to indicate that we are all selfish at some times to varying degrees (again, nothing new here and I’m not excusing selfishness. I’m just noting it for what it is). Pedophiles impart there selfish ways on youthful minds and bodies that are not mature enough to provide mutual consent to an act or relationship. The children are not on level decision making grounds and are used by the P. The P uses the child in a selfish way and it is wrong, perhaps the lowest of low on the totem pole of selfishness! We take exception to this because it may be the most selfish act there is to mankind (to use an innocent child is appalling!!). Those that are L or G might typically be in a relationship with another mutually consenting adult where the degree of selfishness is on level with another loving heterosexual couple where there is give and take. The P is in a league of its own, the lowest of the low. The P is about the P meeting its own selfish requirements 100% to the max while the poor child victim is used and the child’s life is altered in a horrible way for life. L or G is a chosen lifestyle (and is legal). P is a sick abuse and is criminal.
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