Pedophilia as a Sexual Orientation vs. Treatable Disorder

California is a maddening place, and I speak as a native.

Recently, we have seen the medical profession begin the process of admitting that another human affliction is 'incurable.'  This time, it is pedophilia.

However, there is a reticence now to call it a 'disorder,' but instead politicians want to recognized as a 'sexual orientation.'  Yes, that right... not only is it incurable, it is natural and acceptable.  A congresswoman from California is seeking to have pedophilia recognized as a sexual orientation in order to give pedophiles legal protection which the bill would extend to all 'sexual minorities' and make it illegal to attempt counseling that would change one's orientation... even if the patient wanted such a change.

Yes, this would make any type of counseling for pedophiles governed by laws that would forbid any effort to change this orientation.

Now, let's look at pedophilia from the perspective we share here on this blog.

1) Alcoholism and other addictions are 'incurable.'

2) Addicts must admit that their orientation towards their addictions is unnatural and not good.

3) Addicts need treatment, but the treatment does assume it can utterly remove an addictive orientation.

4) Addicts must accept that they are incurable, and that this orientation will always be with them, but that they can decrease its power by following a lifelong treatment.

5) Addicts must 'discriminate' against themselves... they must avoid places of temptation so as not to harm themselves and others.

6) Addicts do not blame other people for shunning them due to their actions, because part of their treatment is an unconditional acceptance of their responsibility for their actions.

This bill is lunacy to begin with, since counseling is a private affair and what goes on within, so long as the person is not being abused by the counselor, ought not be subject to regulation.

It is this impulse to regulate that is dangerous, and one of the reasons why I have avoided getting 'professionally licensed,' because I want the freedom to teach and counsel under the Church rather than under government whims.  But, that's another story.

Making pedophilia, a disorder which makes children the targets of adult fantasies, a protected class spells the end of any real treatment.  Right now, pedophilia treatment is so profoundly unsuccessful that protecting pedophiles from themselves is the only real option that society has.  Once they are 'protected,' the lid will be opened.

This is a step towards removing many of the laws and protections now in place regarding sex offenders in general.  Once the principle is established, all it will take is one signature to effectively override all state sex offender registration laws.  Then, you have our legal system regressing back to the 1920s, but with an explosion in the number of active offenders.

Homosexuals, by all estimates, by all estimates, are roughly 3% of the US population.  If this is a 'natural' condition, then it has always been this way.  However, through legal protections and public indoctrination, it is now much more acceptable and can be openly practiced.

Pedophiles (a majority are attracted to children of the opposite sex) are roughly 1%.  Again, by classifying them as a 'sexual orientation,' we are also suggesting that they have always been with us.  why is it now that we are seeing so much activity among this tiny fraction?

Is it not the technology that allows them to network?  As police work to identify and catch these predators, lawmakers are seeking to curb the legal tools police need to catch these predators, largely so that they can be prevented from hurting children and get the treatment they really need.  Most pedophiles struggle with impulse control, which means they are not going to go willingly into treatment.

By classifying them as a 'sexual orientation,' the ability to force them to start treatment and give them a chance to reign-in their impulses will be severely impeded.  This is a disaster in the making.

All of us have 'orientations,' and we should be mature enough to know that not all of them are good.  Part of the human struggle is to overcome those orientations that cause destruction... we should not give in to every impulse.  The message of the world, which is causing this explosion of addiction, has been just the opposite: we are trained to surrender.

This law is just another white flag in the war... the war to protect humanity from its baser and self-destructive cravings.

God help us all.