If American society genuinely cares about children, why isn’t the public outraged at the religious fundamentalists’ manipulating child abuse and pedophilia into their campaign against gay marriage?
It seems to me like a dismissal and disregard of a very significant issue. Further, although gays may have a different sexual orientation, child sexual abuse (CSA) is almost always by heterosexual family members and straight close family friends. Studies and research repeatedly show this to be the case. Stranger pedophilia is rare, and it almost always is committed by men who are straight in their adult relationships, which also is the conclusion of experts in the field. CSA and child abuse in general are predominantly “straight America” problems. I find the misinformation and political manipulation terribly disconcerting from a child welfare perspective. It’s offensive and I don’t understand why anyone who cares about children or family can tolerate it. Can you explain?
2006-09-01 13:23:05 · 12 answers · asked by Anonymous in Society & Culture ➔ Religion & Spirituality
Ok, a little follow on. Pedophilia is not correlated with sexual orientation. The two most common factors are having been molested as a child (very high correlation) and being male (female molesters exist but estimates are maybe up to only 10%). Best I can glean, the relationship runs comparable to estimates of gay/straight representation in society as a whole. Gays are clearly a minority in society. CSA occurs predominantly within extended families/family friends (google credible research sites for confirmation). Gays aren’t allowed to marry. Saying this is predominantly a straight issue is a fair statement.
2006-09-01 14:36:22 · update #1
I may not appreciate the impact this type of propaganda has on the gay community, but I find the political spin infuriating for the way it masks a very real societal problem.
2006-09-01 14:40:57 · update #2
Assuming you consider the Department of Justice credible:
http://www.ojp.usdoj.gov/bjs/pub/pdf/saycrle.pdf
96% male offenders
86% female victims
27% family offender
60% known offender
2006-09-01 16:34:00 · update #3
Better clarity on stats:
96% male offenders
86% female victims
Offender:
27% family member
60% aquaintance/known to victim
14% stranger not known to victim
2006-09-02 04:17:37 · update #4
AMEN!!
/starts jumping around the room and hollering/
AMEN! AMEN AMEN AMEN AMEN AMEN!!!
I'm SO bloody glad someone has SEEN THE LIGHT!!!!
I'm a survivor of that kind of sexual abuse myself; my stepfather was the man who put his hands and mouth on me in REALLY inappropriate ways, and this is why I feel VERY passionate about this. I'd be willing to bet that the percentage of straight married men who have molested a child is MUCH higher than that of any Catholic priests who have done so (not that what they did is excuseable, mind).
The public is often deceived by the sensationalist MEDIA. Yellow journalism lives, maybe in a slightly mutated form now, but it does live. People can't seem to THINK CRITICALLY when looking at news media like TV and newsmagazines and newspapers and whatnot. What has happened to people's minds???
They've been numbed by the likes of American Idol and Britney Spears and Wal-Mart and the whole McCulture (as I like to call it) in this country. They've all become SHEEPLE and can't THINK!
Ooooh, you want outraged? That's me all over, and I see how ALL this is completely connected! And it's completely disgusting!
And the people consent to it, they don't speak out against it, they are not demanding truth as Christ did, they are not pointing out lies and hypocrisy as Christ did!
/hugs you/
I've gotta stop because I just get WAY too angry about this....
2006-09-01 13:31:18 · answer #1 · answered by lovehound6 2 · 2⤊ 1⤋
No child abuse is acceptable, whether by a homsexual or heterosexual. I do think that your info is a bit misleading. Of course, the vast majority of offenders are heterosexual because they make up the vast majority of the population, wheras gays make up only a small portion of the population.
The stats I have read show that incidents of homosexual pedophillia range anywhere from 20 to 40 percent of all reported incidents. Lets just say it's on the low end at 20 percent. Homosexuals only comprise about 3-5 percent of the population (contrary to Kinsey's flawed study). You can do the math from here.
Don't get me wrong, I think ALL pedophellia is sick and demented. But don't kid yourself about gay sexual abuse. Gays and straights BOTH committ their fair share. Certainly, gays do not have a lower incidence. If anything, it is probably higher.
2006-09-01 13:54:09 · answer #2 · answered by Anonymous · 0⤊ 0⤋
I don't even know where to begin with this garbage. Child sexual abuse does not happen by straight, normal men. If you look at all the people who sexually abuse children, they are never straight, they are never normal. They are usually single males with severe mental problems. The key words being sever mental problems. Religious fundamentalists believe that marriage is between a man and a woman. We have to stick to that premise, because the Bible tells us one man one woman.
There are other sick groups out there that want marriage to children legalized and to animals also. Where do we draw the line, or do we?
You said yourself that gays have a different sexual orientation. That's what it is all about sex.
The highest growing number of lawsuits in California is about gay people who have children and discover they are not gay and want out of a bad situation. I kid you not. What do they do with these children.
I believe in the Bible and when we stray from Biblical teaching, it always turns out bad.
Maybe you should do a little more homework!
2006-09-01 14:04:39 · answer #3 · answered by sunny 3 · 1⤊ 1⤋
Well im first going to correct your statement. I dont know of what studies you have looked at but pedophilia is done by both strait and gay people. A lot of times it is done within the family but many times it is still done by gay people. And second im not going to group sexually orientations to doing right and wrong. You cant group people like that. Each person has their own choice and it doesnt matter what sexual orientation they are. Even though I dont support same sex marriage, I still love the people and am not going to make a stupid statement like all gay people are pedophilies, nor vice versa. The fact is pedophilia happens and it needs to stop.
2006-09-01 13:35:10 · answer #4 · answered by A* 4 · 1⤊ 1⤋
Personally, I do find these campaign tactics offensive, and I agree that it is a significant issue. I do not consider myself a Christian (tactics such as these being one of the reasons why) although I grew up in Baptist churches. Personally, I think if religious zealots must take a stance on this issue, it should be a stance of God's love, and teaching children to hate the sin and not the sinner ... in regard to all issues.
For the record - My personal stance on homosexuality (or any sexuality that involves consenting adults) is that it's entirely between the people involved, and none of my business.
2006-09-01 13:28:55 · answer #5 · answered by JenV 6 · 1⤊ 1⤋
I'm not sure where you got your information, but I work with kids who have behavior problems. Many of them have been abused and not by men who are straight. They are abused by single men who have no adult sexual preference. They prefer children. They target children.
As for the family values based on religion, the Bible states that homeosexuality is a sin and the Bible is considered by most Christians to be the Word of God. We must follow our believes. I don't hate homosexuals, nor do I deny them the right to become parents. I simply believe what the Bible tells me.
2006-09-01 13:30:06 · answer #6 · answered by TJMiler 6 · 1⤊ 1⤋
Please don't assume that people are not outraged by child abuse. As for what people include in campaigns, we do still live in a country where people have freedom to speak as they choose. Not all speech is going to be wise, truthful, or appropriate.
2006-09-01 13:28:56 · answer #7 · answered by jewel_flower 4 · 2⤊ 0⤋
No I can't explain why some people are so intolerant. You are absolutely right, I don't know a lot of gay couples with children, but those I do know are very good parents.
However I do know a lot of clergy that are pedophiles.
2006-09-01 13:26:38 · answer #8 · answered by redunicorn 7 · 2⤊ 1⤋
This never crossed my mind, but i've never heard of a gay child abuser. The religious are really reaching with this one. Personally, I'm against gay marriage for the simple reason that it would lessen the value of marraige.
2006-09-01 13:31:36 · answer #9 · answered by el88gringo 3 · 0⤊ 3⤋
I don't see or hear about fundamentalist saying that homosexuals are responsible for these acts, I do hear of ppl who are ignorant of facts accuse homosexuals of it.
2006-09-01 13:31:09 · answer #10 · answered by okayokayokay 5 · 1⤊ 1⤋