Paedophilia "not a criminal condition" says Cardinal.

[NicholasTeakozy]

Yahoo link. What the actual fuck? What fucking planet is this 'man' living on?

I agree that it is an illness, but it is also a crime. To be attracted to children is 100% an illness, but acting on that is a criminal act. I also agree that those who were abused often become abusers. Although the sympathy should be for the victims not the abusers.

I partically agree with the Cardinal's comments, but I also think the media is deleiberatly warping the Cardinal's comments to further scandalize the Catholic church.

What about the many people who were abused in childhood, but make every effort not to repeat this in their own lives. My experience is that there are many good people, who suffered dreadful abuse in childhood, but live their lives determined not to cause suffering to others. I also have experience of far too many people who suffered dreadful abuse, and whilst they have not become sex offenders, they have hurt themselves by using drugs and alcohol to blunt feelings. Given the extent of child abuse carried about by priests, which is now known about, I find it rather scary that this man is in a position of power and influence within the church when his views seem to be, at best, ill informed.