Let's take the person "Bob"
Bob is a fairly good person. Nothing special. He has an average job, an average house, and an average car.
However, Bob has no family, and no significant other. Something which others find slightly odd, since Bob is no unpleasant person.
However, what they don't know is that Bob is in fact a pedophile. Ever since he became adult, he has dreamed of children.
However, out of fear, or because he doesn't want to hurt anyone, he has never gone beyond this. He hasn't watched child porn, he has never abused a child.
Now the question is:
Is Bob a bad person for being a pedophile still?
Pedophilia is sick, and deserves scorning, but does in this case, Bob do?
If people were scorned for their thoughts...heh most of us would be due for some scorning =p
quote:
Reynar attempted to be funny by writing:
Until he plans to act on it, I don't see how you can hold anything like that against him. Unless you want to become the thought police.If people were scorned for their thoughts...heh most of us would be due for some scorning =p
quote:
Reynar had this to say about Tron:
Until he plans to act on it, I don't see how you can hold anything like that against him. Unless you want to become the thought police.If people were scorned for their thoughts...heh most of us would be due for some scorning =p
But if he was your friend, and one day suddenly revealed this to you.
Would you still be able to consider him a friend?
quote:
Za'Yth was naked while typing this:
But if he was your friend, and one day suddenly revealed this to you.Would you still be able to consider him a friend?
uhm.. yes, unless it was revealed by me seeing him on the news for raping 30 eight year old boys.
I'd probably scorn him for it.. But.. I guess I'd still be his friend until he acted upon it.
I dunno.. Hard question, Za 
quote:
ACES! Another post by Za'Yth:
But if he was your friend, and one day suddenly revealed this to you.Would you still be able to consider him a friend?
Yes, in fact I'd try to help him deal with it.
If I couldn't consider him a friend because hes having some weird thoughts that he'd never act on...it's me that has a problem...not him.
quote:
This one time, at Reynar camp:
Yes, in fact I'd try to help him deal with it.If I couldn't consider him a friend because hes having some weird thoughts that he'd never act on...it's me that has a problem...not him.
I agree fully, myself, as did most of my class. Though some people, like Liam, said they'd just find the thought so revolting they wouldn't be able to talk to him anymore.
I'd still consider him my friend, and be impressed that he has not acted upon his fantasy in any tangible way.
And, of course, I'd suggest he consider getting some sort of counseling or something.
quote:
Za'Yth wrote this:
Ever since he became adult, he has dreamed of children.
Ever since I became undead, I've dreamed of children in a light white wine sauce.
Does this make me a bad person, or only if I act on it?
quote:
Mortious was listening to Cher while typing:
Ever since I became undead, I've dreamed of children in a light white wine sauce.Does this make me a bad person, or only if I act on it?
You'll always be a bad person in my eyes, Mort. 
But, in society's eyes (and my eyes, since he'd still be my friend) he's a good person, having not committed said sin.
He needs help, however. The longer he has such thoughts, the more likely he is to act on such. Through friendship and treatment, he needs to be cleansed on such thoughts, as fear that they will grip him and ruin his life.
However, there's one thing that could change my answer 180 degrees: why Bob doesn't act on it. If he doesn't act on it because he isn't willing to hurt someone, then all's well and good. If it's because he's afraid of getting caught, though, that's a whole other question. One answer implies that if given the opportunity, he wouldn't do the act, because of the consequences to others and the wrongness of the act. The other says he would. And that would make him a very, very bad person.
In the beginning the Universe was created.Douglas Adams, 1952-2001
The very concept of policing thought is repugnant.
Acts are either moral or immoral. Thoughts are neither. We can discuss later, if you want.
--Satan, quoted by John Milton
quote:
Lenlalron wrote this then went back to looking for porn:
Yes, in the sense of pure thought, he is a bad person. Thinking twisted thoughts in such will make a person bad.But, in society's eyes (and my eyes, since he'd still be my friend) he's a good person, having not committed said sin.
He needs help, however. The longer he has such thoughts, the more likely he is to act on such. Through friendship and treatment, he needs to be cleansed on such thoughts, as fear that they will grip him and ruin his life.
Fear leads to Anger, Anger leads to Hate, Hate leads to Suffering!
