Least of These said:
Of course the abuse of a child is and will remain a crime. But seems to me that if the attraction was treated as a mental disorder BEFORE the pedophile acted on his impulses, it'd be a good thing. Declaring the thought/desire itself to be a crime doesn't make it go away, it just guarantees the person will keep it hidden and try (or not) to control it themselves rather than seek help.
That sounds good in theory, but it has not worked, as a rule, in practice.
Outside of chemical castration, therapy has not proven to be a cure.
The two sins, Sodomy and Pedophila are similar in many ways...they are both perversion! Both were once universally denounced by society and the church.
Sodomy is just way ahead of Pedophila in the evolutionary process.
Spdomy has already gone from a crime to a psychological disorder to acceptance...even by many in the 'church'. It took decades, but it happened.
IMO, pedophila is on the road.....
Different sins....or perversions but the same cultural evolutionary path.
And I certainly understand that is merely my opinion, but.....