McMINNVILLE, Ore. (BP)–How long will it be before public schools in America will be instructing children — perhaps even preteens — that having sex with an adult is normal, natural, and healthy?
Under the guise of safe sex and safe schools, i.e. to insure no homosexual child — or child with same-sex households — is harassed, tax-funded education already introduces the concept of homosexuality as morally equivalent to heterosexuality. Public schools in the west, led by California, are blazing this “progressive” trail. Some schools even begin in kindergarten introducing children to the concept of homosexuality as a normal part of life. There are academics that assert that sex between a minor and an adult is normal and to instruct otherwise is unhealthy. It is only a matter of time until some brave educator will insist that for the safety and well being of children, the taboo of pedophilia must be erased.
Consider the following: “Boy-lovers and the lesbians who have young lovers are the only people offering a hand to help young women and men cross the difficult terrain between straight society and the gay community. They are not child molesters. The child abusers are priests, teachers, therapists, cops and parents who force their stale morality onto the young people in their custody. Instead of condemning pedophiles for their involvement with lesbian and gay youth, we should be supporting them.” This “enlightened” insight is offered by Patrick Califia-Rice who was recently featured at a Penn State conference on women’s health and wellness.
The University of Minnesota Press has published “Harmful to Minors: The Perils of Protecting Children from Sex.” Authored by Judith Levine, the book — just now hitting bookstores — is being marketed as “A radical, refreshing, and long overdue reassessment of how we think and act about children’s and teen’s sexuality.”
In “Harmful to Minors,” Levine cites the Dutch age-of-consent law as a “good model” — it permits consensual sex between an adult and a young person beginning at age 12. Dutch law does allow for prosecutions of “coercive sex” if sought by a child or a child’s parents. “Teens often seek out sex with older people, and they do so for understandable reasons: an older person makes them feel sexy and grown-up, protected and special,” writes Levine. It is worth noting that Levine acknowledges having had an affair with an adult when she was a minor.
In commenting on the recent sex scandal involving Roman Catholic priests Levine told Newhouse News Service, “Yes, conceivably, absolutely” a boy’s sexual experience with a priest could be positive. In an interview with Associated Press, Levine is quoted as saying, “America’s drive to protect kids from sex protects them from nothing. Instead, it is often harming them.”
Levine and Califia-Rice are joined a growing number of academics that are questioning whether or not children are harmed by sexual contact with adults. In fact, there are those in academia who suggest that a child’s “willing encounter with positive reactions” be called “adult-child sex” instead of “abuse.”
The only argument that is currently being utilized to challenge pedophilia’s aberrant status is consent. In order for “adult-child sex” to be accepted, a physician or researcher must seriously suggest (no proof will be needed, just the possibility will need to exist) that those who experience sexual attraction to children possess a genetic predisposition toward such behavior. When this happens, and it will, the guilt that weighs heavy upon on those with an amorous attraction to children will be alleviated. Then, once a significant number of individuals are willing to publicly acknowledge their “predisposition,” [Thomas Plante, a California psychologist at Santa Clara University cites research that suggests that up to 8 percent of the general population feel sexually attracted to children] there will be little resistance to pedophilia as a normal part of life.
In the insightful words of Hans and Franz of “Saturday Night Live” fame, “Hear me today and believe me tomorrow.” If something does not happen to change the moral direction of our nation, it is only a matter of time before “Fun with Mr. Jones” joins “Heather Has Two Mommies” and “Daddy’s Roommate” on kindergarten bookshelves.
–30–
Boggs, whose column appears in Baptist Press each week, is pastor of Valley Baptist Church, McMinnville, Ore.
