[thatkid]

Originally Posted by Nyororin

A bit late to the discussion - but my feelings on the child models and the like are probably a sign that I`ve been here far too long... Or that I`ve been too far removed from the western morality during the important formative years.

Personally, I find nothing even distasteful about the child models. It isn`t all little girls - about a third are little boys.
The important part is that it doesn`t cross a certain line of actually causing harm to the child. A little girl in a bathing suit is in no more revealing clothing than she is when swimming - posing and imitating the popular idols is not asking her to perform pornography.

I do find distaste with the handful of guys who lust after them - but in the end, what does it matter? As long as a line is never crossed and the child is never harmed, what is so horrific?

The child models generally are aiming to be idols, models, or actors/actresses. Most of the famous models and idol groups started out in the child model scene.

Anyway - I think a lot of my feelings on this have to do with my position on pedophiles. I feel that it`s sick and unnatural, but that it is something that the individual most likely has no control over. What they do control is whether they act on it. There are countless men out there who have incredibly horrific fantasies and fetishes - but that doesn`t mean they cannot control themselves to not go out and force that on someone. Just as those men with horrible or illegal fetishes (like rape fetishes) are expected to control their desires and live with just fantasizing... As long as pedophiles can control their desires and survive with just fantasizing - why should I care what goes on in their head?
If someone wants to fantasize about, say, raping me - as long as I do not know about it and as long as they do not actually do it... I really don`t care. The same goes for my own child - if someone wants to fantasize about doing sexual things with him... As long as it stays in private fantasy and never happens, I do not really care.

In the past I received some comments (not here) about posting the number of photos of my son online as I have. The argument was that somewhere, someone may be looking at them and masturbating (gasp and horror!)
My response to that is and was - So? It in no way harms my son. And if some pedophile can get off at looking at non-pornographic photos of children, all the better! Hopefully fewer children will be harmed through actual actions or child pornography - things that are absolutely abominable and should never be forgiven.

I would be very happy if all the pedophiles were able to satisfy themselves with non-pornographic model imagery and 2D pornography instead of any child ever being harmed. Acting on such urges is no different than anyone acting on an urge to forcibly do something sexual to another. I don`t believe that the subject of fantasy should have any bearing to the ability to control oneself. Everyone fantasizes about something or other - it is only those that act on those fantasies who are in the wrong.

I would agree.