PEDOPHILIA AND THE ONE-MINUTE RULE

 

PEDOPHILIA AND THE ONE-MINUTE RULE

There used to be ghastly responses that many have had when they heard the word, “pedophilia”: repulsion, rage, anger, victim, helplessness, perverseness, to name a few. However, these negative responses once reserved against the pedophile are now transitioning to words that favor the pedophile. Legislatures under the pressure of social imagery are dropping the age of pedophilia to coddle the sexual deviances of predators. The culture is shifting to accept the pedophiles and are relabeling them as “Minor-Attracted-Persons” (MAP’s). The pedophiles will win the approval of the culture, eventually, and its illegal boundaries will fade. Soon, the age of the child will no longer be an issue against the “MAP’s”. The issue will solely be “Consent”. The question will be, “Did the child consent to the sexual relationship”? And eventually "consent" may fade as a protection clause for the innocent. It will be proclaimed that the MAP is born the way he is just as is the homosexual, as well as those who think they can simply identify themselves as the opposite sex. To be consistent, why should the MAP be punished for his genetics? Why should the person in delirium, not be celebrated when they have ascertained their true gender? The time to protect our children from predators is shifting to a time to protect the predator.

 

This gravitation towards young children is the desensitizing of sexual immorality toward the ultimate destruction of societal foundations. So, I think it would be helpful to begin to have a biblical polemic against the normalization of pedophilia at the ready. Even though by the nature of things may be obvious even to many non-Christians that pedophilia is wicked, hopefully we will be faced with the question, “Where in the Bible does it say it’s wrong?”

 

Biblical Background

 

I will attest to the fact that those who have no interest in God and subsequently, His Word, will have no interest in reading this section. Their only interest is sexual gratification…and that is their god.

 

Pedophiles are not interested in marriage, only sexual gratification, but we should be educated by the Bible when we consider the age of sexual awareness. The Bible does not specify any particular age requirement for a person to be married; rather, it speaks in general terms of marriage being for those who are “grown up” (see Ruth 1.12-13). Both the language and culture of the Bible strongly support the idea that puberty, at bare minimum, is a condition that must be met before becoming someone’s spouse. This fits with one of the historical purposes of marriage - conceiving and rearing children. Scriptural evidence indicates that those too young for childbearing are not candidates for marriage, though there is no explicit age given in the Bible.

It is reasonable to look at the practices of ancient Judaism for cultural considerations on the proper age for marriage. The father would take his sons down to the river for bathing. He would examine his sons for signs of puberty and determine periodically whether he should consider getting them married.

 

According to tradition, boys were not considered “men,” and therefore not marriageable, until the age of 13. Girls were not considered “women” until age 12. These ages more or less correspond to the onset of puberty. While those ages might seem too young to us, they are not unusual ages for getting married, historically. It has only been within the last century or so that the average age of getting married has drifted into the late twenties and early thirties.

It’s also important to recall that maturity—often used as a benchmark for allowing sexuality and marriage—is highly cultural. In modern Western countries, people are not generally expected to be self-sufficient until they are nearly in their twenties, or even later. For most of human history, however, people were expected to “grow up” much sooner. The age of getting married was normally young, as everyone was expected to mature socially and emotionally more quickly than today.

The Hebrew language also supports the idea that puberty is a requirement for a legitimate marriage. Ezekiel 16 contains a metaphor for God’s relationship to Israel. In this passage, God cares for Israel, pictured as an orphaned girl in various stages of development. The Lord first sees her birth, then watches her grow up: “You grew and developed and entered puberty. Your breasts had formed, and your hair had grown. . .. Later I passed by, and when I looked at you and saw that you were old enough for love, I spread the corner of my garment over you” (verses 7–8). In this illustration, it’s only after the girl arrives at physical maturity, sometime after (not during) puberty when she is “old enough to love,” that she is ready for marriage. Other translations say the girl “grew tall and came of age” and “grew up, matured, and became a young woman”.

Hebrew, as English, uses different words for younger and older members of either sex. Naˈar refers to young men, while yeled refers to boys aged 12 or younger. For females, naˈarah means “a marriageable woman,” while yaldah refers to a girl 11 or younger—too young for marriage. Once again, these words and definitions seem to enforce the idea that the onset of puberty is a requirement for marriage. Before that time, a boy or girl is not of an age to be married.

The New Testament has even less to say about the age of getting married. Still, there are clues in New Testament Greek similar to those in Hebrew. For example, 1 Cor. 7.36 uses the word hyperakmos in reference to a female. In this case, it’s a young woman who’s engaged to be married. Hyperakmos is translated as “past her youth”, past “the flower of her age”, or “past marriageable age”. The word literally means “ripe,” a common euphemism in many cultures for describing a woman’s capability for bearing children. Paul’s inclusion of the word definitely indicates that the marriageable age was sometime after puberty, when a woman is fully grown. But Scripture nowhere sets a definitive marriageable age: physical maturity is a must, but when a girl reaches maturity can vary. The 12-year-old in Mark 5.41-42 is still a “little girl” and obviously not ready for marriage.

As with many other issues, the proper age for getting married has a cultural component that the Bible does not specifically override. What constitutes a proper marriage age can vary from culture to culture and still fall within the bounds of scripturally proper conduct. The bottom line is that pedophilia and child marriages are unacceptable. A person must be fully grown to be married; he or she must be physically mature enough for sexuality and childbearing. Beyond that, the Bible does not specify a minimum age for marriage.

One may say, "Why are you addressing marriage? The issue is pedophilia!" Why spend this time addressing marriage, then? Because the Bible constrains sexual activity within the marriage bond. Anything else is sexual immorality. Sexual immorality includes pedophilia.

 

There is no direct mention of pedophilia in the Bible. But there are numerous biblical principles that definitely apply to this sin. One such principle is the Bible’s view of the sin of fornication. The word translated “fornication” has the same idea in both the Hebrew and the Greek. The Greek word is pornia, from which we get the English words porno and pornography. The word in Scripture refers to any illicit sexual activity, and this would have to include the abhorrent acts of a pedophile—including the gathering and trading of obscene or indecent pictures of young children. People who use this type of pornography usually graduate from looking to actually doing, bringing great harm to children. Fornication is among the “lusts of the flesh” (Galatians 5.16-21) and among the evil things that come from the heart of a man apart from God (Mark 7.21-23).

Pedophiles share the characteristic of being “without natural affection” (Romans 1.31; 2 Timothy 3.2). The phrase “without natural affection” is translated from one Greek word, which means “inhuman, unloving, and unsociable.” One without natural affection acts in ways that are against the social norm, though the social norm is subject to entropy. This would certainly describe a pedophile.

In addition, there is a principle found in Jesus’ words about children. Jesus used a child to teach His disciples that childlike faith is necessary for entrance into the kingdom of heaven. At the same time, He said that the Father has concern for all of His “little ones” (Matthew 18.1-14). In that passage, Jesus says,“But who shall offend one of these little ones which believe in me, it were better for him that a millstone were hanged about his neck, and that he were drowned in the depth of the sea” (Matthew 18.6; Mark 9.42). The word “offend” means “to cause one to stumble, to put a stumbling block or impediment in the way, upon which another may trip and fall, to entice to sin, or to cause a person to begin to distrust and desert one whom he ought to trust and obey.”

These definitions of the word “offend” can easily be applied to the actions of a pedophile. Of course, the principle of not harming a child can be applied to a wide range of child-abusive actions, and Matthew 18.10 makes the case against anyone who would bring any type of harm to a child. Most heinously, it is the injection of hormone blocking drugs to prevent the child’s natural transition into their sexual puberty to give the illusion that they can become whatever sex they desire. This act is murder. Murder in the metaphysical sense. God will most certainly deal the heavy hand of judgment against such pagan persons who subject children to this torture. 

 

Age of consent

Age of consent is a legal term that refers to the age at which a person can legally agree to marriage or sexual activity. The age of consent varies from country to country, and in the United States it varies from state to state. The age of consent in Nigeria is 11, whereas the legal age of consent in South Korea is 20. Islamic law puts the age of consent at 9, but only within the confines of marriage. In the United States, the age of consent ranges from 16 to 18. Even so, that age range is on the decline depending on the depravity of the legislature. The median age of consent worldwide is 16. Sexual relations with someone under the age of consent is considered statutory rape, and the offender may be prosecuted regardless of whether the act was consensual.

As mentioned above, age of consent is not a biblical term, but laws establishing an age of consent reflect a biblically supported desire to protect children. In the Hebrew culture of biblical times, the expectation of maturity came quite early in life. Boys at the age of 13 usually began apprenticeships with older male relatives as they learned a trade. Once a girl had passed puberty, she was considered marriageable and could be betrothed to an older man who could provide for her (betrothal being different from actual marriage). When ancient Israel took a census or called for men to form an army, the minimum age was 20 (Numbers 1.3; Exodus 30.14; 2 Chronicles 25.5).

Today, the purpose for age of consent laws is to protect the innocence and immaturity of children. Sexual activity is a life-altering event, one that God designed to consummate a lifelong commitment in marriage (Genesis 2.24; 1 Corinthians 7.39). The age of consent also helps protect children from sexual predators who want to exploit or “offend” them. In fact, campaigns against human trafficking have historically pushed for a higher age of consent as a means of protecting vulnerable youth and encouraging social stability. Age of consent laws give governments more power to arrest predators and stop the exploitation of minors.

While the Bible does not define an age of consent, the concept is biblical. Sex should never be forced (that is, non-consensual), and those at risk of exploitation must be protected. It is biblical to restrain the actions of pedophiles, prevent the victimization of children, and deter sexual abuse in general. Age of consent laws help do all of that.

Parents have a responsibility to prepare their children for marriage and sexual expression that honors God. Ephesian 6.4 tells parents to “bring children up in the training and instruction of the Lord.” When God’s plan for sexual purity is valued within the family, a child can grow up knowing that the age of consent is that moment in adulthood when he or she has the wisdom to choose a spouse “for better or worse.”

 

Until that awareness of sexual expression unfolds in a child, children are incapable of being sexually gratified. They’re bodies haven’t grown yet, nor have their minds been prepared for it yet through puberty. Thus, they cannot be involved in the mutual relationship of marriage. Marriage isn’t about selfishly gratifying your own sexual desires at the expense of your partner but is about loving and giving yourselves up one for another. This is impossible when one partner is a child. That sexual relationship is a one-way expression and can only be selfish, the child gets nothing out of it and can only hurt them since their body isn’t designed for that yet, nor is their mind ready. 

 

Carl Trueman remarks:

 

There are still some societal restrictions imposed on its members which shapes and corrals its behavior, e.g., pedophilia, foot fetishes, snuff sex, and other various sexual proclivities. If society is to appear not to be hypocritical, then that dam should soon break, too. Though, at the present time, all psychologically constructed identities and sexual expressions and desires considered are not legitimate and protected by law or the general cultural ethos because they just don’t, yet. Social Imagery still considers them taboo but for no real reason.

 

Recognition is a social phenomenon. The framework and conventions for expressing my identity are socially constructed, specific to the context in which I find myself. 

If, today, I wore a Roman soldier’s uniform it would not mean that I was a member of a brave military unit. I would be insane or be going to a dress party. My dressing that I choose to wear is recognized by a wider moral structure. The intuitive moral structure of our modern social imaginary prioritizes victimhood and places a premium on the individual’s right to define his own existence. As for the LGBTQ+ people, traditional sexual codes are oppressive and life denying. That is why these lifestyles are deemed legitimate and others are not. Pedophiles, for example, are currently unpersuasive as a victimized class given the fact that they appear more as victimizers. 

 

However, homosexuals in general, are seen as consenting adults, and are not seen as victimizers and call on a long history of social marginalization and victimhood. They can thus claim a right to recognition, a recognition that is connected to a further aspect of the modern moral imagination, that of dignity.

 

The homosexual has gained the recognition of society as a whole and is king, though he may be a pedophile. Because the homosexual claims his sexuality as his personal identity, simple tolerance is not enough. He requires equality before the law and recognition by the law and in society. One must not find themselves on the wrong side of law and social attitudes. The person who objects to homosexual practices is refusing to recognize an identity that society at large recognizes as legitimate and is a moral offense now. It is not simply a matter of indifference. The question of identity in the modern world is a question of dignity. 

The homosexual society must feel that they are equal members of society because their identity and dignity is at stake. This is why they require legislation. Though the civil rights movement of the 1950’s was based on universal humanity, the homosexual movement of today is based on individual self-determination.

 

Remember, social imagery is what controls our basic perceptions and intuitions of culture around us. It is largely absorbed unconsciously. 

 

Freud not only places sex and sexual gratification at the center of adult human identity, but he also extends sexuality back to infancy. With the strong arm of the government and the politicization of sexual identity and Freud’s insistence that to be human means to be sexual, one can see how public education, entertainment and all cultural pressures come to bear against children. “Why wait until adulthood before we ‘humanize’ children into their sexual identity”? We see the onslaught of perverse nature and timing of sex education in grammar and elementary school. We see treatment of children with “gender dysphoria”, respective rights of children and parents when it comes to doctors prescribing birth control. It also informs taste in fashion: the sight of even prepubescent girls dressed in a manner that is apparently designed to indicate their sexuality is commonplace today. This display vexes pedophilia which should soon dissolve any sexual taboos and reduce public outrage. There is a profoundly revolutionary phenomenon to sexualize children all the way back to infancy. Freud has been the point man on this.

 

Why would pedophilia be against the social imaginary as antisocial and neurotic? Perhaps the issue of consent is the primary pivot, but then what is the nature of consent? Children are often made to do things without their consent – eat their vegetables, get up, go to school, go to bed, etc., etc. Why should sex be privileged as requiring consent?

 

The ONE-MINUTE RULE

 

The “One-Minute-Rule” is based upon the biblical premise that the Bible condemns all sex outside of marriage (Hebrews 13.4; 1 Thessalonians 4.3). Fornication is to be avoided. Thus, we can dismiss all sexual relations outside of marriage, including pedophilia. It is all immorality.

 

To indicate the pure arbitrary nature of contemporary law, pedophilia, and morality, I use the “One-minute Rule”. This illustration is used to further make a point of how we accept the world’s irrational normalcy:

 

When an adult male is violating the law with a child by committing an indecent sexual act, though consensual for the youth, we cringe. But if that “child” is 17 years old and in one-minute turns 18 years old at the stroke of the clock, the law says it is no longer an indecent sexual act. 

 

Somehow in ONE MINUTE, the pedophile becomes one who is now an outstanding member of society just expressing his personal identity and love toward another adult human being. 

 

WHAT HAPPENED IN ONE MINUTE THAT ALL OF A SUDDEN MADE THE VICTIM A CONSENSUAL LOVING ADULT AND THE PEDOPHILE A WHOLESOME, LOVING ADULT?  

 

What happened in the heart, soul, and body of that victim in ONE MINUTE? What changed the entire landscape relationship of “victim and pedophile” to two loving members of society in ONE MINUTE?! 

The One-Minute-Rule states that the 18-year-old milestone is simply arbitrary. It means nothing. Why not 15, 13 or even 8 years old? Homosexuality is homosexuality – adultery is adultery – fornication is fornication, no matter what age. There is no such thing as “consenting adults” wherein the “adult” world makes immorality beautiful. “Adult” is just short for “Adulterer”. We see the nonsense of godless laws. It won’t be long before the arbitrary “law” of 18 years-old just fades away. The boundaries for what define pedophilia will be erased. In ONE-MINUTE, pedophilia will not only become tolerable but celebratory. 

 

This next paragraph does not speak to the array of biblical reasons why one  may have to divorce, it addresses the ease at which divorce has become the solution outside of biblical justification. 

The subordinate goal of this satanic age is to demolish repressive sexual codes that negate life. The ultimate goal is to destroy the nuclear family. The attack on the family has been very successful. Perhaps, to a degree, had moms and dads remained married, their children would have observed how two people at utter odds with one another can love and forgive when unjustly sinned against and long suffer to overcome their differences, displaying character that children can model as they grow older and consider the prospects of marriage. Children are not only losing their parents in divorce but are being born out of wedlock at staggering numbers. Marriage has lost its primary place in culture and children are growing up lost in a fantasy of sexual illusion. I squarely place the majority responsibility on the parents who abandoned their covenants to one another as their children grow up and dwell in a salvage yard of sexual depravity. They become the next generation of sexual predators. 

 

Where does the answer lie? The political structure succumbs to the social structure and the social structure succumbs to the failure of the family. The nuclear family. Husband and wife, stay married and in the wonderful confines of marriage, there is a husband leading and providing, a wife following, and children thriving under the headship of the father who is fathering and the loving nurture of a mother who is mothering. Build the family and you build a nation.