I'm sorry, but your reasoning doesn't make any sense at all. You are comparing tax collection (an action) to pedophilia (an attraction)? You must either be joking or confusing pedophilia with molestation. I tend to believe the latter since you seem to be sincere. I assure you that not all pedophiles molest, regardless of what you read in the newspapers. I am a pedophile, and I do not molest. I do not have sex with kids regardless of whether or not it is consensual. From what I read on pedo boards, I tend to believe that the vast majority of pedophiles do not molest. They refrain for either moral or legal reasons. Yes, some pedophiles act out and molest, and some molesters aren't pedophiles at all. They are merely targeting someone who is less able to resist. If you really want to discuss pedophilia logically and scripturally, you need to get away from the assumption that an attraction is controllable. An attraction is neither controllable or a sin. Only actions are. And while you may argue that lust is a sin and is not an action, I contend that lust is indeed a conscience action. Lust is when you intentionally dwell on impure sexual thoughts. If an attraction was lust, then Jesus never would have preached against it, since God certainly intended for men to be attracted to women, but did not intend for men to lust after them. I'm not trying to normalize my attraction to boys. I am well aware it is not who God intended for men to be attracted to. But the attraction alone is not sin. Suggesting that I can change my attraction if I really wanted to makes as much sense as if I were to suggest you could change your attraction to women if you really wanted to.

Regarding your other point......Pedophilia DOES NOT offend children. Molestation offends children. Please stop speaking as if they are the same thing. THAT offends ME.

Next point........lust certainly does NOT often lead to rape. Lustful thoughts run rampant in our society, especially among non Christians. (although Christians do it too) But rape is relatively rare by comparison. I'm not defending lust, but it doesn't often lead to rape.

Dakota