Theos-Talk Archives (April 2006 Message tt00236)

You wrote:

>My mother was on the brink for many months prior to her passing.  
>We would joke with her that she was Lazarus!  I wish this for your 
>Mum, that she continues to come back from the brink.  

LOLOL.  Thanks much.  She seems to have gone to the brink and come 
back again a couple of times now.  We hope it continues for a little 
while at least.

>I absolutely agree with what you say above, and it also questions 
>the  morality of a loving and just god 

I don't believe in a loving and just 'GOD', as such is commonly 
defined.  I'm agnostic concerning a cosmological 'GOD' (omniscient, 
omnipotent, omnipresent).  I see the god concepts of the various 
mainstream religions as neither loving nor just.  I do, however, 
believe that the entitety of the human species will become 
physically immortal in one of it's next stages of evolutionary 
development, insofar as we are descended from immortals in the first 
place.

>I agree that people should be accountable for their actions, even 
>in a one lifetime philosophy.  However, many perpetrators of 
>violent crime are never caught, (take the Mafia for instance) and 
>justice is eluded.  In the greater scheme of things karma always 
>catches up and the violence they perpetrated on others will be felt 
>directly by themselves, in future lifetimes, although, as you say, 
>in many cases, the reasons become inexplicable.

I believe that justice is served in the afterlife, but I don't 
necessarily believe that people come back again to this earth 
through reincarnation.  I believe that people ascend and descend 
along dimensional heavens and hells in the afterlife.  My belief is 
not identical to the Christian belief however, insofar as I don't 
believe that a person is permanently trapped in any one place.

>>From what I have read there are human beings who have no conscience 
>whatsoever, science wants to attribute this to a non-functioning 
>area of their brain, I however, believe that spirit has 
>withdrawn.   Although every opportunity is given sometimes 
>rehabilitation is not possible.  An example of this is that Hitler 
>had one glimmer of goodness in his personality, that was, his love 
>for his dogs.

Although I believe that the conscience can be irreparably damaged on 
the physical brain level, there are nonetheless other components of 
the 'soul' (psyche) which may yet remain relatively intact.  Namely, 
the mind (our thoughts), the heart (our emotions) and the will (our 
choices).  The mind, the heart and the will are differentiated from 
the conscience.

And while I believe that spirit commonly withdraws from people's 
psychically conscious level, a person's spiritual essence 
nonetheless still remains dormant at a level which is deeper than 
existential consciousness.  And here I must further ask if you are 
referring to a loss of 'soul' or a loss of 'spirit'.  What do you 
believe is the difference between the 'spirit' and the 'soul', if 
any?

Please refer to post #31942 about the structure of the psyche 
(including the conscience), where I engage in further elaboration on 
these points.

>This is more bad parenting and environmental pressures.  I agree it 
>takes great courage and character to believe in oneself and that in 
>many cases this can be turned around when one other person believes 
>differently and inspires that child to reach its potential.

Very true.

>Many people who have been told they are dumb, ugly or bad have 
>turned their lives around.  How many times do we hear of people who 
>where told, they wouldn't amount to anything, succeeded in proving 
>their detractors wrong?  But I agree it can result, in some cases, 
>in an almost wasted lifetime.  Taking Karma into account those that 
>perpetrated those illusions will one day have those same illusions 
>perpetrated upon themselves.

I agree.

>For me it is not a matter of good and bad, but a matter of justice. 

Please define 'justice' as you are using the term.  How does this 
differ, if at all, from the concept of 'vengeance' in your 
perspective?

>I have never stated that abused children are bad, but that they, 
>probably through ignorance in a past life, did not understand that 
>sex and love are not the same thing, and may have crossed over into 
>a sexual relationship because of a deep seated love for that 
>person.  Who is to say that perhaps in a past life, they were not a 
>married couple?  Please understand I am not making excuses but 
>trying to provide a rational explanation for why this behaviour 
>occurs.

I'm sorry, but I don't see the rationale for the theory of 
reincarnation.  What is it based upon?

>I was thinking of Prevention.  Without the necessary equipment no 
>further harm can be done to others.  I would expect this to be done 
>in a humanitarian medical procedure, and perhaps even the threat of 
>this action may deter some from committing the crime in the first 
>place.

Chemical castration is more humane than decapitation of hands and 
private parts.  If the hands are decapitated, it renders one 
unproductive in society in terms of work productivity.  A person 
without hands cannot be a productive package handler, for example, 
and therefore won't pay taxes.  Not that it ultimately comes down to 
money.  Decapitation of healthy body parts is not medically 
humanitarian, and other less severe preventives are available, even 
if they are not always used.

>Part of our global karma is that we have not advanced morally at 
>the same time as we have advanced technologically.  All knowledge 
>can be used for good or evil purposes, when we are all morally 
>advanced these technologies would only be used for the greater good 
>of humanity. 

I fully agree.

>Are you suggesting that a medical procedure is forcing one's will 
against someone?

Yes, medical procedures can be forced against people's wills at 
times.  Medical procedures are ideally intended to increase 
individual health, as opposed to decreasing it, and are ideally 
offered by choice.

Hitler's doctors commonly performed forced medical procedures on 
slaves, to test potential life-saving and/or performance-enhancing 
drugs.  However, many people died during this medical testing.  In 
the United States, we perform much of this selfsame testing on rats 
and monkeys first, due to the sometimes fatal potential of new drugs.

Hitler's scientists contributed the invention of synthetic anabolic 
steroids (the first of which was 'Dianobol', the strongest synthetic 
anabolic steroid ever created) to the world.  Although no life-
saving drugs were ever successfully developed, Hitler first created 
and administered synthetic anobolic steroids to enhance the strength 
performance of nazi war soldiers in World War 2.  Eventually, 
this 'military war-drug' leaked into the non-military populace, and 
the sports of football, wrestling and bodybuilding became catapulted 
to new performance levels (notwithstanding the adverse health 
effects and fatality rate that has accompanied synthetic anabolic 
steroids).

>I am not suggesting decapitation of their head but their genitals.  
>I am suggesting that they become Eunuchs.

This can be accomplished through chemical castration.

>Yes, I find it amusing, that many who experience past life memories 
>are always powerful figures from the past.  There must have been so 
>many pharoahs that I am surprised there were enough workers to get 
>the pyramids built.

LOLOL.

>And isn't that why HPB tells us to be wary of any astral entity 
>until we can sort the sheep from the goats.  We are told that there 
>are seven levels in the astral plane all with their own 
>inhabitants.  She warns against mediums telepathically merging with 
>any entity, for the reasons you mentioned, be that on the physical 
>or astral plane.

Many of the lesser demons have thought patterns resembling 
carnivorous animals such as sharks or alligators.  It would be like 
merging consciousness with an animal, which would be very damaging 
to the human psyche.  Some of the species are just too different 
from each other to healthily merge.  Interacting with many lesser 
demons is no safer than exposing oneself to a wild carnivorous 
beast, and many deceased persons have psychologically decayed into 
beasts, through merging consciousness with the wrong demon or animal 
species.  This does not negate the reality, however, that higher 
celestial species also exist.  Safe species.

>I am not into the Borgian concept of merging human consciousness 
>into one great metaphysical  universal consciousness.  HPB tells us 
>that we maintain individual consciousness  while at the same time  
>being a part of  the universal consciousness.  The one becomes the  
>all,  but remains self conscious of itself as an individual ray, or 
>zero point within the universal consciousness. Perhaps in Pralaya 
>this merging may take place, but at the beginning of a new 
>manvantara, this zero point emerges as a self conscious ray of the 
>divine.  Others may have studied this point and may have other 
>conclusions, which I would welcome.

Although I believe in the concept of universal consciousness, I do 
not believe that individual consciousness need necessarily become 
lost, (although it sometimes does, if the individual consciousness 
lacks strength in the presence of consciousness merger).  If one's 
individual consciousness is not strong enough to remain intact 
through a process of consciousness merger, then it should be 
avoided, so that the individual does not become lost.

>When psychologists truly understand the psychology of the soul they 
>maybe able to rehabilitate but until that time, I believe, that 
>prevention is better than cure.

I fully agree.

>I don't agree.

That's okay.  I simply suggest that decapitation is more 
representative of 'psychological conditioning', versus 'spiritual 
enlightenment'.  While it may be psycholigally effective (up to a 
limited point), it is nonetheless counter-spiritual.

>I am merely trying to provide an alternate explanation, I believe I 
>have been merciful in that not only would they cease to harm others 
>but may in fact give them opportunity to cease harming themselves, 
>psychologically.

Decapitation is, in and of itself, psychologically harmful.  And 
those who decapitate the body parts of others are psychologically 
harming themselves as well.  Even if we may go so far as to embrace 
capital punishment, it should still be noted that the executioner 
goes mad, even if such execution is performed in the name 
of 'justice'.

>There is no moral justification for this act, if I murder someone, 
>I am not morally justified in murdering someone else.  To be blunt, 
>if the experience was so psychologically damaging, why would they 
>wish to do this to another human being?

I believe that you were quoting and answering your own sentence when 
you made this statement, as opposed to mine.

"You are missing my point."

Which specific point are you referring too?  I understand the 
prevention part.  I just don't believe that decapitation serves as 
an effective long-term strategy against crime-prevention.

>This is going nowhere.

Perhaps with this post, we may yet progress.

"Poppycock, I have no internalized self rage, then or now, it 
certainly left me with trust issues in regard to my children and was 
very particular about who they were allowed to stay with.  Most of 
my issues came from "the sin aspect" forced upon me through 
catholocism."

I can certainly see catholicism promoting retaliation against sinful 
criminals, in the context of the hellfire and brinstone teachings.  
(Well, at least some of them.)  Do you believe that pedophilia is a 
sin?  And should 'the sin aspect', as you refer to it, be forced 
upon the wills of criminal pedophiles?

"Perhaps I would have felt differently if the act had been brutal, 
it was not, however,if he had been castrated it would have stopped 
him from doing it to others, it would not have restricted his life 
in any other way other than the inability to have sexual relations 
with anyone, and until a person is able to control evil sexual 
tendencies the children are not safe."

I support chemical castration, although it is seldom used like it 
should be.  Chemical castration would serve as a viable alternative 
to decapitation.

I believe that many instances of pedophilia moreso involve 
manipulation of a child, as opposed to brute force.  Pedophilia is 
often more psychologically (albeit non-sexually) seductive for a 
child, versus violent, insofar as children are often easily 
manipulated, wishing for security and approval.  The most dangerous 
pedophiles are those which emanate a friendly and non-threatening 
appearance, for violence will quickly scare a child away.  However, 
pseudo-love may entrap a child.

"It is also my understanding that this act has been going on for 
centuries, it was kept in the closet, families did not discuss it or 
acknowledge it, finally now we are speaking about it, which will, 
hopefully, enlighten others."

I fully agree.  And I'm very glad that we can talk about it.

Blessings

Vince


--- In theos-talk@yahoogroups.com, Cass Silva <silva_cass@...> wrote:
>
> My mother was on the brink for many months prior to her passing.  
We would joke with her that she was Lazarus!  I wish this for your 
Mum, that she continues to come back from the brink.  In response
> 
> 
> Vincent <vblaz2004@...> wrote: Cass-
> 
> You wrote:
> 
> 
> "I am not referring to phsychological desensitisation of another 
> human being, e.g. naming Viet Cong geeks.  I am talking about 
souls 
> who have spent countless lives in selfish pursuits (through their 
> personalities) over many lifetimes.  A densitized ego that no 
longer 
> has the ability to see the godhead within.  Spirit finally 
detaches 
> itself from that particular monad, to begin a new cycle of 
> evolutionary experiences.  Generally these are the truly despots 
of 
> civilization, the true serial killers who are bereft of 
conscience, 
> who take pleasure in tormenting and torturing others."
> 
> I guess that I don't share this view, because I don't see the 
basis 
> for the theory of reincarnation.  My impression is that doctrines 
> like Christian hellfire judgment or eastern-originated 
reincarnation 
> cycles are merely attempts on humanity's part to create it's own 
> answer for why there is so much injustice in the world.  Since 
> people don't understand (or can't morally accept) the existence of 
> unfairness in the world ('why do innocents suffer or why do 
> criminals get away with crimes?'), they therefore create 
> metaphysical concepts of judgment about the afterlife (eternal 
> hellfire judgment) or afterlives (reincarnational karma).  I 
believe 
> that these theories are merely concocted by moralists who can't 
> abide unfairness in the world, and who are trying to appease their 
> vexed conscience about the existence of injustice.  The resultant 
> difficulty is that these theories each present another whole set 
of 
> problems.
> 
> Cass: I absolutely agree with what you say above, and it also 
questions the  morality of a loving and just god 
> 
> "They have dehumanized themselves, however, one can feel great 
> compassion for these individuals who have no link or understanding 
> of morality or goodness.  We cannot know the truly soulless and 
> cannot judge or determine that they are unfit for continued life.  
I 
> do not advocate that we murder or exterminate them but for our own 
> safety they must be isolated from the general community and 
prevent 
> them from continuing to harm others."
> 
> I believe that all people need to be held directly accountable for 
> thier actions, especially if they commit violent crimes against 
> humanity.  But I also believe that society shares a responsibility 
> in dehumanizing criminals.  It is government's and/or society's 
> unspoken declaration that a person is 'soulless' or 'inhuman' 
before 
> any criminal or enemy of the state is murdered and killed, either 
> via capital punishment or in war.  The allocation of 'inhumanness' 
> is merely a societal self-desensitization tactic, which is used 
for 
> the purpose of appeasing one's own retaliatory sense of 
conscience, 
> when punishing violent criminals or killing foreign war soldiers.
> 
> Cass: I agree that people should be accountable for their actions, 
even in a one lifetime philosophy.  However, many perpetrators of 
violent crime are never caught, (take the Mafia for instance) and 
justice is eluded.  In the greater scheme of things karma always 
catches up and the violence they perpetrated on others will be felt 
directly by themselves, in future lifetimes, although, as you say, 
in many cases, the reasons become inexplicable.
> 
> I don't believe that anyone is 'soulless' or 'non-human'.  Not 
even 
> the worst criminal.  Rather, a violent criminal may not be 
conscious 
> of the reality of their own humanness which originates on the 
> spiritual level for all people.  Hence, if society repeatedly 
tells 
> a person that they are 'soulless' or 'inhuman', then that person 
is 
> more likely to subsequently commit 'inhuman' acts, if the 
potential 
> criminal takes it to heart.
> 
> Cass:  From what I have read there are human beings who have no 
conscience whatsoever, science wants to attribute this to a non-
functioning area of their brain, I however, believe that spirit has 
withdrawn.   Although every opportunity is given sometimes 
rehabilitation is not possible.  An example of this is that Hitler 
had one glimmer of goodness in his personality, that was, his love 
for his dogs.
> 
> For example, if I tell a smart child that they are 'dumb' 
throughout 
> their youth, they may begin to act 'dumb' in their adult life.  If 
I 
> tell a child that they are 'ugly', they may dress poorly or engage 
> in poor hygiene in their adult life.  If I tell a child that they 
> are 'evil' throughout their youth, then they are likely to perform 
> crimes as they age.
> 
> Cass:  This is more bad parenting and environmental pressures.  I 
agree it takes great courage and character to believe in oneself and 
that in many cases this can be turned around when one other person 
believes differently and inspires that child to reach its potential.
> 
> Vince:Hence, they are merely decieved into believing existential 
illusions 
> about themselves.  Yet in believing these illusions, they turn 
them 
> into existential realities, despite the existence of illusory 
> foundations.  These are self-fulfilling prophecies of doom.  
> Psychological lies made existentially true.  We have the power to 
> create and destroy, and we can do this both to our own lives and 
the 
> lives of others.
> Cass:  Many people who have been told they are dumb, ugly or bad 
have turned their lives around.  How many times do we hear of people 
who where told, they wouldn't amount to anything, succeeded in 
proving their detractors wrong?  But I agree it can result, in some 
cases, in an almost wasted lifetime.  Taking Karma into account 
those that perpetrated those illusions will one day have those same 
illusions perpetrated upon themselves.
> 
> "If one doesn't believe any a series of lives then karma becomes a 
> very unfair judge, and cannot explain why in one lifetime some 
> suffer much and others suffer little."
> 
> I view this as circular reasoning.  The question is being 
asked 'why 
> do good people suffer and why do bad people not suffer?'.  This 
> question only originates from a morally vexed conscience.  And the 
> only answer which reincarnational karma gives is that people who 
> suffer are actually bad (such as abused children), and people who 
> don't suffer are actually good.  But I don't believe that it's so 
> simple as that.
> 
> Cass: For me it is not a matter of good and bad, but a matter of 
justice. I have never stated that abused children are bad, but that 
they, probably through ignorance in a past life, did not understand 
that sex and love are not the same thing, and may have crossed over 
into a sexual relationship because of a deep seated love for that 
person.  Who is to say that perhaps in a past life, they were not a 
married couple?  Please understand I am not making excuses but 
trying to provide a rational explanation for why this behaviour 
occurs.
> 
> "Yes, I am sure it does, it is a hard pip to swallow.  However, 
> blame doesn't enter into it."
> 
> I see references of cutting off hands and private parts that you 
> write later in this letter.  Sounds like blame to me.  Severe 
> judgments on severe crimes.
> 
> Cass:  I was thinking of Prevention.  Without the necessary 
equipment no further harm can be done to others.  I would expect 
this to be done in a humanitarian medical procedure, and perhaps 
even the threat of this action may deter some from committing the 
crime in the first place.
> 
> "We have evolved from savages who were not necessarily rationally 
> endowed.  We may have committed acts which were sexually driven as 
> we may have not been able to or evolved enough to control the 
sexual 
> drive or the passions."
> 
> I believe that humanity is still quite savage.  We may have 
evolved 
> technologically (with medicines and bombs), but humanity as a 
whole 
> really doesn't know enough about itself spiritually to be able to 
> master technology fully.  Sometimes we misuse synthetic 
medications 
> and bombs, because we are not evolved enough on how to use them, 
so 
> that they become very destructive forces against other people.
> 
> Cass: Part of our global karma is that we have not advanced 
morally at the same time as we have advanced technologically.  All 
knowledge can be used for good or evil purposes, when we are all 
morally advanced these technologies would only be used for the 
greater good of humanity. 
> 
> "The lesson may be  a) to control our sexuality, b) power issues, 
c) 
> moral issues, what for me is important, is that the cycle ends, 
that 
> if once I perpetrated this acts against a human being, for moral 
and 
> psychological reasons I understand that to force one's will on 
> another is reprehensible."
> 
> You reference that forcing one's will is reprehensible, but yet 
you 
> later reference in this post that you would like to cut off 
people's 
> hands and private parts, which even the western laws do not 
permit.  
> Isn't decapitation a reprehensible force against someone's will?  
> Why do you want to decapitate people?  That is reprehensible, is 
it 
> not?
> Cass:  Are you suggesting that a medical procedure is forcing 
one's will against someone?    I am not suggesting decapitation of 
their head but their genitals.  I am suggesting that they become 
Eunuchs.
> 
> 
> "No, if we were fully aware of our actions in a past life, then we 
> would understand the wheel of Karma, unfortunately, for that very 
> same reasons we are protected from our past actions, i.e. facing 
> truths that we have committed immoral acts against others.  The 
> problem with a one-life time thinking is that we do not understand 
> why horrible things happen to us, "why me", "what have I done to 
> deserve this", etc."
> 
> I met a man who told me that he had memories from a past 
lifetime.  
> He stated that he was an ancient pharoah from Egypt in a past 
life, 
> becuase he had memories of such.  However, I concluded that he was 
> merely experiencing telepathic communication with the dead.  In 
> other words, he was not experiencing his own past life, but rather 
> somebody else's.  Spirits in the astral realm have more intimate 
> communication than we do in the earthly realm, on a telepathic 
> basis.  One of your Theosophist speakers even has the same 
> conclusion as I.
> 
> Cass:  Yes, I find it amusing, that many who experience past life 
memories are always powerful figures from the past.  There must have 
been so many pharoahs that I am surprised there were enough workers 
to get the pyramids built.
> 
> In the earthly realm, we use words and pictures to communicate, 
but 
> in the astral realm, even memories can be projected from one mind 
> into another.  The consciousness of two spirits (or sometimes a 
> spirit and a medium) can be telepathically merged, if boundaries 
are 
> not otherwise exercised.  Of course, this can be beautific or 
> terrifying, depending on what memories are telepathically 
> communicated.
> 
> Cass: And isn't that why HPB tells us to be wary of any astral 
entity until we can sort the sheep from the goats.  We are told that 
there are seven levels in the astral plane all with their own 
inhabitants.  She warns against mediums telepathically merging with 
any entity, for the reasons you mentioned, be that on the physical 
or astral plane.
> 
> This form of telepathy serves as the foundation for the merger of 
> human consciousness on the metaphysical level.  I share your 
> memories and you share mine.  And then we understand each other.  
> And the spirits around us.  Of course, this can either free a mind 
> (if one is ready for it) or drive one mad (if one is not ready).
> 
> Cass:  I am not into the Borgian concept of merging human 
consciousness into one great metaphysical  universal consciousness.  
HPB tells us that we maintain individual consciousness  while at the 
same time  being a part of  the universal consciousness.  The one 
becomes the  all,  but remains self conscious of itself as an 
individual ray, or zero point within the universal consciousness. 
Perhaps in Pralaya this merging may take place, but at the beginning 
of a new manvantara, this zero point emerges as a self conscious ray 
of the divine.  Others may have studied this point and may have 
other conclusions, which I would welcome.
> 
> "No, absolutely not, all paedophiles should be incarcerated, 
because 
> it is a violent and immoral action.  I believe that most molesters 
> have been molested, thereby giving themselves an alibi for their 
> disgusting behaviour."
> 
> Agreed.  And that's good for punishment, but lacks rehabiltative 
> quality.
> 
> Cass: When psychologists truly understand the psychology of the 
soul they maybe able to rehabilitate but until that time, I believe, 
that prevention is better than cure.
> 
> "Actually I would cut off their hands and their privates to 
prevent 
> them from ever doing it again and try to make them understand"
> 
> Cutting off people's hands and private parts does not promote 
> spiritual enlightenment.  It merely reinforces the cycle of hate.
> 
> Cass:  I don't agree.
>  
> Again, your sense of conscience is extremely vexed that you would 
> wish decapitation on people, cutting off their hands and private 
> parts.  Your judgments are even more severe than what the law 
> affords.  Your retributive attitude is such that it forces the 
wills 
> of others (which force you previously called reprehensible), and 
is 
> only the natural result of declaring someone to be 'soulless'.
> 
> Cass: I am merely trying to provide an alternate explanation, I 
believe I have been merciful in that not only would they cease to 
harm others but may in fact give them opportunity to cease harming 
themselves, psychologically.
> 
> "because it was done to them doesn't morally legitimize morally 
> doing it to others."
> 
> Cass: There is no moral justification for this act, if I murder 
someone, I am not morally justified in murdering someone else.  To 
be blunt, if the experience was so psychologically damaging, why 
would they wish to do this to another human being?
> 
> You don't believe in doing unto others as has been done to them, 
yet 
> you're glad to do even worse against them.  That's simply 
> retributive.
> 
> Cass: You are missing my point.
> 
> "Yes I am of the opinion that we should try to rehabilitate the 
> fallen, the ignorant of society,"
> 
> Through decapitation?  Why not simply surgically extract their 
> organs without anesthesia for the advancement of medical science?  
> Or drop them into vats of boiling water?  Perhaps this too will 
> rehabilitate violent criminals?  They will become filled with love 
> and peace, so that they are less violent as a result.
> 
> Cass: This is going nowhere.
> 
> "we may not succeed, but extermination serves no purpose, if one 
> looks at it from the soul's point of view."
> 
> Uumm, so you believe that capital punishment is evil?  Why?  Is it 
> cruel or something?
> 
> "And we must catch ourselves everytime we are being judgemental if 
> for no other reason, than we have never walked in their shoes."
> 
> Good advice.  But does this involve blood?  Obviously, you're not 
> applying this principle to criminals.
> 
> "I once felt sorry for myself because I had no shoes, until I met 
a 
> man with no feet, I think the saying goes."
> 
> I once felt sorry for myself because I had no gloves, until I met 
a 
> man with no hands or private parts.  That's my version.
> 
> "No, not evil, ignorance, I was molested, I stopped the cycle."
> 
> I'm sorry that you were molested.  I was molested too.  And I'm 
glad 
> that you stopped the cycle by not performing the same actions as 
the 
> molestor.  That's a very strong thing to do.  Now the next step is 
> purifying the thoughts and emotions concerning veangeful 
tendencies 
> (regarding decapitating criminals so that they understand your 
> rage).  When a cycle is halted, it may yet remain a stagnant 
prison 
> of internalized self-rage, from which it is ideal to ascend 
above.  
> I struggle with that too.
> 
> Cass: Poppycock, I have no internalized self rage, then or now, it 
certainly left me with trust issues in regard to my children and was 
very particular about who they were allowed to stay with.  Most of 
my issues came from "the sin aspect" forced upon me through 
catholocism. Perhaps I would have felt differently if the act had 
been brutal, it was not, however,if he had been castrated it would 
have stopped him from doing it to others, it would not have 
restricted his life in any other way other than the inability to 
have sexual relations with anyone, and until a person is able to 
control evil sexual tendencies the children are not safe.   It is 
also my understanding that this act has been going on for centuries, 
it was kept in the closet, families did not discuss it or 
acknowledge it, finally now we are speaking about it, which will, 
hopefully, enlighten others.
> 
> 
> Cass
> 
>