Why be good?

[Jenny A]

I would not say such a man had pedophilia in his heart.  I'd say he had a sexual dysfunction and should he be able to control that attraction rather than exercise it on children, I would consider him to be good man.  I would hope he got treatment and limited his contact with children.  Condemning him in advance of his actions doesn't see likely to lead to that outcome. You see, it is actions that count.

Lust is not adultery and attraction to children is not pedophilia.  Wanting a triple banana split is not not gluttony, but eating one is. Condemn a man in advance of his actions and you behave immorally yourself, and ally yourself with Big Brother, Communist China, the Inquisition, and various other unsavory punishers of thought crimes.

By stating the man needs treatment you acknowledge that his thoughts are clearly wrong.

Here is the question, would you be comfortable leaving him alone with a child.....

His thoughts are about doing wrong things, but they aren't crimes, or immoral acts.    And no, I wouldn't leave him a lone with a child.  I would consider that to be doing a disservice to both he and the child.  I wouldn't give vodka to a recovering alcoholic either.  Or a cake to a diabetic.

However, if we condemn him before he acts, how likely do think it is that he will seek treatment?  And how likely do you think it will be that he would tell anyone that he should not be left alone with a child?  The point is that rather than condemn him for his thoughts and declare him a bad man, one should help him to resist.  And part of helping is not condemning him for having thoughts.