reply to post by 44soulslayer
This is a bit of a fallacy prevalent throughout the west, that somehow we are morally superior because we have values that seem that way to us.
Don't forget that until the oil boom, much of the mid-east was indeed "behind" the west in some respects.
The fact that we have progressed (in our own eyes) does not mean we have - we just perceive it that way.
To condemn another society because they do not practice what we do is hypocrisy, especially if morality is applied to it - these countries you are
denigrating as being "behind" us have lower crime rates and an arguably higher morality because they do not face the same social problems which
western countries do, like drug addiction for instance, or alcoholism, gang cultures and a whole host of other things.
My point is that it is wrong to judge another society by our own standards, just as it is wrong for other extremists to judge our society by their
standards.
And yes, I refute that the western concept of pedophilia is more acceptable in other countries.
Remember that less than a century ago we were the same, and allowed 12 year old children to marry - and yet with typical western arrogance you dismiss
this, and attempt to brush it under the carpet.
They are not "behind" us, they have different rules, traditions and a different way of life, which we sneer at because in our ignorance we think
that because we have greater technology we are somehow better.
One of the biggest problems in the world right now, is western nations attempting to make other people live the way we do, adopt our values and
embrace our "cultures" as though we were perfect.
I'm not saying that I think marriage between a child and an adult is right, but who the hell are we to judge the way other countries should behave -
we'd be much better off getting our own houses in order before pointing the finger.
[edit on 21/11/2008 by budski]