In Europe the legal age for sex is really low - like 14 in Germany, Portugal, Italy and Austria. In Spain its 13!!!1 This means a 40 year old man can legally have sex with a 14 year old as long as it is consensual (without coercion etc).

Does this mean the Europeans are pedophiles? Does it mean it's legal to be a pedophile in Europe?

Thirteen seems a bit young to us in Australia, where adolescence is often dragged on until the age of thirty, and God help us, sometimes beyond thirty. However if an individual has passed puberty and has given their consent, they are ready for sex in a physical sense at least.
I don't see much wrong with men being attracted to thirteen and fourteen year old girls. It's natural for them and I believe many would enjoy a respectable liaison or marriage to such a girl, if only they were allowed to detatch themselves from contemporary PC brainwashing and be honest with themselves. One of my neighbours met her husband when he was aged eighteen and she was fifteen, they married a year later and had a long and very happy marriage which lasted sixty years.

The sexes are very different, it's time to stop pretending our roles are always neutral and interchangeable.
For example, men are restricted by regulations when employed in the childcare industry, because just the site of genitals and bums sexually arouses some of them, whereas the majority of females in this position would be left totally unmoved.
Obviously it's not such a huge jump for some men to cross over into sex with little kids. And it's sex with children under the age of pubery wherein the serious evil lies.
What's caused it's seeming proliferation? Feminism? Social isolation? Boredom? I don't know, do you?

I'm with you on that Christine, adolescence, or more correctly, adolescent conduct is common outside the recognised age group.

I think it strange that the two countries mentioned, Spain and Italy, are both considered strongly Catholic. It may just be my bias but I did expect them to have more restrictive rules.

There may also be more detail in the laws that the OP missed. Many countries prohibit sex between people when the relationship has one in a position of authority. I have not researched this but I believe that a teacher faces consequences if they have a relationship with a student even if the student is over the age of consent. I am sure that these countries have provision in their laws that give a parent the right to lay charges if they felt that their child was being manipulated in any way by an older person.

Curiously, when some countries first legalised sex between gay couples the age of consent was usually set higher than that for straight pairs. There was also a difference in age of consent for male couples compared to females. the difference usually favouring the female couple. I don't know if these still exist.

Why specify Europeans?
Some Arab Nations specify that marraige can take place and be consumated "One the woman menstrates", this can be as young as 9 years of age! (At least nine is the youngest pregnancy I've heard of).
Some Asian Nations have no age of consent whatsoever, the decision is the Parents!
There's a lot of paedophiles out there, not all, or even most, are European.
Other than this point the two posts already made in reply cover it quite well.

What utter hogwash.

You're not 'Aunty' Christine are you? The paedophile wreckage that's been wrought amongst the little girls of the aboriginal communities finds a very misguided and apologist advocate in you.



Yes, I do.

It's just such bohemian leftwing-liberal permissive Cultural-Marxist nonsense as you've been expressing here that has bred at least a couple of generations of cynical sexual exploiters who justify their unconscionable activities on the pretext that they are 'just being natural and following their instincts' like any other rutting beasts of the woods and fields.

And Christ wept for the children.

I'm socially conservative, certainly not a liberal permissive type.
Since you ask Herbert, I'm a mother of two, an aunt to ten and godmother to eight.
I have a strong moral code and I abhor promiscuity, but I think most men find young girls appealing and some girls can be ready for an exclusive relationship, like marriage at a very young age.
Man draws lines in the sand about the age of consent, but as far as I know Jesus didn't and Mary his mother is believed to have been only about fourteen when he was born anyway.

There are Middle Eastern and other Third World cultures that share your viewpoint, but to the civilised, informed, and educated sensibilities of Modern Day western society such views are regarded as morally repugnant and a perverse exploitation of children's innocence and vulnerability.

Herbert said of my assertion that marriage to fourteen year old girls can be OK.

"There are Middle Eastern and other Third World cultures that share your viewpoint, but to the civilised, informed, and educated sensibilities of Modern Day western society such views are regarded as morally repugnant and a perverse exploitation of children's innocence and vulnerability."

If these are the same people who advocate abortion on demand, same sex marriage and the out-sourcing of pregnancy to third world countries, I don't agree that "informed and educated" members of Modern Day western society stand on the high moral ground as firmly as they imagine.

I agree with all of the above ~ abortion on demand; same-sex marriages; and out-sourcing foetal incubation to off-shore wombs.

As a civilised human bean I also advocate for euthanasia; the Death Penalty for planners of terrorist bombings; corporal punishment for juvenile offenders; discipline in our Public Schools; people-elected judges and magistrates to serve 4 year terms before facing new elections; democratic government (currently only a pipe-dream in which both the major parties have banned any opportunity for the public to vote upon a whole raft of social and legal issues); all Agreements, Charters, and Declarations signed with the United Nations should be put through a shredding machine for having hijacked our national sovereignty.

Etcetera.

(Yes, I'm still here, Caroline. It's probably unethical of me, but I've developed a morbid interest in this forum board. It's like visiting a haunted house, isn't it? It might just be my imagination, but I swear I can hear bats in the belfry and rats in the basement).

I don't agree with some items on your list of beliefs, eg euthanasia and the death penalty.
Civilisation obviously means different things to different people however your comments brought some questions to mind.
Is democracy an aethiestic religion?
Is democracy ever forced militarily on oil rich nations?
Why are we troubled by terrorists do you think Herbert?

No.



We can only hope so.

And this leads us to another ethical question: 'Is it morally acceptable for a country that happens to be sitting on the world's oil reserves be free to charge exorbitant and punitive prices for same?'

From my own perspective: Definitely not. If it means a military intervention to free-up these vital reserves to be at a reasonable price - then so be it.

Bomb the sand-bunnies back into the Stone Age if that is what is required to release these reserves for world consumption at a price that is affordable.



Are you trying to pull my chain, with this question?

The answer is self-evident.

***

If you are an opponent of voluntary euthanasia, then you are most definitely the enemy of a significantly large section of society who each year find themselves dying of incurable cancers in an atmosphere of misery and hopelessness while pining for the end to come at last.

You must very young. You've obviously not yet had the experience of witnessing a loved one dying hour by hour for weeks on end in a state of mental anguish and deep depression.

As for the Death Penalty, this brings closure as nothing else can for the family and friends of murder victims.

Herbert said "You must very young. You've obviously not yet had the experience of witnessing a loved one dying hour by hour for weeks on end in a state of mental anguish and deep depression."

Well I have witnessed a loved one dying, it was my husband when he was struck down by mesothelioma two years ago. Fortunately like most people living in a country with a first rate health system he received excellent palliative care and died peacefully at home with no need for pain relief in his final days. It was not at all like the agonising scenario advocates of euthanasia tirelessly portray.
I greatly cherish the last months we had together, the thought of "finishing him off" was, and still is completely abhorrent to me.

"Bomb the sand-bunnies back into the Stone Age if that is what is required to release these reserves for world consumption at a price that is affordable."

The above remark isn't worthy of comment, I only hope it's another of your "jokes' Herbert.

The age of 16 as the entry to adulthood seems well established, some parents will note a distinct change in maturity within weeks of the birthday.