Is hebephilia only a sin for adults?

[cjcapta]

If a 17 year old found a 10 year old attractive, would that be considered hebephilia thoughts (which is different than pedophilia) even though the person having the feelings is not an adult? (Note that in this case the person would find other people closer to their age attractive as well, so it wouldn’t be a preference.) (I presume that the Catholic Church considers pedophilia thoughts and hebephilia thoughts as more severe than regular lustful thoughts, or are they all the same?)

 

[bingbang]

If a 17 year old found a 10 year old attractive, would that be considered hebephilia thoughts (which is different than pedophilia) even though the person having the feelings is not an adult? (Note that in this case the person would find other people closer to their age attractive as well, so it wouldn’t be a preference.) (I presume that the Catholic Church considers pedophilia thoughts and hebephilia thoughts as more severe than regular lustful thoughts, or are they all the same?)

That isn’t normal. 10 is pedophelia IMO because most girls at that age are prepubescent and if they are going through puberty they likely are not showing physical signs yet. If you are having these thoughts as a 17 year old then you are probably going to have them when you are 27, 37, 67, etc.

 

[teachccd]

If a 17 year old found a 10 year old attractive, would that be considered hebephilia thoughts (which is different than pedophilia) even though the person having the feelings is not an adult? (Note that in this case the person would find other people closer to their age attractive as well, so it wouldn’t be a preference.) (I presume that the Catholic Church considers pedophilia thoughts and hebephilia thoughts as more severe than regular lustful thoughts, or are they all the same?)

Any person who is sexually mature should not be attracted to prepubescent children. Whether or not one is legally an adult is not a factor when speaking about any sexual activity with a child who had not yet matured sexually. There are pedophiles who find people closer to their age attractive as well but this does not excuse their attraction to young children. I am not sure what “hebephilia” is since it does not come up in the dictionary that I was using as a resource.

I would think that all lustful thoughts are equally sinful but any sexual activity with a prepubescent child would be gravely disordered. I would also talk it over with a priest if I were having an attraction to young children since this may lead to acting out on the fantasies… teachccd

 

[teachccd]

That isn’t normal. 10 is pedophelia IMO because most girls at that age are prepubescent and if they are going through puberty they likely are not showing physical signs yet. If you are having these thoughts as a 17 year old then you are probably going to have them when you are 27, 37, 67, etc.

Exactly…

 

[uxordepp]

I think the term that the writer is trying to use is ephebophilia, which is, basically, finding adolescents sexually attractive.

However what the writer is describing is pedophilia, if the 10yo is prepubescent child.

And as already mentioned, that is not normal.

 

[Newbie2]

Although the terminology is sort of moot, this sort of attraction raises all sorts of red flags. The OP should really seek the advice of a qualified Catholic counselor to sort things out.

It could be something temporary and harmless but as others have stated, could be a serious attraction that could get the OP into serious trouble (legal, moral and spiritual) someday.

 

[stuart12]

We must remember however that finding someone ‘pretty’, ‘beautiful’ or ‘attractive’ is not sinful, no matter what age they are. On the other hand, such an ‘attraction’ in a romantic or sexual manner is not natural.

 

[Holly3278]

That definitely is not normal. Whether or not it is sinful, I do not know. I guess if you act on those thoughts it would be sinful, possibly gravely so.

 

[micahmike]

Ephebophilia and Pedophilia are conditions, not sins. Lust for people of any age or sex is a sin. Fornication is always a sin - though it is likely more grave when the other person is a child.

*If a person finds themselves attracted to pre or post-pubescent children, they should make arrangements with their local behavioral health clinic for a screening and ask to be referred to an appropriate counseler. Have no fear - it is not illegal to have these attractions, you will not be put in a hospital or a jail, nobody will be informed of your desires, nobody will judge you.

 

[cjcapta]

I think the term that the writer is trying to use is ephebophilia, which is, basically, finding adolescents sexually attractive.

However what the writer is describing is pedophilia, if the 10yo is prepubescent child.

And as already mentioned, that is not normal.

No, I meant hebephilia, which is for children going through puberty. Pedophilia is prepubescent children and ephebophilia is finding adolescents sexually attractive. For some reason hebephilia does not seem to be in some dictionaries but I saw it on Wikipedia and it makes a clear distinction between the other two terms.
10 years is not always a prepubescent child nowadays (dailymail.co.uk/femail/article-473584/Girls-entering-puberty-age–drugs-answer.html) (if it ever was kidshealth.org/parent/medical/sexual/precocious.html , I’m not sure.) It is cited on Wikipedia that puberty in girls begins around 10 (The citation is from 1982).

And if a girl has breast development, I think that would qualify as being in puberty.

 

[teachccd]

No, I meant hebephilia, which is for children going through puberty. Pedophilia is prepubescent children and ephebophilia is finding adolescents sexually attractive. For some reason hebephilia does not seem to be in some dictionaries but I saw it on Wikipedia and it makes a clear distinction between the other two terms.
10 years is not always a prepubescent child nowadays (dailymail.co.uk/femail/article-473584/Girls-entering-puberty-age–drugs-answer.html) (if it ever was kidshealth.org/parent/medical/sexual/precocious.html , I’m not sure.) It is cited on Wikipedia that puberty in girls begins around 10 (The citation is from 1982).

And if a girl has breast development, I think that would qualify as being in puberty.

Thank you for the clarifications but any attraction to ten year old girls is suspect and should be dealt with before any physical abuse can take place. And it doesn’t matter if one is 17 or 67 since a child of ten is not to be the object of sexual attraction. Whatever the premise of your post please note that what you are presenting is not normal and should be addressed through counseling. I think that enough has been said on this issue and any further clarification will not justify the abomination of such an attraction… teachccd

 

[cjcapta]

Thank you for the clarifications but any attraction to ten year old girls is suspect and should be dealt with before any physical abuse can take place. And it doesn’t matter if one is 17 or 67 since a child of ten is not to be the object of sexual attraction. Whatever the premise of your post please note that what you are presenting is not normal and should be addressed through counseling. I think that enough has been said on this issue and any further clarification will not justify the abomination of such an attraction… teachccd

Are you saying another 10 year old couldn’t be attracted to them? That’s not true. Many kids are interested in the opposite sex, and even if they don’t know about sex, they still think a certain member of the opposite sex is attractive.

 

[teachccd]

Are you saying another 10 year old couldn’t be attracted to them? That’s not true. Many kids are interested in the opposite sex, and even if they don’t know about sex, they still think a certain member of the opposite sex is attractive.

What I am saying is that enough has been said. A ten year old is not to be the object of sexual attraction. If another 10 year old finds his little friend “attractive” then so be it. But that is not the case for anyone who has reached sexual maturity. Do not try to rationalize your original idea that a 17 year old can have attractions for a 10 year old. It is disordered and that is it. If you continue to dismiss this then you need some counseling. Would you want a 17 year old boy googling over your ten year old daughter? Please… teachccd

 

[pnewton]

Ephebophilia and Pedophilia are conditions, not sins. Lust for people of any age or sex is a sin. Fornication is always a sin - though it is likely more grave when the other person is a child.

I think this point has been lost. We simply can not condemn anyone for the temptations that they face. No attraction, no temptation, no temperment, is sinful. We all have our own area of weakness in which we are more vulnerable to temptation. We at some point can commit the sin of lust if we give our mind over to them. We commit a grave sin if we act upon such desires.

We cannot however judge someone for the temptations the have.

 

[Prodigal_Son]

I think that enough has been said on this issue and any further clarification will not justify the abomination of such an attraction… teachccd

Echoing pnewton, I would want to make clear that attractions (temptations) are not abominations. If attractions were abominations, then Jesus would be guilty of sin, since Jesus was tempted to save himself, by the devil.

 

[teachccd]

Echoing pnewton, I would want to make clear that attractions (temptations) are not abominations. If attractions were abominations, then Jesus would be guilty of sin, since Jesus was tempted to save himself, by the devil.

You are absolutely correct. Temptation is not a sin. But, on the other hand, if one were to say that a 17 year old having an attraction to a ten year old is perfectly fine then it might give the impression that the acting out on those attractions are ok as well. I did misword my statement and I stand corrected. But it must be understood that all disordered attractions cannot be entertained in either throught or deed. That was my point and thank you for allowing me to make the clarification… teachccd

 

[Prodigal_Son]

But it must be understood that all disordered attractions cannot be entertained in either throught or deed.

“Entertained” is a good word here. When we *entertain *an attraction – or even when we read (or imagine) salacious details of sex scandals – we are committing the sin of lust. Thus, we are committing adultery (or the equivalent) in our minds.

 

[cjcapta]

How about this: what if the older person didn’t experience any lustful thoughts for the younger person, but only felt infatuation/romantic feelings for that person? I don’t think the issue would be lust then, but would it still be a sin?

 

[MariaTS]

Any individual who is over 16 and is attracted to someone who is under 18 and at least 5 years younger than them is classified as a pedophile.

 

[Prophesy]

Any individual who is over 16 and is attracted to someone who is under 18 and at least 5 years younger than them is classified as a pedophile.

Over 16, under 18 and separated by 5 years? I’m sure there is a much more sense-making definition available.

-Prophecy