It is a terrible thing to see our culture degrade itself in this way. Children need to be raised and nurtured to become natural strong members of our society. As a teacher I see many children negatively affected by the downgrading of parental authority and having it replaced by the government and their agencies. With the weakening of the central basis of our society on the family and supported by a government centered on our Judeo-Christian values issues such as pornography appear to be on the rise. regards bbfjohns

Here are some citations about the fact that living with mum-and-mummies-new-boyfriend (or living without BOTH Natural parents as the most dangerous household for kids.

"When children live in households without BOTH NATURAL parents, the risk of child abuse and neglect increases by 2,600% ! ! ! "

There are several sources I can point you to, since I don't own a web site.

You can contact Michael Woods, an academic from the University of Western Sydney, he has the raw data gleaned from the WA Department for Child Protection (the other states refused to provide figures). These figures are just the raw rates of perpetrator natural father/natural mother/other family/other firend/stranger.

If you add the fact that most children spend most of their childhoods living with both natural parents (even with divorce rates at 50%because divorce at 15 means the child spends 15/18ths of their childhood with both natural parents)... this is from the ABS.

2: http://www.mensrights.com.au/dads_not_the_demons.pdf

2: Federal Parliament
http://www.aph.gov.au/Senate/committee/legcon_ctte/completed_inquiries/2004-07/family_law/submissions/sublist.htm
Look at the attachment under submission 110...
"110 Mr James Adams (PDF 192KB), Attachment (PDF 2681KB)"

3: Here is a list of research references Re: Shared Custody
http://www.wiskit.com/marilyn/custody.html

I have to agree with Robert here. The religious certainly have
no moral claims here, given the history of child abuse within
various religious communities. Blaming it all on porn is rather
simplistic and wrong.

It seems that many many adults too, will go to extreme lengths,
to conform, comply, fit in, gain acceptance etc. Peer pressure
seems to matter enormously.

As an extreme example, this story blew me away, why on earth
would they bother?

http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/health/8352711.stm

Looking back, perhaps I was fortunate. My old man was extremely
tough on me. Others got pocket money, I had to work for it.
When I mentioned others, he made it clear that I was not others,
that I should have my own values, beliefs, etc, not follow the
crowd. I never forgot it.

Yet most of the peer pressure to do with sex, comes from other
kids. Kids are inquisitive by nature. We were in grade 3, when
we were drawing things on the school blackboard, explaining to
each other how it all worked :)

Now the grown ups might well have thought we were innocents, but
the reality was far from it.

Today's kids simply have an easier way of learning. Google anything
and you have answers.

RObert
"Dave your post read as an attack on those who disagree with the author of this thread and his supporters."

That could very well be the case as most want to attack at his religious side and not recognise the issues of stopping child abuse and letting a little bit of decency to descend into society
I couldn't give a ratsar/e about his beliefs one way or another or anyone elses for that matter as long as they stop the abuse of children and show a bit of decency to one another

You also also said in relation to other posters on this forum
"As long as it is not them it is okay
Society is just grooming the next generation of abusers,drug addicts and drunks
Children were once allowed be children but today they are being taught to be adults while still children "

Well isn't society doing just that have a look around for once and see whether the abuse of children is lessening, whether alcohol, drugs, pornography and violence is lessening

Frankly offensive comments. My choice and I presume the choice of others posting on this thread to disagree with the religious ideology behind this thread and most of the posts supporting it does not imply any of what followed in your post.

You can all disagree with the religious ideologies as much as you want and will probably get my support but noone will have my support while ever they ignore child abuse

"Any nation that does not care for and protect ALL its children does not deserve to be called a nation" Nelson Mandela

Thanks
from Dave

I agree with Dave.

People who want to keep children safe come from a variety of backgrounds. Do we think they should all conform to the same belief (or non-belief) system? There is then no logical reason to attack this writer's belief system. The issue is child abuse.

Surely people are not making the absurd proposition that child abuse doesn't happen amongst the population of non-religious people.

Anyway I don't care what perspective someone comes from - if they are pro protecting children and human rights for children they have at least that much to their credit.

Right on Warwick. You are absolutely right about porn and its ill effects. I know personally of its power and ability to turn every woman into no more than a piece of meat in the eye of its consumers.

Thankfully my life is now free of this brutal master, but it was not without a hell (every pun intended) of a fight.

Good on Senator Conroy for his brave fight to rid the web (in Australia at least) of this scourge (and this is coming from someone who hasn't voted labor in some time...! :)

Cheers mate. cmpmal