Paul, you're quite fixated on those pictures aren't you? Not to mention increasingly shrill (again).

I've tried to help you come to terms with what is obviously a problematic area for you, but clearly it's not enough. May I suggest professional counselling?

CJ Arrogant? Is the pope catholic?

'I've tried to help you come to terms with what is obviously a problematic area for you, but clearly it's not enough. May I suggest professional counselling?'

CJ you really should start a counselling practice, what with all these referrals you give out. Is it really not possible any sane person would ever disagree with you

Grow up Whitty.

Before you spit the dummy and leave OLO again with your bat and ball, please share with us your firsthand experience of teenage sexuality, since you obviously haven't outgrown your adolescence yet.

CJ,

you say>>"I've tried to help you come to terms with what is obviously a problematic area for you, but clearly it's not enough. May I suggest professional counselling?"

I've tried engaging you on a civil level and you have failed miserably at responding in kind. Your arrogance seemingly knows no bounds. Perhaps I have many failings but one I do not suffer is the inability to tell the difference between my opinion and fact. The audacity of your suggestion that I have a problem is mind blowing.

It is just as easy for me to say that you, who wishes to look at photographs of naked teenagers, has a real problem. They show people who do similar stuff like that on the news trying to hide their faces.

I'd suggest that you are the one with the problem since you can't deal with this issue without being arrogant and insulting. What are you covering up?

you say>> Paul, you're quite fixated on those pictures aren't you? Not to mention increasingly shrill (again)."

I mean have you know shame? I was responding to a point YOU brought up about the pictures. As for shrill, Mate I guarantee you I don't get shrill. Face to face I guarantee you you're the one who would come off looking effeminate. Lets at least get that bit straight.

I think it is clear that I have shown your obvious inconsistencies on this issue and you have decided to rant and rave instead of capitulating or getting on with the debate. Sad really. But not surprising.

If you want to waste your posts slagging me off in a desperate attempt to avoid looking stupid, be my guest. I don't think I'll play, however.

Interesting point Palim. I understand you to open up the idea that, though we know that teenagers are sexual beings, society as a whole are not to speak of this, portray this or discuss this. It is taboo.

Why should there be a taboo? Acknowledging this does not mean that anybody who does is interested in this for personal sexual reasons and therefore has unnatural sexual urges or worse is a paedophile.

It is quite possible to see beauty just for and of itself, to be moved by the beauty of any human being, clothed, naked, from baby to aged without getting in any way sexually aroused.

Can we photograph little children naked? Children with no developing secondary sexual characteristics? Are little girls allowed on the beach topless?

For me it is all about the context.

A male known to my family, but not known as normally interested in photography making photographs of my daughter (not as part of an event), even fully clothed, would make me mighty uncomfortable.

A group sharing photographs, or other images, of a diverse number of unrelated children with each other, even fully clothed, would make me suspicious.

There are paedophiles, a very large group has just been rounded up. They are in the lives of our children as family members, friends or other positions of responsibility. Whether we place a taboo, ban or whatever on legitimate artists, not the neighbour taking pictures through the fence, but artists making art for open public display of children of any age, dressed or undressed, will not diminish paedophiles preying on vulnerable children.

It is deeply insulting to all in a community to suggest that any art condones, excuses or encourages any kind of behaviour. Whether paedophilia, rape, murder, torture or crucifixion. It is deeply insulting to all in a community to suggest that we could be tempted by what we see, read or hear without having to take full personal responsibility.

Yvonne - you often express ideas with which I'm generally in agreement, but this time the concordance is almost perfect.

Your last post expresses pretty well exactly what I've been trying to say about those aspects of this issue, but better than I seem to have thus far :)

Paul - when you eventually decide to get the professional counselling you so obviously need, be sure to raise the issue of 'anger management'. Currently, you don't seem to do it very well.