Criminal Acts

[Jeff]

I've inferred from many posts on the gay thread that
1) one doesn't have to act upon feelings to be gay
2) a gay person is gay whether they accept those feelings or not
3) a gay person would be happier acting on those feelings
4) most likely the person will act on those feelings
I also got the impression that regardless of whether its acceptable or not to act on those feelings its somehow understood if someone does that its just who that person is and he/she can't help how they were made.

What about a criminal act. Would commiting a crime be inevitable for similar reasons? The one that comes to mind are the pedophiles. No matter how much rehab they get, they always seem to have multiple offenses. Is it just how they are wired? I suppose we don't hear about the cases where rehab has been successful though.

[Lynda-WA]

I don't think it's a crime until you do it. Think all you want, it's actions that count. For example, when DS was a baby he had colic. He'd cry from early evening until 2-4 in the morning. Ever heard a piglet squeal? That's what it would sound like. Some nights I was bawling as loud as him! DH started sleeping with music on in the bedroom because it was so bad. Once he left for work 1 1/2 hours early (we lived less than 5 minutes from work). I can't tell you the number of times I imagined just dropping DS on his little head and walking away. I never did though. I did come extremely close to calling my best friend or someone to come over and take him away. Just knowing that if it got any worse I had other options helped me keep going.

That's one of the reasons I have such a hard time sympathizing with the woman that killed her children in Texas. Even when you really, really, really want to do something like that, there is a part of your brain that knows its wrong and that there is always someone out there that well help.