[Luis Dias]

Stance on religion aside (let's not turn this into another "Today in American Christianity"), that is certainly better than a life of sex slavery.

In theory (since I haven't a clue of what's actually going on.... we could be stepping upon another sexual scandal within religion), I absolutely agree.


EDIT: I actually also happen to agree with NGTM's quest for a little more skepticism and rationality instead of taking whichever kind of thesis down our throats, under the threat of being called a "troll" or an insensitive douchebag. These organizations are constantly making this kind of tactic, to scare the hell out of their audience with a big "emergency", and then induce this behavior of belittling morally anyone who dares question their numbers, as if the science underneath these numbers has anything to do with the moral feelings this despicable crime induces in our most basic moral instincts.

[mjn.mixael]

Hahaha what the **** guys.

Everyone and their mom knows that sex trafficking is a big and growing problem. Even ****ing National Geographic is on it. If you don't believe it's a problem, go read up, you'll figure out it's a problem pretty quickly.

What a pointless thing to have an argument about.

This is exactly what I was failing to say, I guess. It seems pretty dang silly to argue this... Which I why I don't feel like I need to prove anything. In fact, given the situation, I think he should need to prove it's -not- happening. But I wouldn't hold my breath.

Stance on religion aside (let's not turn this into another "Today in American Christianity"), that is certainly better than a life of sex slavery.

In theory (since I haven't a clue of what's actually going on.... we could be stepping upon another sexual scandal within religion), I absolutely agree.

THIS IS NOT A TOPIC ABOUT RELIGION However, if you disallow religious organizations from doing humanitarian work simply out of fear of sexual scandal... then there would be a lot of people without help. It's pretty dang obvious that governments aren't doing a damned thing.

[Luis Dias]

Yeah Mixael, way to ****ing misread what I ****ing said. You just read the exact opposite of what I ****ing said. Whatever.

[Nuke]

Obvious silly joke is obvious. And silly.

Who said I was joking?


I've decided to follow Nuke's philosophy on such matters these days.

yea i never joke about matters of the nuke. it is mankinds greatest achievement. forget the theory and the physics and the concept of deterrent and tactics. what it really is, is the means to self annihilate, the means to teach humanity the ultimate lesson. but we shun them and fear them and try to dismantle them to try to reduce their numbers. its quite sad. enjoy your status quo.

[AtomicClucker]

Not to scare you people:

http://www.villagevoice.com/content/printVersion/2468636/

But there remains a reason for my sincere skepticism for such groups "claiming" to fight child trafficking or any of the sort, and I'm going as far to say that we should not only double-check the sources, but place the studies under severe scruitiny. Trafficking is a growing problem, but it's also a great tool for exploitation by "advocates" and "friends" who want extra money and fame.

I think its pretty ****ed up to exploit a pretty ugly problem for political expediency, and have little toleration or love for it. In fact, I find advocacy groups, politicians,  and law enforcement who exploit this to their own ends no better than the monsters they claim to fight.

This sounds [the OPs article] more like overblown fluff, then lets say the truly shocking documentary recently touring parts of the nation about the child soldiers being used in African countries, known as Invisible Children.

[MP-Ryan]

It's pretty dang obvious that governments aren't doing a damned thing.

I'm bewildered that I've somehow been drawn into this mess... but as I've arrived....

Governments actually ARE fairly active in the tracking and enforcement of provisions against human trafficking (not just sex-related human trafficking), but it is a massive problem which doesn't get near the press time that drugs get until a boat (truck, plane) full of people arrives at your doorstep and suddenly your immigration authorities have to deal with it.  Internally, it's a damn hard problem to even find, and prosecution can be even more difficult.

All of that just adds to the lack of awareness on the issue (which this thread has demonstrated quite spectacularly).  But governments are doing quite a bit more than not a damned thing.

[Mustang19]

Dateline did a good documentary on this stuff happening in the Ukraine, I saw it on Youtube. The authorities were certainly aware of the problem and had been making arrests but apparently they had a hard time building a conclusive case against people they were pretty sure were guilty. Which is strange considering some NBC reporters managed to schedule a meeting with a trafficker.

There's child prostitution too, and that's entirely legal in places like Thailand. Parents will sell their kids off to support themselves.

This sounds [the OPs article] more like overblown fluff, then lets say the truly shocking documentary recently touring parts of the nation about the child soldiers being used in African countries, known as Invisible Children.

I think this is a much more serious and preventable problem than child soldiers or whatever. Being a child sex slave will really **** you up for life, and it happens all around the world. And many if not most child soldiers are actually volunteers. Not to start a my-humanitarian-crisis-is-worse-than-yours debate.

[karajorma]

While that may be an issue.. there is the problem that (at least in the U.S.) the government is hardly doing anything about the issue and so these kids are left with whatever organization will do something for them.

What exactly would be your position on this matter if Scientology was picking up these kids and making large numbers of them members?

[Luis Dias]

It's common knowledge that Hamas is a great social institution with great works for the population. And no, this is not sarcasm, it's the sheer truth.

[Mustang19]

Id pick joining a crazy cult any day over being homeless with no skills or education after being psychologically traumatized all my childhood.

[Luis Dias]

Id pick joining a crazy cult any day over being homeless with no skills or education after being psychologically traumatized all my childhood.

Are you sure you are talking about two different things at all?

[General Battuta]

While that may be an issue.. there is the problem that (at least in the U.S.) the government is hardly doing anything about the issue and so these kids are left with whatever organization will do something for them.

What exactly would be your position on this matter if Scientology was picking up these kids and making large numbers of them members?

I'd be a hell of a lot less favorable than with vanilla religion, if only because Scientology takes active steps to control and contain its membership (and to discourage their departure) which most other religious groups don't.

[karajorma]

Id pick joining a crazy cult any day over being homeless with no skills or education after being psychologically traumatized all my childhood.

Why does it have to just be A or B? Why not campaign for C. Take care of the kids and don't try to take advantage of them by foisting religion on them when they are at their lowest ebb?

[Luis Dias]

Yeah well but Battuta is speaking about "lesser evils". You know, the kind of grey that liberals (in american terms) just love.

[General Battuta]

Id pick joining a crazy cult any day over being homeless with no skills or education after being psychologically traumatized all my childhood.

Why does it have to just be A or B? Why not campaign for C. Take care of the kids and don't try to take advantage of them by foisting religion on them when they are at their lowest ebb?

I'll happily campaign for C but I'm not going to turn down some A on the side.

[Mustang19]

Did this just turn into a relationship thread?

[NGTM-1R]

Did this just turn into a relationship thread?

Yes.

[General Battuta]

Did this just turn into a relationship thread?

Look honey, a little C+A is just part of what a man needs.

[G0atmaster]

FYI, many of my statistics come from the FB-Freaking-I, so stfu about untrustworthy sources.

Secondly, follow some of the links I posted to get more information.  That's where I got more of what I posted.

Courage To Be You brings FBI agents out to speak on this matter when they do awareness events.  I'm pretty freaking sure that means they're reliable.

Christian or not, no one else is building homes for these victims.   And last time I checked, Christianity was not thought of by-and-large as a dangerous cult, unlike scientology.

I am appalled.  I thought you guys were better than this.  Of all the things to nitpick on rather than doing your own research...

I'm disgusted.   This is why the problem is as big as it is.

This is bull****.

[Luis Dias]

Don't be mad Goat, it is a worthy campaign to make. Do not take these discussions seriously, they are just silly back and forths.