Pedophilia & adult-child sex touted as morally acceptable by academic professor; Social conservatives outraged

Social conservatives have been left outraged and disturbed after an academic professor's new book questioned whether adult–child sex, and pedophilia should be considered immoral.

Social conservatives took to social media on Sunday after they discovered an academic book questioning whether sexual relationships between an adult and a child should be considered acceptable by society.

Stephen Kershnar, a professor at Fredonia's State University of New York and head of its philosophy department, wrote the 168-page book "Pedophilia and Adult-Child Sex: A Philosophical Analysis" released last year that only recently became the subject among social conservatives.

Publishing company Rowman & Littlefield described the book as a philosophical analysis of adult-child sex and pedophilia. It added that while many people regard these sexual activities as "sick, disgusting and wrong," the book maintains that "it is not clear whether these judgments are justified and whether they are aesthetic or moral."

The book also tried to analyze the moral and legal aspects of adult-child sex and tried to determine whether those committing such sexual activities "have a disease, act wrongly, or are vicious."

Social conservative activist Peter LaBarbera blamed the successful legalization of same-sex marriages as only encouraging other sex radicals. The president of the organization Americans for Truth About Homosexuality warned that sex radicals might already be testing the waters and might be on what he called the "study phase."

"Kershnar is injecting nuance and situational ambiguity to chip away at the near-universal understanding that sex between adults and kids is always wrong," LaBarbera told The Christian Post in an interview Monday.

He cautioned that discussing Kershnar's book only "legitimize[s] this as an issue worthy of debate" and contributes to the idea "that there are two legitimate opinions on pedophilia."

Yet, LaBarbera called on social conservatives to sound the alarm and combat efforts among sex radicals to legitimize adult-child sex. He added that pedophile advocates "must be exposed and rebutted."

LaBarbera also stressed that sex with children is "inherently exploitative and immoral."

"It corrupts and victimizes kids, who often grow up to have perverse desires toward children themselves," he added.