New Prostitution Poll

[Resurrexi]

[quote name='Nihil Obstat' post='1908555' date='Jul 2 2009, 08:41 PM']Let's look at it more practically.
What greater evils will result by forbidding prostitution? Paying for adultury [[i]edit: by this I meant of course, fornication. My mistake[/i]...] is a pretty grave sin to begin with. It would take a very very great evil to outweigh that.[/quote]

While it is true that prostitution "does injury to the dignity of the person who engages in it, reducing the person to an instrument of sexual pleasure" ([i]CCC[/i], no. 2355), the same can often be said of regular fornication.

Do you think that all fornication should be made illegal, and that all fornicators should be punished by the state?

[Nihil Obstat]

[quote name='Resurrexi' post='1908564' date='Jul 2 2009, 08:57 PM']While it is true that prostitution "does injury to the dignity of the person who engages in it, reducing the person to an instrument of sexual pleasure" ([i]CCC[/i], no. 2355), the same can often be said of regular fornication.

Do you think that all fornication should be made illegal, and that all fornicators should be punished by the state?[/quote]
No I don't think so, not because I approve of it, but because I think there's a degree of difference between legislating about fornication and legislating about prostitution. I'm not quite intelligent enough to go over why I think so, but at the end of the day, I think the State has the right (therefore the obligation) to make laws against prosititution, but not the right to legislate against fornication.
Still, you didn't answer my question. Practically speaking, what greater evils may result from legislating (or enforcing more strongly) against prostitition?

[Resurrexi]

[quote name='Nihil Obstat' post='1908559' date='Jul 2 2009, 08:45 PM']Sorry. I meant paying for fornication. Now you can get to my post. [/quote]

There are actually many goods that could come from the legalization of prostitution.

If prostitution were legalized, it would be easier for men to avoid sinning with honorable women.

Also, more women might remain virgins before they married.

Prostitutes might be able to avoid drugs and violence, and the condition of their life might improve if prostitution were not associated with illegal activity.

Edited July 3, 2009 by Resurrexi

[T-Bone _]

[quote name='Resurrexi' post='1908567' date='Jul 2 2009, 08:04 PM']Prostitutes might be able to avoid drugs and violence either, and the condition of their life might improve if prostitution were not associated with illegal activity.[/quote]

This is one of the reasons why I almost support the legalization of prostitution.

Edited July 3, 2009 by T-Bone _

[Nihil Obstat]

[quote name='Resurrexi' post='1908567' date='Jul 2 2009, 09:04 PM']There are actually many goods that could come from the legalization of prostitution.

If prostitution were legalized, it would be easier for men to avoid sinning with honorable women.

Also, more women might remain virgins before they married.

Prostitutes might be able to avoid drugs and violence either, and the condition of their life might improve if prostitution were not associated with illegal activity.[/quote]
Sinning with a dishonourable woman is better than sinning with an honourable one?
The difference between honourable and dishonourable is almost certainly a false distinction. We're all sinners, and saying that the state of an 'honourable woman's' soul is somehow more valuable because it isn't in a state of sin is not the right way to look at it. It's the dishonourable ones that we need to reach to even more strongly.

In terms of avoiding drugs and violence, there are many programs that are dedicated to just that. Without making prostitution legal. There will be violence and coercion whether or not it's legal- don't fool yourself. There's significant amounts of that in the porn industry too, and that's been fully legal for ages.

[Resurrexi]

[quote name='Nihil Obstat' post='1908571' date='Jul 2 2009, 09:10 PM']Sinning with a dishonourable woman is better than sinning with an honourable one?
The difference between honourable and dishonourable is almost certainly a false distinction. We're all sinners, and saying that the state of an 'honourable woman's' soul is somehow more valuable because it isn't in a state of sin is not the right way to look at it. It's the dishonourable ones that we need to reach to even more strongly.[/quote]

Morally speaking, it is certainly no better to commit fornication with a dishonorable woman than with an honorable woman.

However, there a good name is an invaluable possession. By sinning with an honorable woman, the man could cause her to loose her good name, while the prostitute does not have a good name to loose.

[Nihil Obstat]

[quote name='Resurrexi' post='1908584' date='Jul 2 2009, 09:21 PM']Morally speaking, it is certainly no better to commit fornication with a dishonorable woman than with an honorable woman.

However, there a good name is an invaluable possession. By sinning with an honorable woman, the man could cause her to loose her good name, while the prostitute does not have a good name to loose.[/quote]
A reputation is pretty limited in its usefulness. Humility is more valuable, but that's neither here nor there.
In terms of the man's soul, it's neither better nor worse. In terms of the woman's soul, it's a matter of which one? Is it better for a dishonourable woman to sin more, or an honourable one to sin for the first time? The answer is neither.
Some people would argue that Mary Magdalen was a prostitute. I don't know if I buy into that or not, but let's assume she was. There is perfect evidence of the soul of a sinner which was every bit as beautiful and precious as the soul of a woman who lived in outward honour.
This line of reasoning is flawed, IMO. The soul of a prostitute is worth exactly the same as the soul of a good woman, therefore each should be led away from sin with the same forcefulness.

Edited July 3, 2009 by Nihil Obstat

[Resurrexi]

[quote name='Nihil Obstat' post='1908587' date='Jul 2 2009, 09:24 PM']A reputation is pretty limited in its usefulness. Humility is more valuable, but that's neither here nor there.
In terms of the man's soul, it's neither better nor worse. In terms of the woman's soul, it's a matter of which one? Is it better for a dishonourable woman to sin more, or an honourable one to sin for the first time? The answer is neither.
Some people would argue that Mary Magdalen was a prostitute. I don't know if I buy into that or not, but let's assume she was. There is perfect evidence of the soul of a sinner which was every bit as beautiful and precious as the soul of a woman who lived in outward honour.
This line of reasoning is flawed, IMO. The soul of a prostitute is worth exactly the same as the soul of a good woman, therefore each should be led away from sin with the same forcefulness.[/quote]

I am of the opinion that it would be more beneficial to society to have the whores in the brothels than in every high school.

[kafka]

[quote name='Resurrexi' post='1908597' date='Jul 2 2009, 10:39 PM']I am of the opinion that it would be more beneficial to society to have the whores in the brothels than in every high school.

[/quote]

There is so much severe moral decadence in society now that trying to apply abstract moral/ethical principles to the legal system in the current climate is ludicrous.

Edited July 3, 2009 by kafka

[Nihil Obstat]

[quote name='Resurrexi' post='1908597' date='Jul 2 2009, 09:39 PM']I am of the opinion that it would be more beneficial to society to have the whores in the brothels than in every high school.

[/quote]
I don't see how that has to do with what I said. Could you go over your line of reasoning?

[Gregorius]

Oh Rex. Always looking for a fight.

[Gregorius]

[quote name='Resurrexi' post='1908567' date='Jul 2 2009, 09:04 PM']There are actually many goods that could come from the legalization of prostitution.

If prostitution were legalized, it would be easier for men to avoid sinning with honorable women.

Also, more women might remain virgins before they married.

Prostitutes might be able to avoid drugs and violence, and the condition of their life might improve if prostitution were not associated with illegal activity.[/quote]
You do realize this is a similar argument for FOCA an pretty much every other pro-abortion law/bill, right? Would you support the slaughter of millions to save thousands?

[Resurrexi]

[quote name='Resurrexi' post='1908597' date='Jul 2 2009, 09:39 PM']I am of the opinion that it would be more beneficial to society to have the whores in the brothels than in every high school.

[/quote]

You stated that it was not morally better for a young man to violate the sixth commandment with a prostitute than with an honorable young woman. I agree with that, but I would say that it is better for society that sexual immorality be somewhat restricted to one group of women rather than all of them.

[Resurrexi]

[quote name='Gregorius' post='1908625' date='Jul 2 2009, 10:01 PM']You do realize this is a similar argument for FOCA an pretty much every other pro-abortion law/bill, right? Would you support the slaughter of millions to save thousands?[/quote]

Murder should always be illegal.

Perhaps you think that all fornication should be against the law, but I do not.

[Nihil Obstat]

[quote name='Resurrexi' post='1908629' date='Jul 2 2009, 10:04 PM']You stated that it was not morally better for a young man to violate the sixth commandment with a prostitute than with an honorable young woman. I agree with that, but I would say that it is better for society that sexual immorality be somewhat restricted to one group of women rather than all of them.[/quote]
In this case, what you see as 'better for society' has dangerous theological/moral underpinnings that devalue the more vulnerable (yes, prostitutes are among the most vulnerable) segments of our population.
I don't think such a train of thought is better for society by any means.