Ancient Greek pederast kissing a young boy (4th Century BC), Louvre Museum (Accession No. G 278), Author Marie-Lan Nguyen (PD)
Many today are adherents of a pernicious philosophy, a false religion, whose name they do not know [1]. It masquerades as ancient wisdom, secret knowledge, a path to self-fulfillment. But it incorporates Satan’s oldest and most effective lies.
Gnosticism is a heresy that seeks to undermine Christian doctrine. It promises that men can become godlike, and exalts inner “perception” over outer reality. Its beliefs are at the root of the Transgender Movement, and are paving the way for the normalization of pedophilia [2][3][4].
This is not to say that Gnostics are pedophiles or even aware of the connection to pedophilia. Most Gnostics would undoubtedly dispute the connection. Not that pedophiles need much help in normalizing their perversion.
Legitimizing Pedophilia
B4U-ACT is part of a growing movement to legitimize sexual attraction to children [5]. Founded by social worker Russell Dick and convicted child sex offender Michael Melsheimer, this Maryland group maintains that sexual attraction to children is not a psychiatric disorder, but an identity to be affirmed.
A list of pedophilia advocacy groups can be found on Wikipedia [6]. Like B4U-ACT, they hold that attempts to reduce or control pedophiles’ attraction to children through cognitive behavior therapy or drugs are not only pointless, but unethical.
Never mind the lasting harm pedophiles do to children.
Changing Professional Views
As of 2013, the American Psychological Association still took the official position that pedophilia was a mental disorder; that sex between adults and children is always wrong; and that acting on pedophilic impulses is and should be a criminal act [7]. Attitudes are, however, changing rapidly.
By 2021, pedophiles were termed Minor Attractive Persons or MAPs, often considered “stigmatized” for their “natural” inclinations [8]. Psychology students perceived them as less dangerous, less intentional, and less psychologically deviant than in the past.
Misplaced Compassion
The poor lambs. It must be the “stigmatization” that is causing their behavior. And what really is wrong with their behavior? After all, it’s simply on the spectrum of human sexuality.
So we are increasingly told, and by professionals no less [9A]. But this compassion is misplaced. Child victims are the lambs being led to the slaughter.
Gnosticism
Which brings us back to the Gnostic ideas now circulating in society. What we believe shapes what we do.
- Gnosticism denies the existence of sin. If we believe sin does not exist, pedophilia can no longer be a sin.
- Gnosticism insists that the “real you” is inside, that what human beings feel overrides biology. If we believe this, we will allow 40 y.o. men who consider themselves 10 y.o. boys (or use that pretense as a ploy) to have sex with real 10 y.o. boys — exactly as we now argue that men who consider themselves women should be permitted to share restrooms with women and engage in women’s sports [10].
If we believe the egregious lie now being promulgated that children are capable of assenting to sexual behavior and that some at least do not experience it as harmful, we will cease to recognize such behavior for the profound evil it is [9B].
God help our children.
“But whoever causes one of these little ones who believe and trust in Me to stumble [that is, to sin or lose faith], it would be better for him if a heavy millstone [one requiring a donkey’s strength to turn it] were hung around his neck and he were thrown into the sea” (Mark 9: 42 AMP).
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[1] Prime Matters, “The Gnostic Ideologies of the Modern Age” by Dr. Jonathan Reyes, 12/14/22, https://primematters.com/perspectives/gnostic-ideologies-modern-age.
[2] Christian Institute, ““Gnosticism”, https://www.christian.org.uk/wp-content/uploads/gnosticism.pdf.
[3] United Methodist Insight, “Dueling Gnosticisms” by Chase Crickenberger, 7/20/22, https://um-insight.net/perspectives/dueling-gnosticisms/ .
[4] Wikipedia, “Pederasty”, https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Pederasty.
[5] City Journal, “This Group Wants to ‘Affirm’ Pedophilia”, 5/2/25, https://www.city-journal.org/article/b4u-act-maryland-pedophiles-map-therapy.
[6] Wikipedia, “List of pedophile advocacy organizations”, https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/List_of_pedophile_advocacy_organizations.
[7] America Psychological Association (APA), “Statement of the American Psychological Association Regarding Pedophilia and the Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders (DSM-5)”, October 2013, https://www.apa.org/news/press/releases/2013/10/pedophilia-mental.
[8] Springer Nature Link, “Meeting a person with pedophilia: Attitudes toward pedophilia among psychology students: A pilot study” by Rebecca Heron et al, 2/23/21, https://link.springer.com/article/10.1007/s12144-021-01384-5.
[9A and 9B] YouTube, Mount Sinai/Beth Israel Icahn School of Medicine, “Pedophilia & Minor Attracted Persons: What do we know about this critical issue?” with Lisa Cohen, Clinical Professor of Psychiatry, https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=UbX-06FAcN8.
[10] Only 0.6% or less of the US population genuinely suffers from gender dysphoria. Yet there have been multiple instances of rape by men identifying themselves as “transgender women”. See, https://le.utah.gov/interim/2024/pdf/00000577.pdf. Pedophiles are not above adopting a similar posture to access victims.
READERS CAN FIND MY VIEWS ON ABUSE AND ABUSE-RELATED ISSUES AT ANNA WALDHERR A Voice Reclaimed, Surviving Child Abuse
https://avoicereclaimed.com
ANNA WALDHERR A Voice Reclaimed, Surviving Child Abuse 
I’ll confess to being completely ignorant about Gnosticism, but I’ve lost much of the respect I once had for the APA and other social and medical science associations. The way these groups have tailored their “standards” and guidance to fit sociopolitical trends—rather than allowing science to lead—has done more to harm public health, and the public’s perception of it, than nearly anything I can recall in recent memory.
To be able to put children at risk and still look oneself in the mirror may require a mental disorder truly worthy of stigmatization.
Have a wonderful week, Anna!
–Scott
I have been deeply distressed for the same reason relative to the AMA, Scott. Thank you for commenting. Have a great week!
The first pillar of sexual normalcy fell in the US in the 60s with “open marriage” and “free love.” Having predicted when the homosexuals paraded in NY in 1973 with signs that said, “We ARE your children,” suggesting that they do not need protection, I first read about “man/child love” in the 1980s, that a movement for pedophilia would attempt to normalize such behavior. The next pillar of sexual normalcy to fall would be normal sexual identity. The last to fall will be incestual relationships that show “how much parents love” their children. The world will soon be headed for hell in a basket, but those who call on the Name of the LORD will be saved.
Zechariah 5:5-8
Amen.
All the gay individuals I know personally have been openly and firmly opposed to pedophilia. From everything I’ve observed, pedophilia has nothing to do with sexual orientation—it thrives instead in individuals who lack empathy and are driven solely by their own impulses, without regard for others’ safety or autonomy.
Sadly, there are homosexuals who took up that lifestyle after having been molested as children.
Thank you for your commitment to defending children and survivors, this is an urgent and vital concern. However, I feel compelled to push back against some of the connections drawn here, not because I disagree with the importance of protecting minors, but because conflating philosophical frameworks with criminal pathology risks confusing the issue rather than clarifying it.
1. Misrepresentation of Gnosticism
Gnosticism is not a unified religion, but a broad and ancient set of mystical traditions that emphasized inner experience, divine knowledge, and a spiritual interpretation of reality. Many Gnostic sects were ascetic, not libertine, and some explicitly condemned bodily pleasure as a distraction from spiritual truth. To reduce Gnosticism to “denial of sin” or “denial of biological reality” is historically and theologically inaccurate.
Suggesting that this tradition is “paving the way” for pedophilia ignores the diversity of beliefs among Gnostics (past and present), and makes a dangerously loose association without clear evidence. If Gnosticism is heresy, let’s debate theology, not criminality.
2. Philosophical confusion
There is a real and needed discussion to be had about the ethics of identity, especially in modern society, but comparing adult transgender individuals to 40-year-old men identifying as 10-year-old boys is an inflammatory analogy that doesn’t hold up philosophically or psychologically. Gender dysphoria is a recognized clinical experience with peer-reviewed research. Pedophilia, on the other hand, involves the inability to consent, this distinction is essential, not optional.
3. Misplaced cause-and-effect
B4U-ACT and MAP discourse are deeply controversial and worthy of scrutiny, but there’s no evidence that Gnosticism is the philosophical engine behind them. Correlation is not causation. If activists or fringe psychologists misuse language about “inner identity,” that is a problem with their ethics and logic, not proof that an ancient mystical tradition is responsible for cultural collapse.
4. Dangerous generalization
When we start linking esoteric or minority spiritual systems to child abuse without firm evidence, we risk repeating the same logic that fueled the Satanic Panic and other moral panics. Abuse should be named and fought on its own terms, not wrapped in sweeping claims about religious belief systems.
I appreciate your passion and your history as a survivor. But we must be rigorous with our arguments if we are to protect anyone effectively. Demonizing a philosophy because it emphasizes inner experience can lead us down the wrong path and distract from the very real threats posed by actual abusers, institutions that shield them, and legal systems that fail to respond.
I am deeply grateful for your thoughtful response. I believe it helps clarify what I was attempting to convey.
I do not know how many today are actively practicicing Gnosticism. I was certainly not encouraging an attack on Gnostics, though I do believe Gnosticism to be a heresy. My post was not directed against those who believe in it so much as against the ideas derived from Gnosticism that are currently perculating through society.
If you have any interest, I did recently write 2 posts on the history of Gnosticism and its modern appeal. You can find these on my other blog at https://alawyersprayers.com/2025/06/29/gnosticism/ and https://alawyersprayers.com/2025/07/06/gnosticism-part-2/.
It was never my intent to disparage those suffering from gender dysphoria. My heart goes out to them. But society has not served them well by feeding their delusion.
I agree that my statement about 40 y.o. men was inflammatory, intentionally so. My sympathies are not with pedophiles. They are with children.
There is no single cause for pedophilia other than the evil choices of the individuals who engages in it. The magical eradication of Gnosticism certainly would not solve the problem. But ideas grounded in Gnosticism and now taking root in popular culture are dangerous and damaging, especially to children.
Let me add one final thing. I write from a Christian perspective. It is not inappropriate, therefore, that I touch on the spiritual aspect of pedophilia.
Pedophilia is not simply a psychological illness. It is a sin. I do not say this in an effort to start a purge…even against pedophiles. We are all flawed. But society must, insofar as possible, protect children against those flaws — not throw open wide the door to abuse.
Anna, your statements “Gnosticism is a heresy that seeks to undermine Christian doctrine. It promises that men can become godlike, and exalts inner “perception” over outer reality” reveal clearly that this “doctrine” is nothing more than a fabrication of Satan.
Actually, it is no different than the lies of Genesis 3, except that it is packaged differently. From the beginning it has been Satan’s mission to undermine and discredit God’s word. He did it in the garden, he did it in the wilderness temptation of Christ, and he is still doing it today in a hundred different ways as he masquerades as an angel of light.
Excellent work my friend!
Thank you, Ron. You are always so kind.
Interesting post, Anna! I don’t know a whole lot about gnosticism, so I’ve never related it to pedophilia. I’ll have to look into that.
Unfortunately I do know a fair amount about MAPs and other assorted abominations.
I used to seek answers and really needed to know “why” people did evil things. This guy once told me to stop all that, the answer is simple, “they do it because they believe it is acceptable and they think they can get away with it.” That’s a tough truth to swallow, but I’ve found a lot of wisdom in that simple concept over the years.
Excellent post, Anna! Keep speaking truth! May God bless you and guide you as you serve Him! ✝️
Many thanks.
Thank you, Anna, for shedding light on this increasingly horrifying trend in society to normalize what is evil. “Woe to those who call evil good and good evil, who put darkness for light and light for darkness, who put bitter for sweet and sweet for bitter.” (Isaiah 5: 20)
Horrific what people could do to other people
So right.
✝️✝️🫡🫡✝️✝️
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