I’m not defending anything. Smith was likely a vile and unpleasant person. I’m not disputing that. I’m just saying that the definition of the word “pedophile” involves sexual attraction to pre-adolescents. 14 and up is post adolescent.
I’m also saying that, up until fairly recently,it was not unusual for a girl to marry in her early teens. In my readings about the likely age of Mary, mother of Jesus, marrying Joseph, she was likely in her early teens, as that was the accepted age for girls to marry at the time.
And with that, I’m going to bed. You can content yourselves with reviling me for trying to tell you the truth.
it doesn’t make it any less vile and horrible