Why the Pope opposes condoms

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Why the Pope opposes condoms

Pope Benedict XVI is a man of enormous authority.

When he says "don't use condoms - even to prevent the spread of Aids" it has a significant impact among tens, even hundreds of millions of people.

Getting on for a fifth of Africans are Roman Catholic.

The Church has been growing more quickly in Africa than anywhere else, and this is the Pope's first visit there in the four years he has been the spiritual leader of the world's approximately one billion Catholics.

With Africans - 22 million of whom are infected with HIV - hanging on his every word, that made his statement aboard the plane heading to Cameroon this week all the more significant.

There is something at stake that is greater even than the fight against Aids

The Pope said the "cruel epidemic" should be tackled through fidelity and abstinence rather than condoms, and that "the traditional teaching of the Church has proven to be the only failsafe way to prevent the spread of HIV/Aids".

An awareness of the Pope's huge position of strength has sharpened the criticism of his remarks, by others with a more liberal approach to preventing the transmission of HIV.

Rebecca Hodes, working in South Africa for the Treatment Action Campaign, was among the most trenchant critics.

She described Pope Benedict's remarks as "alienating", "ignorant" and "pernicious".

Better lives

The Pope says HIV/Aids threatens economies and societies
The Pope is echoing the teaching of his predecessor, Pope John Paul II, whose own advocacy of abstinence was also fiercely criticised, and led to accusations even that he was responsible for the spread of disease.

The Church's case has not been helped in the past when senior figures - including the president of the Vatican's Pontifical Council for the Family, Cardinal Alfonso Lopez Trujillo - have insisted that HIV inevitably passes through holes in the latex from which condoms are made, a claim dismissed by the World Health Organization.

However, the Church's concern about condoms is only part of wider teaching aimed at allowing people to live better, more fulfilled lives.

It believes that encouraging people to use condoms to minimise the worst effects of behaviour that in itself impoverishes their lives is to fail them.

Pope Benedict put it this way not long after he took office in 2005. He told African bishops that contraception was among trends leading to a breakdown in sexual morality.

"It is of great concern that the fabric of African life, its very source of hope and stability, is threatened by divorce, abortion, prostitution, human trafficking and a contraception mentality."

In other words, there is something at stake that is greater even than the fight against Aids - particularly as, in the Church's view, condoms are not as effective as abstinence in combating this deadly infection.

Cultural objections

It is not as though Pope Benedict underestimates HIV, acknowledging that "the virus seriously threatens the economic and social stability of the [African] continent".

However, Catholics point out that if a couple, one of whom had the virus, consistently used a condom they would reduce the yearly risk of passing it on to the uninfected partner by about 87% - which they say falls well short of an adequate means of disease prevention.

Uganda used a policy combining abstinence, fidelity and - only if necessary - the use of condoms, to achieve a significant reduction in the spread of HIV.

Even some senior Roman Catholics take a pragmatic view of the use of condoms.

The Belgian Cardinal Goddfried Daneels said in 2004 that using a condom with the intention of stopping disease was morally different from using one to prevent the creation of life.

He said condoms could be the lesser of the two evils.

Father Gerry O'Collins, Emeritus Professor at the Gregorian University in Rome, said the commandment 'thou shalt not kill', "trumps other issues".

The Catholic aid agency Cafod is bound to uphold the official teaching of the Church, and it makes clear that it does not fund or advocate the supply, distribution or promotion of condoms.

However, Cafod also points out that condoms are particularly effective for people such as prostitutes who are at highest risk of infection.

Aid agencies can find that their biggest challenge is trying to overcome cultural objections to using condoms.

It could be that the way Pope Benedict chose to repeat the Church's teaching about contraception, even at a time when Aids is rampant, was also significant.

He could have included the issue in a major homily at a high-profile mass.

The fact that he dealt with it in the plane to Africa, answering questions from journalists, could be seen as a subtle distancing of his message from realities on the ground.

BBC NEWS | Africa | Why the Pope opposes condoms


Do you agree with his condoms view?

What Pope say is part of true that condom itself doesn't solve anything to prevent from AIDs but proper sex education... BUT...but... but... Can we teach Africans from poor countries to understand about proper sex education ? I think Pope should not influence Africans negative over condoms.





 
The Pope is simply following established Church rules that artificial means of contraception are a sin. The use of condoms to prevent the spread of AIDS also prevents conception, which in the black-and-white, no shades of gray eyes of the Church, is a sin. The Church would like to prevent premarital sex, which is probably impossible in this day and age, since not too many people worry about going to Hell because they had sex without being married. But, in the Church's narrow, rigid view, if people do not have sex with people they are not married to, then AIDS wouldn't be such a big problem. The Church is trying to take a moral stance, but it's nearly impossible to get everyone to see it their way.
 
His words are gonna fall on deaf ears..

Nice idea to abstain from sex but instead of saying "no condoms", go to the root of the problem and address it.
 
they oppose condoms so their followers have more children. There by increasing their membership and donations.
 
People needs to take responsbilities for their own actions. Blaming the Pope is a cop-out.

Here are their choices:
1. Don't wear a condom...then don't have sex where you're expose to catching something.
2. Don't wear a condom...don't have sex.
3. Wear a condom. Your chances of contracting HIV decreases.


If you're a true Catholic who listens to the Pope, then you wouldn't need to be worrying about contracting HIV through means of having sexual relations with random people and so on...because you wouldn't do it! Duh.
 
Geek, I never like famous religious figures. I find them quite annoying!
 
His words are gonna fall on deaf ears..

Nice idea to abstain from sex but instead of saying "no condoms", go to the root of the problem and address it.


I sure hope it falls on deaf ears.


Makes me think the "Pope" is saying this to allow the spread of diseases (HIV+) to others, and allow women to give birth to (HIV+) babies. IF they do not abstain from Sex. In another words. "Wipe them out for their sins"

:roll:


Birth Control and sexual education is what needs to be taught there.

The "Pope" and the "People" needs to realize that the upper power, is the one that gave us the Brain, and knowledge, to use these protections against the widespread of diseases.





:roll:
 
Yet another example of how the Catholic Church is stuck in the 11th Century.

WHY do people give these fools any form of authority? They have shown that they wish to stick to archaic teachings and beliefs that have no place in modern society.

I must be the only one that thinks that a former member of the Hitler Youth has no right to make decisions for millions of people.
 
*shrugs* He cant really tell us what to do. We have our own responslibties and condoms are part of it when it comes to sex.

So who cares what he thinks.

Of course, there should be some increased sex education in Africa about this.

Since Africa is obvioulsy famous for having AIDS/HIV in many parts especially that South Africa is also well known for having high rates of rape crimes there as well.
 
Catholicism is one religion that confuses the heck out of me.

In my area,
A man who was married with children had an affair and had another child with his girlfriend. The out of wedlock child was not allowed to come to church and called a bastard. The man left his wife but they got an annulment in the church so then he married the girlfriend. That child was then welcome in the church but his original children were then not welcome and the bastards.

I do not understand that thinking.

Isn't that pushing people away from the church and placing undue labels on the kids? How confused must they be?


I know, I am a little off topic, I do not understand the opposition to condoms either.
 
Pope 'distorting condom science'

One of the world's most prestigious medical journals, the Lancet, has accused Pope Benedict XVI of distorting science in his remarks on condom use.

It said the Pope's recent comments that condoms exacerbated the problem of HIV/Aids were wildly inaccurate and could have devastating consequences.

The Pope had said the "cruel epidemic" should be tackled through abstinence and fidelity rather than condom use.

Correspondents say the attack from the Lancet was unprecedentedly virulent.

Speaking during his first visit to Africa, the Pope said HIV/Aids was "a tragedy that cannot be overcome by money alone, that cannot be overcome through the distribution of condoms, which can even increase the problem".

The Pope said "the traditional teaching of the Church has proven to be the only failsafe way to prevent the spread of HIV/Aids".

The BBC's David Willey in Rome says the Church's view is that encouraging people to use condoms only minimises the effects of behaviour that in itself damages lives.

'Devastating'




Why the Pope opposes condoms

But the London-based Lancet said the Pope had "publicly distorted scientific evidence to promote Catholic doctrine on this issue".

It said the male latex condom was the single most efficient way to reduce the sexual transmission of HIV/Aids.

"Whether the Pope's error was due to ignorance or a deliberate attempt to manipulate science to support Catholic ideology is unclear," said the journal.

But it said the comment still stood and urged the Vatican to issue a retraction.

"When any influential person, be it a religious or political figure, makes a false scientific statement that could be devastating to the health of millions of people, they should retract or correct the public record," it said.

"Anything less from Pope Benedict would be an immense disservice to the public and health advocates, including many thousands of Catholics, who work tirelessly to try and prevent the spread of HIV/Aids worldwide."

Our correspondent says the article shows how far the Pope's attempts to clarify the Vatican's position on condoms have backfired.

BBC NEWS | Europe | Pope 'distorting condom science'
 
Catholicism is one religion that confuses the heck out of me.

In my area,
A man who was married with children had an affair and had another child with his girlfriend. The out of wedlock child was not allowed to come to church and called a bastard. The man left his wife but they got an annulment in the church so then he married the girlfriend. That child was then welcome in the church but his original children were then not welcome and the bastards.

I do not understand that thinking.

Isn't that pushing people away from the church and placing undue labels on the kids? How confused must they be?


I know, I am a little off topic, I do not understand the opposition to condoms either.

At least I'm thankful for being a Christian lol.
 
Oh shit, I rolled my eyes so much that they fell out out of their sockets and I have to go chase after my eyes so I can put them back in my head...*runs after my rolling eyes* :roll:

This is the dumbest thing I have ever heard.

Common sense, people. Wear condoms, and prevent AIDS, no matter what others say. Protect yourselves! AIDS kill...do you want to be pregnant and risk AIDS and risk giving birth to a HIV+ baby who will have a short life, as well as having your own life be shortened to the point where you will not get to see your child grow up if your child does get the proper treatment for HIV/AIDS? I know the meaning of abstinence, but it does NOT work...people rape people....other people can't control their sexual desires, and well, condoms are the lesser of the two evils. Wear condoms, prevent AIDS, live long, find a HIV/AIDS-negative partner/spouse, have healthy children in the future, or not wear condoms, risk your own life and catch HIV/AIDS plus getting pregnant and giving birth to a baby that you could pass the nasty disease on to, who also won't live long (especially in Africa where health care and treatment is not very good)? Seriously, people, think for yourselves and don't listen to certain people just because they are famous...you could save your own life! Also keep in mind that people in Africa do not get very good healthcare treatment, and therefore have worse prognosis than they would if they lived here in the USA where Medicaid and Medicare would pay for AIDS treatments and drugs. Seriously. My good friend Gary caught AIDS in the early 80s, and he lived for 14-15 more years with the disease because he got good treatment and medications. If he didn't get the treatment and medications that he needed, he would have been dead before the 80s was even over. He passed away in 2004, and I miss him, he was such a wonderful friend. He passed away a year after his partner passed away. The prognosis for a HIV/AIDS patient in Africa is probably about 5 years or so, but I'd have to do some research to be accurate, it's just a guess...without HIV/AIDS treatments and medications, the prognosis is not very good, the person does not live very long. That's what happened in the early 80s before everybody knew what AIDS was...people were mysteriously suddenly dying left and right, and it took a few years to figure out what was going on, and another few years to develop the treatments and drugs for the disease. Gary told me about how all his friends would die all around him, and it was very sad. I also saw a documentary about it as well, and it was very sad. I forgot the name of the documentary, though.

And to the one poster who said that China manufactures condoms...not ALL the condom brands are made in China. There are several name brands, you know.
 
...And to the one poster who said that China manufactures condoms...not ALL the condom brands are made in China. There are several name brands, you know.
China will be making the condoms that the government agency distributes for free to people overseas.

US agency switches to Chinese-made condoms for international programmes

...the US Agency for International Development (USAID), which has distributed an estimated 10bn US-made AIDS-preventing condoms in poor countries around the world.

But not anymore.

...the government is switching to cheaper off-shore condoms, including some made in China.

...the government is close to accepting condoms from two offshore companies: Unidus Corp., which makes condoms in South Korea, and Qingdao Double Butterfly Group, which makes them in China.

Condoms from those companies will likely carry the USAID logo - two hands shaking over red and white bunting.

...The problems with Chinese products - including pet food, toys, toothpaste, drywall and more - have increased to the point where many consumers are now wary of the ubiquitous "made in China" label.

So why should condoms be any different? USAID officials maintain that tests have shown that Chinese condoms hold up well against those made in the US and elsewhere.

Some condom experts disagree.

Bill Howe, president of PolyTech Synergies in Ohio, a consultant to the condom industry, said China is "learning" to produce better condoms, but their products are still "notoriously suspect".

Howe, who has consulted for Alatech, acknowledges that the company got a "sweet deal" for years as the only supplier to the US government for international condom distribution. Nonetheless, "they have a high level of integrity, and you don't get that in China," he said.

Even Chinese condom makers acknowledge that some of their customers did not care for their products. Chinese buyers have complained their country's condoms were "too thick, low quality and don't feel comfortable".

Problems persisted for some Chinese condom makers as late as 2007. Free Chinese-made condoms passed out by AIDS groups in Washington, DC, were the subject of numerous complaints about unreadable expiration dates. Sometimes, just opening the packages damaged the condoms, some groups alleged.

Attempts to reach Chinese condom manufacturers for comment were unsuccessful....
 
they oppose condoms so their followers have more children. There by increasing their membership and donations.

I am with you on this. I have always suspect that the pope want more Catholics therefore more people under him.

I don't know about donations as my family are mostly non-practicing Catholics.
 
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