Vatican condems condoms for spreading AIDS

[Peter Jenkins]

From 'The Guardian' (http://www.guardian.co.uk/aids/story/0,7369,1059068,00.html) :
"In Kenya - where an estimated 20% of people have the HIV virus - the church condemns condoms for promoting promiscuity and repeats the claim about permeability. The archbishop of Nairobi, Raphael Ndingi Nzeki, said: "Aids... has grown so fast because of the availability of condoms."

Sex and the Holy City includes a Catholic nun advising her HIV-infected choirmaster against using condoms with his wife because "the virus can pass through". "

The Catholic Church's oppositions to barrier protection methods is well known - and widely ignored, at least in the developed world. Now it seems that they are stepping up thier attack with a pseudoscientific attack on the effectiveness of the humble condom.

It really sickens me that this sort of propoganda is being propogated in the third world - where people may have less access to good information - and is potentially accelerating a fatal disease - with the popes blessing

Peter

[King of the Americas]

...I am thinking that a RE-Reformation of the Catholic church is needed.

However, as discussed in a different thread, 'I' do NOT believe the 'next Pope' will be the Reformer.

[arcticpenguin]

There's a similar thread (http://www.randi.org/vbulletin/showthread.php?threadid=28428) over in the Current Events forum.

[Marc]

This is sort of like blaming helmets for the spread of head injuries.

:rolleyes: :mad:

[Peter Jenkins]

Originally posted by arcticpenguin
There's a similar thread (http://www.randi.org/vbulletin/showthread.php?threadid=28428) over in the Current Events forum.
Sorry, I don't do 'current events'. In fact, I'm still trying to work out what the heck happened yesterday!
Peter

[Upchurch]

Seat belts and air bags don't always work, so better quit driving altogether.

[c4ts]

I do not condone this condemnation of condoms!

[UndercoverElephant]

Originally posted by Upchurch
Seat belts and air bags don't always work, so better quit driving altogether.

Wrong analogy. The correct one is :

Seat belts and air bags don't always work, so keep on driving but don't wear your seat belt and don't fit an airbag.

:)

[Psiload]

Originally posted by King of the Americas
...I am thinking that a RE-Reformation of the Catholic church is needed.

However, as discussed in a different thread, 'I' do NOT believe the 'next Pope' will be the Reformer.
Specifically, what kind of "Re-Reformation" do you have in mind?

[pupdog]

Actually, they're quite correct according to their own studies.

Problem is, those cheapskates turn the condoms inside out and re-use them!

[Bikewer]

Just when you think the Catholics might be getting thier act together science-wise, (they accepted Darwinian evolution) they make absolutely bonehead announcements concerning human sexuality.

The dear Popo, a few years back, encouraged Brazilians to have MORE children, because not enough were going into the priesthood. This in a country where death squads were murdering "street kids".

[neutrino_cannon]

Originally posted by c4ts
I do not condone this condemnation of condoms!

Agreed! Those who don't laud but rather lothe the lovable latex are liable!

[arcticpenguin]

The condom-bashing seems to be happening on a local level. It would be nice if the Vatican would send around a memo saqying it ain't so, but they're not likely to do that since it might be seen as an indication that they condone the use of condoms.

[TillEulenspiegel]

Eric Idle's greatest hits.........................


Every sperm is sacred, every sperm is great
If we were to waste one, God gets quite irate.

[crocodile deathroll]

The Holy Ghost
The Holy See
The Holy Father
The Holy Sepulcher
The Holy Shroud
The Holey Condom

[ceo_esq]

Originally posted by JustGeoff
Wrong analogy. The correct one is :

Seat belts and air bags don't always work, so keep on driving but don't wear your seat belt and don't fit an airbag.

:) Or just quit driving recklessly.

[arcticpenguin]

Originally posted by ceo_esq
Or just quit driving recklessly.
But you can't stop other people from driving recklessly. So you'd have to ban people from driving at all.

[ceo_esq]

Originally posted by arcticpenguin

But you can't stop other people from driving recklessly. So you'd have to ban people from driving at all. This may be where the car analogy breaks down (pun coincidental).

Just to discourage people from allowing their cars' modern safety features to blind them to the dangers of reckless driving, why would you have to ban people from driving at all?

[69dodge]

Originally posted by ceo_esq
Or just quit driving recklessly.And when I drive non-recklessly, should I wear my seat belt, or not?

If someone is, for religious reasons, opposed to seat belt usage, people should get their car-safety advice from someone else.

[Roadtoad]

My wife and I are well aware of how well condoms work.

We named him Matt.

Seriously, folks, some protection is better than none, but at least be smart enough to realize that it ain't foolproof.

[arcticpenguin]

Originally posted by ceo_esq
This may be where the car analogy breaks down (pun coincidental).

Just to discourage people from allowing their cars' modern safety features to blind them to the dangers of reckless driving, why would you have to ban people from driving at all?
Why does the Vatican oppose all effective methods of birth control just because some people will mis-use them? I've read the Vatican encyclical on birth control and it's a load of carp.