AIDS and the Archbishop

[Deetee]

I had to decide where to post this info - was it to be Religion, Politics, Conspiracy Theories, or possibly even Humor? In the end I opted for Science/Medicine.

It seems the head of the Catholic Church in Mozambique, Archbishop Chimoio, has accused the West of infecting condoms and antiretroviral drugs with HIV (http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/world/africa/7014335.stm).
Way to go Bish!
:mad:
Thank god only 17% of the country is Catholic. With his advice, don't expect there to be many of them surviving for too long....

[dacium2007]

whats woo woo about what he is saying but? the numbers show aids has increased in africa since western help...

[Mashuna]

whats woo woo about what he is saying but? the numbers show aids has increased in africa since western help...

Did you mean to say since here, or despite? I'm assuming you don't really think 'the west' are infecting condoms with the HIV virus, do you?

[Capsid]

whats woo woo about what he is saying but? the numbers show aids has increased in africa since western help...
Of course, we would have to request evidence for this statement.

[Henners]

Of course, we would have to request evidence for this statement.


A bishop said it obviously.

There's also the other Catholic-sponsored-porkie about condoms being leaky because of their pore size.

[Deetee]

A bishop said it obviously.

There's also the other Catholic-sponsored-porkie about condoms being leaky because of their pore size.

Yes - I never understood this one - They are happy to point out that the diameter of the pores in the latex are larger than the diameter of an HIV particle (Cue Shock! Horror!)
However the fact that even a water molecule cannot make its way through the latex pores seems to escape them completely.

[Henners]

Yes - I never understood this one

That's because it's a piece of cod that surpasses all understanding.

[Bethany]

That's pretty ridiculous. Can the Pope counter that statement? Surely he wouldn't condone that lie even if it did get people to stop using condoms.

[Ivor the Engineer]

That's pretty ridiculous. Can the Pope counter that statement? Surely he wouldn't condone that lie even if it did get people to stop using condoms.

Are you joking? You are aware of what the pope has said on the issue?

http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/world/europe/4081276.stm

The Pope warned that contraception was one of a host of trends contributing to a "breakdown in sexual morality", and church teachings should not be ignored.

There was supposed to be a statement last year, but I have not seen or heard anything by his holiness.

[ponderingturtle]

Yes - I never understood this one - They are happy to point out that the diameter of the pores in the latex are larger than the diameter of an HIV particle (Cue Shock! Horror!)
However the fact that even a water molecule cannot make its way through the latex pores seems to escape them completely.

Well water would travel as a drop not individual molecules. Air is a better example, they think that you can not blow up a balloon.

I guess catholics are behind in childrens party technology, which is really suprising given their stance on birth control and all.

[dacium2007]

I didn't mean the condom thing wasn't woo woo
i meant the correlation of aids to western help is pretty much fact

[Mashuna]

I didn't mean the condom thing wasn't woo woo
i meant the correlation of aids to western help is pretty much fact

Do you think the correlation implies any kind of causation, or do you think the increase in aids sufferers would have happened anyway?

[Zep]

I didn't mean the condom thing wasn't woo woo
i meant the correlation of aids to western help is pretty much factSouth Africa has become a multi-cultural nation since western help arrived in Africa. Zimbabwe has gone from semi-prosperous to a basket-case since western help arrived in Africa. They have filmed "Gorillas In The Mist" since western help arrived in Africa. The Paris-Dakar has been instituted since western help arrived in Africa. The Second World War was fought across the top of the continent since western help arrived in Africa. Lots of stuff has happened since western help arrived in Africa.

So are all these things and many more all caused by western help arriving in Africa?

[H3LL]

Seeing as:

...except under laboratory conditions, it does not spread or maintain infectiousness outside its host.
Source: HIV Insite (http://hivinsite.ucsf.edu/insite?page=ask-01-10-20)

This little fact somewhat spoils the Archbishop's accusation.

Then again, facts never stopped the Catholic church before.
.

[Capsid]

I didn't mean the condom thing wasn't woo woo
i meant the correlation of aids to western help is pretty much fact
Can you please provide some evidence then?

[Eck]

Why ask for evidence about a correlation that means nothing?

[rocketdodger]

Do you think the correlation implies any kind of causation, or do you think the increase in aids sufferers would have happened anyway?

I think dacium (unless he is a fool) is just trying to, in a sarcastic way, point out that there *is* a correlation, and that unfortunately a great deal of humans *do* think correlation implies causation, especially when spoon-fed to them by idiots wearing robes and crosses.

[Capsid]

Why ask for evidence about a correlation that means nothing?I was interested to know what was the basis of dacium's statement.

[Mashuna]

I think dacium (unless he is a fool) is just trying to, in a sarcastic way, point out that there *is* a correlation, and that unfortunately a great deal of humans *do* think correlation implies causation, especially when spoon-fed to them by idiots wearing robes and crosses.

You're probably right, my questions were genuine, as I couldn't tell which way dacium was going to go on this issue. I posted after reading some CT threads, and forgot to recalibrate my irony meter to the appropriate level.

[dacium2007]

This is why i shouldnt post when drunk :D

ya what I meant was the bishop was coming up with stuff to put a cause behind a correlation. obviously he is a nut-job. But its not woo-woo if he has evidence to backup showing some sort of relative showing cuasation, which I think he thinks he has by some sort of religions way. so ah, yeah, no more woo woo than typical christain woo woo.

[geni]

That's pretty ridiculous. Can the Pope counter that statement? Surely he wouldn't condone that lie even if it did get people to stop using condoms.

Could in theory would be politcaly risky (archbishops tend not to react too well to being told they are wrong). The South african confrence of bishops released a statement saying he was wrong about the anti-retroviral thing.