The Khaleesi Posted March 17, 2009 Share Posted March 17, 2009 <<YAOUNDE, March 17 (Reuters) - Pope Benedict on Tuesday reaffirmed the Roman Catholic Church's opposition to the use of condoms in the fight against AIDS as he started a visit to Africa, where more than 25 million people have died from the disease in recent decades.>> <<"It (AIDS) cannot be overcome by the distribution of condoms. On the contrary, they increase the problem," he said in response to a question about the Church's widely contested position against the use of condoms.>> <<The Church teaches that fidelity within heterosexual marriage, chastity and abstinence are the best ways to stop AIDS. It does not approve condoms but some Church leaders have been calling for allowing their use in rare cases between married heterosexual couples where one partner has the disease. "The only solution is two-fold: the first is a humanisation of sexuality, a human, spiritual renewal which brings with it a new way of behaving among people and, secondly, a true friendship, especially for those who are suffering, a willingness to make personal sacrifices," he said.>> [url="http://www.reuters.com/article/homepageCrisis/idUSLH936617._CH_.2400"]http://www.reuters.com/article/homepageCri...36617._CH_.2400[/url] I can't help thinking that the Pope is potentially condemning thousands of Catholics in Africa to lives of misery, disease and death. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Prince of the North Posted March 17, 2009 Share Posted March 17, 2009 Yeah, I guess when the Pope says "On the contrary, they [condoms] increase the problem" the "problem" he's talking about is really sex in general, not HIV/AIDS. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Jaqen the FatManderly Posted March 17, 2009 Share Posted March 17, 2009 There is a dramatic contrast between Jesus' message of love, hope, true freedom, and self-sacrifice offered by the Church, the Pope, and other Christians, versus the vicious bigotry and hate with which they are often attacked. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Jed o' Tarth Posted March 17, 2009 Share Posted March 17, 2009 That's like blaming the donuts for the obesity problem. We're not fat because those donuts are available, we're fat because we refuse to take proper care of ourselves. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
tenalpia Posted March 17, 2009 Share Posted March 17, 2009 What really pisses me off is that because one person says this, thousands will go on to become needlessly infected - thousands of people listening to *one* person who is just a guy, just another person with an opinion... because of his title and what they are led to believe that means in a religious / spiritual sense all of these thinking, reasoning human beings will put all the facts out the window and do as they are told... by one person! That's what makes me mad :bang: Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Jacen Posted March 17, 2009 Share Posted March 17, 2009 This is why one never asks for sex advice from a dude that's never been laid or only with altar boys :P But in seriousness, he is completely ignoring the practical reality. People are going to have sex. That's the bottom line. Although it's not a 100% protection, use of condoms in Africa would do a great deal of good in curtailing the problem, at the least. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Sis Who Swears Posted March 17, 2009 Share Posted March 17, 2009 Wow.... the stupidity of that statement just slays me... :stunned: BTW... totally off topic but I love how you said 'this makes me [b]cross[/b]' :lol: I may hafta steal that from you. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
The Khaleesi Posted March 17, 2009 Author Share Posted March 17, 2009 [quote name='Jaqen the FatManderly' post='1722775' date='Mar 18 2009, 10.26']There is a dramatic contrast between Jesus' message of love, hope, true freedom, and self-sacrifice offered by the Church, the Pope, and other Christians, versus the vicious bigotry and hate with which they are often attacked.[/quote] I don't understand what you are trying to say here. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Inigima Posted March 17, 2009 Share Posted March 17, 2009 Can we get a new Pope? This one's been defective from the beginning. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
The Khaleesi Posted March 17, 2009 Author Share Posted March 17, 2009 [quote name='Prince of the North' post='1722767' date='Mar 18 2009, 10.22']Yeah, I guess when the Pope says "On the contrary, they [condoms] increase the problem" the "problem" he's talking about is really sex in general, not HIV/AIDS.[/quote] This is from another article <<The pontiff, speaking to journalists on his flight, said the condition was "a tragedy that cannot be overcome by money alone, that cannot be overcome through the distribution of condoms, which even aggravates the problems". [url="http://www.guardian.co.uk/world/2009/mar/17/pope-africa-condoms-aids"]http://www.guardian.co.uk/world/2009/mar/1...ca-condoms-aids[/url] So, he probably is talking about sex in general - but he seems to be linking condoms with the spread of AIDS. Which is irresponsible IMO. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Altherion Posted March 17, 2009 Share Posted March 17, 2009 [quote name='Jacen' post='1722799' date='Mar 17 2009, 22.40']People are going to have sex.[/quote] This is probably true -- though it should be possible to change it, one way or another, and this should be looked into as a means of solving the problem. However, it does not necessarily mean that the Pope is wrong. The question is not whether people are going to have sex or not, but whether the decreased chance of HIV transmission due to the condom for each incidence of sex outweighs the increase in the number of incidences due to the fact that people feel safer because of the condoms. It is an experimental question with a correct answer, though good luck finding anyone neutral and competent enough to do that experiment. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Lord of Oop North Posted March 17, 2009 Share Posted March 17, 2009 As a sidenote, your thread title is really misleading. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ants Posted March 17, 2009 Share Posted March 17, 2009 "The only solution is two-fold: the first is a humanisation of sexuality, a human, spiritual renewal which brings with it a new way of behaving among people and, secondly, a true friendship, especially for those who are suffering, a willingness to make personal sacrifices," he said.>> What he seems to be saying is that he wants humans to change thousands of years of behaviour overnight, and start having less sex. Would that curtail the spread of aids? Yes. Is it feasible/sensible/half intellingent/practical? No. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Stego Posted March 17, 2009 Share Posted March 17, 2009 No it isn't. And fuck Palpatine. STD's have been the cause of death for dozens of Popes. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
The Inquisitor Posted March 17, 2009 Share Posted March 17, 2009 For fuck's sake Khaleesi... That's not what the Pope said. So if you are going to be a bigot and prejudiced at least be it with some dignity. As in, for example, starting a thread with what the Pope actually said, and not what you would have liked he had said. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Bronn Stone Posted March 17, 2009 Share Posted March 17, 2009 [quote name='The Inquisitor' post='1722874' date='Mar 17 2009, 15.37']For fuck's sake Khaleesi... That's not what the Pope said. So if you are going to be a bigot and prejudiced at least be it with some dignity. As in, for example, starting a thread with what the Pope actually said, and not what you would have liked he had said.[/quote] She gave the Reuters quote verbatim, and to my reading, it's pretty much the same. Unless you are saying Reuters erred. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
The Inquisitor Posted March 17, 2009 Share Posted March 17, 2009 The Pope thinks condoms increase the spread of HIV/AIDS, this makes me cross vs Pope in Africa reaffirms "no condoms" against AIDS QED. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Filippa Eilhart Posted March 17, 2009 Share Posted March 17, 2009 [i]People are going to have sex[/i] well then, they're not good catholics if they are. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Maltaran Posted March 17, 2009 Share Posted March 17, 2009 [quote name='The Inquisitor' post='1722874' date='Mar 17 2009, 22.37']That's not what the Pope said.[/quote] It is, actually. The Pope said this [quote]"It (AIDS) cannot be overcome by the distribution of condoms. On the contrary, they increase the problem,"[/quote] It's quite clear that he's saying condoms increase the problem of AIDS. In other words, as is so often the case with Ratzinger, he's talking bullshit. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Shryke Posted March 17, 2009 Share Posted March 17, 2009 1) What did you expect? It's not like the RCC's stance on Contraception is NEW or something. His comments about it "making the problem worse" are probably due to his belief that it promotes more sex. 2) The lack of use of condoms in Africa is as much, if not more, due to cultural issues then anything the RCC says. Not that the RCC is helping the situation or anything, but it's no where near the sole cause. If you don't believe me on 2), look up "Baby Rape Africa" on Google. "Enjoy" finding out about some of the roots of AIDS in Africa. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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