Pope: condoms not the answer in AIDS fight

[Osiris]

YAOUNDE, Cameroon – Pope Benedict XVI said condoms are not the answer to the AIDS epidemic in Africa and can make the problem worse, setting off criticism Tuesday as he began a weeklong trip to the continent where some 22 million people are living with HIV.

Benedict's first statement on an issue that has divided even Catholic clergy working with AIDS patients came hours before he arrived in Cameroon's capital — greeted by thousands of flag-waving faithful who stood shoulder-to-shoulder in red dirt fields and jammed downtown streets for a glimpse of the pontiff's motorcade.

In his four years as pope, Benedict had never directly addressed condom use, although his position is not new. His predecessor, Pope John Paul II, often said that sexual abstinence — not condoms — was the best way to prevent the spread of the disease.

Benedict also said the Roman Catholic Church was at the forefront of the battle against AIDS.

"You can't resolve it with the distribution of condoms," the pope told reporters aboard the Alitalia plane heading to Yaounde. "On the contrary, it increases the problem."

The pope said a responsible and moral attitude toward sex would help fight the disease, as he answered questions submitted in advance by reporters traveling on the plane. His response was presumably also prepared in advance.

The Catholic Church rejects the use of condoms as part of its overall teaching against artificial contraception. Senior Vatican officials have advocated fidelity in marriage and abstinence from premarital sex as key weapons in the fight against AIDS.

The late Cardinal Alfonso Lopez Trujillo made headlines in 2003 for saying that condoms may help spread AIDS through a false sense of security, claiming they weren't effective in blocking transmission of the virus. The cardinal, who died last year, headed the Vatican's Pontifical Council for the Family.

Three-quarters of all AIDS deaths worldwide in 2007 were in sub-Saharan Africa, where some 22 million people are infected with HIV — accounting for two-thirds of the world's infections, according to UNAIDS.

Rebecca Hodes with the Treatment Action Campaign in South Africa said if the pope is serious about preventing HIV infections, he should focus on promoting wide access to condoms and spreading information on how to use them.

"Instead, his opposition to condoms conveys that religious dogma is more important to him than the lives of Africans," said Hodes, head of policy, communication and research for the group.

Hodes said the pope was right that condoms are not the sole solution to Africa's AIDS epidemic, but added they are one of the very few proven measures to prevent HIV infections.

Even some priests and nuns working with those infected with the AIDS virus question the church's opposition to condoms amid the pandemic ravaging Africa. Ordinary Africans do as well.

"Talking about the nonuse of condoms is out of place. We need condoms to protect ourselves against diseases and AIDS," teacher Narcisse Takou said in Yaounde.

Stanley Obale Okpu, a civil servant working in the ministry of urban development in Cameroon, said: "What the pope says is an ideal for the Catholic church. But he needs to look at the realities on the ground. One should be aware of these realities. In the case of Cameroon — and Africa as a whole — condoms are very necessary ... You need condoms to prevent AIDS and birth control."

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I totally agree with the pope.. I mean, condoms to prevent AIDS? There are much better ways: pray, pray and pray.. you know, that will prevent AIDS from spreading. I also heard that praying will also cure you from cancer, heart disease, leukemia..

What a proven way! Who needs science anymore?! Our lord will save us if we pray to him!

[Red Phoenix]

i also agree with the pope, sex feels a lot better without condoms.

[coralie]

Originally Posted by Osiris

YAOUNDE, Cameroon – Pope Benedict XVI said condoms are not the answer to the AIDS epidemic in Africa and can make the problem worse, setting off criticism Tuesday as he began a weeklong trip to the continent where some 22 million people are living with HIV.

Benedict's first statement on an issue that has divided even Catholic clergy working with AIDS patients came hours before he arrived in Cameroon's capital — greeted by thousands of flag-waving faithful who stood shoulder-to-shoulder in red dirt fields and jammed downtown streets for a glimpse of the pontiff's motorcade.

In his four years as pope, Benedict had never directly addressed condom use, although his position is not new. His predecessor, Pope John Paul II, often said that sexual abstinence — not condoms — was the best way to prevent the spread of the disease.

Benedict also said the Roman Catholic Church was at the forefront of the battle against AIDS.

"You can't resolve it with the distribution of condoms," the pope told reporters aboard the Alitalia plane heading to Yaounde. "On the contrary, it increases the problem."

The pope said a responsible and moral attitude toward sex would help fight the disease, as he answered questions submitted in advance by reporters traveling on the plane. His response was presumably also prepared in advance.

The Catholic Church rejects the use of condoms as part of its overall teaching against artificial contraception. Senior Vatican officials have advocated fidelity in marriage and abstinence from premarital sex as key weapons in the fight against AIDS.

The late Cardinal Alfonso Lopez Trujillo made headlines in 2003 for saying that condoms may help spread AIDS through a false sense of security, claiming they weren't effective in blocking transmission of the virus. The cardinal, who died last year, headed the Vatican's Pontifical Council for the Family.

Three-quarters of all AIDS deaths worldwide in 2007 were in sub-Saharan Africa, where some 22 million people are infected with HIV — accounting for two-thirds of the world's infections, according to UNAIDS.

Rebecca Hodes with the Treatment Action Campaign in South Africa said if the pope is serious about preventing HIV infections, he should focus on promoting wide access to condoms and spreading information on how to use them.

"Instead, his opposition to condoms conveys that religious dogma is more important to him than the lives of Africans," said Hodes, head of policy, communication and research for the group.

Hodes said the pope was right that condoms are not the sole solution to Africa's AIDS epidemic, but added they are one of the very few proven measures to prevent HIV infections.

Even some priests and nuns working with those infected with the AIDS virus question the church's opposition to condoms amid the pandemic ravaging Africa. Ordinary Africans do as well.

"Talking about the nonuse of condoms is out of place. We need condoms to protect ourselves against diseases and AIDS," teacher Narcisse Takou said in Yaounde.

Stanley Obale Okpu, a civil servant working in the ministry of urban development in Cameroon, said: "What the pope says is an ideal for the Catholic church. But he needs to look at the realities on the ground. One should be aware of these realities. In the case of Cameroon — and Africa as a whole — condoms are very necessary ... You need condoms to prevent AIDS and birth control."

Source

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I totally agree with the pope.. I mean, condoms to prevent AIDS? There are much better ways: pray, pray and pray.. you know, that will prevent AIDS from spreading. I also heard that praying will also cure you from cancer, heart disease, leukemia..

What a proven way! Who needs science anymore?! Our lord will save us if we pray to him!

i dont think the sarcasm will help much Osi .

let us not jump to conclusions , we all know how journalistes find a way to twist words or to cut sentences to make an explosif head line . i am sure the pope is not that stupid to say such a thing maybe the red highlighted part can help more understand what he realy meant . it might not be the opinion of many or the medical opinion but it is the opinion of the church (priests and religious figures) .

[orange infection]

i say it's logical
fidelity in marriage and abstinence from premarital sex will of course lead to an aids free community
eno aids will come from having sex with already infected ppl (most probably whores)
so someone who didn't have sex before marriage with unknown ppl and who's only having sex with his clean wife will not get aids .......
very simple equation , what's wrong with what the pope said ?????

[TripolySunni]

Originally Posted by Red Phoenix

i also agree with the pope, sex feels a lot better without condoms.

Hahaha... however, I agree with the pope.

[BOILER]

Condoms are not 100% reliable.
When you catch it, don't blame God, don't pray, blame Science.

[Osiris]

BBC NEWS | Africa | Pope tells Africa 'condoms wrong'

HIV/Aids was, he argued, "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 solution lay, he said, in a "spiritual and human awakening" and "friendship for those who suffer".


WHAT? "Spiritual and human awakening"? "Friendship for those who suffer"? Words, words, words! It looks like the pope sure seems to live far from reality. In fact, he seems to live on a different planet. Here on earth, sexual abstinence is obviously not an option for most humans, especially in Africa. Forbidding condoms is, in the times of AIDS, an act of murder..

[spacecreature]

You can agree all you want with him, but it doesn't make it right! People who think like him are part of the problem. You know abstinence is a joke, and even priests can't seem to keep it in their pants! So I don't c how banning condom use will put an end to the aids epidemic...
And to those silly posters who think only whores have HIV, you should go out more! And remember people with Aids are the victims (and u don't have to sleep with many to get it, just once is enough) so don't treat them like they are some sort of criminals!

Doesn't religion teach compassion anymore!!?? (for those who follow such things )

[orange infection]

Originally Posted by Osiris

BBC NEWS | Africa | Pope tells Africa 'condoms wrong'

HIV/Aids was, he argued, "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 solution lay, he said, in a "spiritual and human awakening" and "friendship for those who suffer".


WHAT? "Spiritual and human awakening"? "Friendship for those who suffer"? Words, words, words! It looks like the pope sure seems to live far from reality. In fact, he seems to live on a different planet. Here on earth, sexual abstinence is obviously not an option for most humans, especially in Africa. Forbidding condoms is, in the times of AIDS, an act of murder..

eno of course no "reasonnable" man will have sex without a condom
but what the pope is saying that this is not a solution
anyway let them still have sex in this chaotic manner and let them all get aids
half of them already have aids and their kids are born with aids
well believe me no one cares if they are stupid and don't know how to act , someone is trying to awake them and u are mocking him
i don't think that u care more about ppl in africa than the pope ........

[alabellez]

I don't see why the church is so opposed to condoms! Are they opposed to medicine ?! and what about surgery?! It helps people who should normally die!! Shouldn't they protest against medicine simply because it helps people who normally wouldn't survive?!

And condoms do help in preventing HIV infections! Plus if someone married someone HIV positive what's the pope's solution for that?! i mean should he have unsafe sex with his significant other and get infected?! or should he use a condom and prevent it ?!!