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Pope: Condoms make Aids worse
Wednesday, 18 March 2009
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Pope Benedict XVI said on his way to Africa yesterday that condoms were not the answer in the continent's fight against HIV but were instead part of the problem.
Benedict had never directly addressed condom use. He has said that the Roman Catholic Church is in the forefront of the battle against Aids. The Vatican encourages sexual abstinence to fight the spread of the disease.
"You can't resolve it with the distribution of condoms," the Pope told reporters aboard the Alitalia plane headed to Yaounde, Cameroon, where he will begin a seven-day pilgrimage on the continent. "On the contrary, it increases the problem."
Some priests and nuns working with those living with HIV/Aids question the church's opposition to condoms amid the pandemic ravaging Africa.
Benedict's first papal trip to Africa will take him to Cameroon and Angola. Africa is the fastest-growing region for the Roman Catholic Church, though it competes with Islam and evangelical churches.
The Pope also said today that he intends to make an appeal for "international solidarity" for Africa in the face of the global economic downturn.
He said that while the church does not propose specific economic solutions, it can give "spiritual and moral" suggestions.
Describing the current crisis as the consequence of "a deficit of ethics in economic structures," the Pope said: "It is here that the church can make a contribution."
On the plane, Benedict also dismissed the notion that he was facing increasing opposition and isolation within the church, particularly after an outreach to ultraconservatives that led to his lifting the excommunication of a Holocaust-denying bishop.
"The myth of my solitude makes me laugh," the Pope said, adding that he can count on a network of friends and aides whom he sees every day.
In a letter to Catholic bishops released last week, the Pope made an unusual public acknowledgment of Vatican mistakes and turmoil in his church over the rehabilitation of Bishop Richard Williamson.
While acknowledging mistakes were made in handling the affair, Benedict said he was saddened that he was criticised "with open hostility" even by those who should have known better.
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why would anyone listen to the pope for help for africa when he wont let the people use condoms
Posted by hugh forbes | 19.03.09, 23:26 GMT
"The catholic church really needs to drag it's sorry carcass into the 21st Century"
As could its members.
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In response to the author of this comment. Yes I agree some of it's members could do well to come into the 21st Century, as could members of other faiths. (although there are quite progressive members of all faiths) If it is a comment directed to me and my comments I hate to dissapoint you but I am not a member of that faith.
Posted by Barry | 19.03.09, 12:06 GMT
It's no wonder that most American Catholics do not pay any attention to these so called papal pronouncements. Birth Control statistics bear this out in the USA. Protestant and Catholic birthrates are just about statistical equal. They are known as "cafeteria catholics" who pick and choose what appeals to them about Catholicism and reject what ramblings such as the Pope rejecting condoms. They use condoms for population control exactly like their non-catholic neighbours.
Posted by Yankee Dan | 19.03.09, 05:27 GMT
Just say NO to SEX everyone FOREVER.
Posted by phl | 19.03.09, 04:12 GMT
This pope is destined to lead the R.C. Church back to the stone ages. He is in Africa where AIDS is rampant, where some crazed governments and R.C. African prelates are preaching hatred of Gays, and yet he insists on doing nothing except complaining about condom usage. He should reflect on Dante's INFERNO where there was a special place reserved for prelates who misled the faithful.
Posted by Jim Guinnessey | 18.03.09, 20:00 GMT
canuck is really just the pope posing as a belfast telegraph reader.
Posted by yoko | 18.03.09, 18:44 GMT
It is disturbing to find so many are unwilling to accept the right of the Pope to preach Catholicism.
Posted by John McMahon | 18.03.09, 16:37 GMT
Many of the unsophisticated in Africa think of the condom delivered merrily by white women in white vans as a ticket to recreational sex. In our society the 'pill' opened the doors to men pressing for sex, without obligations within casual relationships to the detriment of women's status. In a society where women are treated indifferently (workhorses), and are devoid of self esteem they are subject to even greater exploitation.
Posted by Malachy McAnespie | 18.03.09, 15:25 GMT
"The catholic church really needs to drag it's sorry carcass into the 21st Century"
As could its members.
Posted by mickey | 18.03.09, 14:48 GMT
Seriously Canuck you need to step back and read what you have written. 5 condoms at once?? The manufacturing of condoms has advanced so much in the past few decades and is continually finding new ways to improve its efficiency. Of course there is room for error but on the whole they are safe. To look at what you have written one would be led to believe that a condom is as useful as a plastic tescoes bag in the prevention of disease. A basic human urge is to reproduce and like it or not primal urges a lot of times do not take into account the same partner. I honestly cant believe that anyone would believe the, and I can only describe it as nonsense, "If he was listened to at the beginning, we wouldn't have aids in the first place."
Unbelievable!
Posted by Barry | 18.03.09, 14:11 GMT
Canuk
As you are taking advise from a celebate man on human sexual practice, do you also listen to fish comentate on the tour de France?
Posted by London Lad | 18.03.09, 13:39 GMT
Face the facts. One would need to use 5 condoms at once to ensure non-transference of aids. Using one, might slip off, might break, would you trust the thinness of one. Stop having mutiple partners, promote marriage as the way, and the Pope is right, try abstaining for awhile to let the disease ease up, and for everyone to get tested, etc. There are a lot of innocents involved now, because of the rampant spread. Don't blame the Pope. If he was listened to at the beginning, we wouldn't have aids in the first place.
Posted by canuck | 18.03.09, 13:20 GMT
This is a man who would condemn thousands to die because he and those like him see sex only for procreation.
Posted by RMS | 18.03.09, 10:37 GMT
What planet does this man live on??? Only a celibate could encourage sexual abstinence to fight the spread of the disease. He says, "You can't resolve it with the distribution of condoms," Well that may be so but it would significantly reduce the amount of new cases of the disease. The catholic church really needs to drag it's sorry carcass into the 21st Century.
Posted by Barry | 18.03.09, 10:27 GMT
Ah, great to see the Church really grappling with the issues. Just stop having sex, everyone.
Posted by Yip | 18.03.09, 09:49 GMT
Everyone knows that organised religion is running out of steam. While they still have congregations, isn't it time the Catholic church came out of the dark ages - I was at a Catholic Marriage preparation class recently, and while the topic of using condoms was not spoken about directly, the use of "barrier methods" was recommended as a suitable and acceptable form of contraception. Contradiction more like!
Posted by John | 18.03.09, 09:49 GMT
Can we time travel Pope Benedict back to the dark ages, how out of touch with the real world is he, even John Paul would have had more sense. You can joke about it but he's doing a lot of real damage here, peoples lives are in danger and he's not helping one bit.
Posted by Paul | 18.03.09, 09:31 GMT
What a stupid man!!!!!
Posted by Mark | 18.03.09, 09:12 GMT
Completley irresponsible! This man is completely out of touch with the REAL world. Not only do condoms stop unwanted pregnancy (a must to curb the population explosion that is the greatest threat to mankind), but also helps contain disease that causes massive human suffering. Does this man have NO compassion at all?
Posted by Mike | 18.03.09, 08:44 GMT