The Pope has made minor headlines by solidifying the Catholic Church's stand on condom distribution and the HIV/AIDS crisis in Africa, which has the fastest growing Roman-Catholic population. Preceding a seven-day trip which will take him to Cameroon and Angola, he states:
"You can't resolve it [the African HIV/AIDS crisis] with the
distribution of condoms...On the contrary, it increases the problem."
This comment, along with the well-known stance of the Catholic church on the topics of condoms, has long drawn criticism, even from some bishops and nuns serving in Africa. A representative of the Australian Ferderation of AIDS Organizations, Don Baxter, stated in response:
"Unfortunately, it gives I think the imprimatur for young African
men not to use condoms in their negotiations with African women."
He goes on to cite a case from Uganda where abstinence-only education failed, and relates the Pope's views to the Bush Administration's failure of the enforced abstinence-only education programs.
One civil servant says: “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.” (lezgetreal.com)
AIDS Cameroon: it is estimated that over 650,000 people are living with HIV/AIDS in Cameroon and there are nearly 60,000 deaths a year caused by the disease in that country.
Opinion:
I find myself agreeing with the unnamed civil servant. I believe that, with sincere respect to the Pope and his church, he does not realize the severity of the situation, as well as the nature of humans. Ideally, abstinence and marriage fidelity are best. But this situation is less then ideal, and must be dealt with on the terms of human nature as it is, not as we would like it to be. It has been proven time and again that not only do abstinence-only education programs and abstinence encouragement fail to work, the students of this mentality are just as likely to have sex, and are less likely to use some form of protection during sex. They have less knowledge of the variety of birth control and protection offered, where to get it, and how to use it. The Catholic church certainly doesn't have to condone condom use in Africa, but they do not have to condemn it either.
Coincidentally, there was a comprehensive sex education bill introduced into Congress this week by Senator Frank Lautenberg and Representative Barbara Lee.
( http://feminist.org/news/newsbyte/uswirestory.asp?id=11584 )
Online articles featuring this topic an be found:
http://feminist.org/news/newsbyte/uswirestory.asp?id=11585
http://www.abc.net.au/lateline/content/2008/s2520100.htm
http://lezgetreal.com/?p=5710
http://www.npr.org/templates/story/story.php?storyId=101986491&ft=1&f=1016
http://www.catholicsforchoice.org/topics/hivaids/bishopssupportcondoms.asp
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"...must be dealt with on the terms of human nature as it is, not as we would like it to be"
ReplyDeleteI agree. The church's "fix"....well, it would be like a barber being given the authority to enter a construction site & to tell an electrician how to do his job(wiring,etc.)...when the barber is following a different kind of codebook(for cutting hair), that has nothing to do with the reality of electricity, safety,fire prevention,and so on. The barber could tell the electrician that "proper wire installation(by the book-FOR SAFETY/FIRE PREVENTION) isn't necessary, the homeowner just has to listen to me(barber) and they'll be alright." The barber becomes the "authority" in an area that has a great impact on the safety of others. [Now, substitute the barber with the pope and his codebook] They're not speaking from experience at all, people simply gave them the authority...to tell them what to do(even if its not in line with reality). I'm not being mean, I'm just saying it out... plainly.
I heard about this condom situation recently, and IMO, its a step back for the church by not adapting to the realities on the ground. Many individuals, because of their honest desire to be good people, & their acceptance of a belief system....they feel they have to throw out any authority that contradicts their preacher/pope(even if that authority is more qualified on the subject). They feel that in order to be "worthy" of "salvation," they need to be 100% behind the person of "religious" authority in their neighborhood/or higher authority(pope). In this case, if they do, it could cost them their lives.
It might be a question of the definition of "morality." I say toe-may-toe they say tuh-mah-toe. It's like a Rorschach blot....but people shouldn't ignore actual data/evidence in favor of trying to become the ideal(holy)...IMO. More advanced societies share the responsibility in wiping out superstitions that actually harm the believers. I apologize for being so "windy." Peace, ~~jeremy