CNN’s Zain Verjee couldn’t seem to find any health care “experts” who agreed with Pope Benedict XVI during a report on Tuesday’s Situation Room about the “political firestorm” the pontiff apparently set off during his first visit to Africa. Verjee not only cited unnamed “experts” who disagreed with the pope’s statement that the distribution of condoms on the continent “increases the problem” of HIV/AIDS instead of helping it, but also found “some priests and nuns working with AIDS victims in Africa question the church’s anti-condom policy.”
Anchor Wolf Blitzer introduced the correspondent’s report, hyping how “Pope Benedict XVI is facing a condom controversy right now. That may be last thing he needs on his first tour of Africa, [which is] struggling to cope with a massive AIDS epidemic.” Verjee continued in this vein: “Pope Benedict XVI set off another political firestorm, even before he landed in Africa, saying condoms could make the HIV/AIDS crisis worse. He told reporters, ‘It’s a tragedy, but you can’t resolve with it the distribution of condoms. On the contrary, it increases the problem.’
After citing how “health experts disagree” with the pope’s stance, Verjee played the first of two sound bites from Dr. Anthony Fauci of the National Institute of Allergy and Infectious Diseases, the only named “expert” in the report, who, as you might guess, argued in favor of condoms’ effectiveness against HIV/AIDS. In his second sound bite however, Dr. Fauci did seem to be more open to the pope’s message of abstinence than CNN: “In certain circumstances, abstinence is important. And, obviously, if you don’t have sexual relations, you’re not going to get HIV through a sexual contact. But it has its place.”
The CNN correspondent did play two other sound bites, but neither one were directly related to the condom issue. The first came from an African women who was happy the pope was visiting, and the other was from the pontiff himself. She concluded her report by again citing unnamed “experts” who echoed President Obama’s line about putting “science over ideology” on embryonic stem cell research: “In light of the pope’s comments, experts say people really just need to listen to the health care workers and experts and to the community leaders on how to avoid HIV infection. Some experts say that, with all due respect to the pope, this is a health issue and not a religious issue. Wolf, the church would argue it’s a morality issue.”
The full transcript of Verjee’s report, which began 49 minutes into the 6 pm Eastern hour of Tuesday’s Situation Room:
WOLF BLITZER: Pope Benedict XVI is facing a condom controversy right now. That may be last thing he needs on his first tour of Africa, [which is] struggling to cope with a massive AIDS epidemic. Let’s go back to Zain. She’s got the details. What’s going on, Zain?
ZAIN VERJEE: Wolf, he’s been pope for four years, but he’s never talked openly about condoms. Well, today he did.
UNIDENTIFIED MALE: I can see the plane now.
VERJEE (voice-over): Pope Benedict XVI set off another political firestorm, even before he landed in Africa, saying condoms could make the HIV/AIDS crisis worse. He told reporters, ‘It’s a tragedy, but you can’t resolve with it the distribution of condoms. On the contrary, it increases the problem.’ Health experts disagree.
DR. ANTHONY FAUCI, DIRECTOR, NIAID: Condoms have been proven time and again to play a major role in the prevention of the transmission of HIV infections. There’s no evidence whatsoever to indicate that the distribution of condoms to people who would be using condoms in any manner or form makes them engage in more risky sexual activity.
VERJEE: From Cameroon, the pope will go to Angola, and what the pope says matters in Africa. Twenty-two million people in Sub-Saharan Africa are infected with HIV/AIDS -- a continent where Catholicism is finding converts.
UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: Oh, it’s a pleasure to receive the pope today.
POPE BENEDICT XVI: Even amidst the greatest suffering, the Christian message always brings hope.
VERJEE: The Vatican is pushing sexual abstinence and one-partner relationships to fight HIV/AIDS.
FAUCI: In certain circumstances, abstinence is important. And, obviously, if you don’t have sexual relations, you’re not going to get HIV through a sexual contact. But it has its place.
VERJEE: But some priests and nuns working with AIDS victims in Africa question the church’s anti-condom policy. President Bush poured billions of dollars into HIV/AIDS programs in Africa for treatment, education, and prevention. But, like the pope’s message, those programs stressed abstinence and monogamy, while downplaying the role of condoms.
VERJEE (on-camera): In light of the pope’s comments, experts say people really just need to listen to the health care workers and experts and to the community leaders on how to avoid HIV infection. Some experts say that, with all due respect to the pope, this is a health issue and not a religious issue. Wolf, the church would argue it’s a morality issue -- Wolf?
—Matthew Balan is a news analyst at the Media Research Center.
Editor at Large
Comments Policy
Simple Logic
March 18, 2009 - 14:44 ET by BlueCat57Why does everything have to be so "complicated" for liberals? Simply logic should suffice to solve most of the world's problems.No condom, no sex or other intimate contact, no transmission of AIDs.No government interference, personal freedom increases.Besides ignoring the recent revelations about how HIV/AIDs has been an over hyped disease, they are still ignoring the real crises in Africa - mosquitoes, water, dictators, and unstable governments. AIDs pales in comparison to these other problems, yet it gets all the attention and money.
Oh, and I forgot the liberal hypocrisy on Africa. I'll bet Bono, Angelina and Madonna all travel to Africa on private jets and don't give even 1% of their fortunes to reliving the suffering there.
Results, not intentions are what matters.
You don't actually think
March 18, 2009 - 15:04 ET by balboaYou don't actually think there won't be sex without condoms, do you?
No
March 18, 2009 - 16:02 ET by BlueCat57No, but someone practicing abstience is unlikely to contract AIDs. The Pope's logic is correct, except that he has forgotten the sinful nature of man. But then again, we didn't hear or read his entire speech. Maybe he did acknowledge that sex would occur with or without condoms. If we always set the goal at unrestricted sex then that is what we'll get. The Pope is trying to set a higher standard. You usually get closer to the target if there is one.
The Pope has not forgotten
March 18, 2009 - 21:08 ET by lotrThe Pope has not forgotten anything. He made the statement that condoms will make the problem worse, and he is correct. The leftist pro-condom gospel, on the other hand, has conveniently "forgotten" something. Namely that the distribution of condoms begets wreckless behaviors that lead to HIV to begin with. Given the failure rate of condoms (say, 5-10%), the argument only need to be made that the promotion of condoms as "the solution to the world's problems" leads to people to assume a false sense of security ("hey, I'm protected"). Assuming that this could lead to an increase in risky activity > 5-10%, something that is highly intuitively plausible, the Pope, as usual, is spot-on.
And one by one dropped the revellers in the blood-bedewed halls of their revel, and died each in the despairing posture of his fall. -- Edgar Allan Poe
You're saying that without
March 18, 2009 - 21:14 ET by balboaYou're saying that without condoms there's no risky behavior, but with them risky behavior is above 5-10%?
They MAY increase risky behavior in SOME people.
She/he's saying that
March 19, 2009 - 03:08 ET by Indiana JoeShe/he's saying that without condoms' sense of security, true or false, there's likely less risky behavior.
Giving someone condoms does not ensure that they will use them.
The incidence of AIDS in Africa keeps going up, even with the increasing distribution of condoms.
These observations can lead to some valid conclusions, including that condoms may be causing more harm than good, overall. At the least, they're obviously not a panacea for the African AIDS problem. And the Pope has every right to follow his religion's doctrines in speaking to the issue. Just as people have every right to ignore him.
But not to suggest muzzling him, as someone named Erbe suggests on another board. Actually, IIRC, she calls for his "impeachment."
"Meet the new boss, same as the old boss..." - The Who
Bush - downplaying Condoms???
March 18, 2009 - 14:49 ET by Gary HallJust to set a bit of the record straight here. Verjee stated:
For the record, President Bush's PEPFAR program in Africa distributed over 2 billion condoms from 1994 - thru the end of his term. I hardly see that as downplaying the role.
(;~/ gary
That's a lot of sex.
March 18, 2009 - 14:58 ET by BlueCat57No wonder they have a population problem.
That's a lot of condoms!
March 18, 2009 - 16:37 ET by Indiana JoeHow could they have a population problem if they actually used all those condoms?
;^)
"Meet the new boss, same as the old boss..." - The Who
BlueCat57 -- I'd say, it's ...
March 18, 2009 - 16:37 ET by Gary HallI'd say, it's ... where the rubber hits the road. (;~. gary
Gary... ...ROFL!
March 18, 2009 - 16:52 ET by bigtimerGary...
...ROFL!
bt.. yea, I was LOL..
March 18, 2009 - 16:56 ET by Gary Hallbt.. yea, I was LOL.. when I typed it.
Too bad Clinton did not practice safe sex - politically speaking.
-well, it could have protected a blue dress...
I'm sorry, but I have to disagree...
March 18, 2009 - 16:19 ET by PrairieSkywith the Pope on this one...I am a Catholic, but I think it is extremely irresponsible for the Pope and the Church to be discouraging the use of condoms in Africa, where the AIDS and HIV rates are through the roof. Expecting people there to adhere to abstinence is not realistic. The vast majority of the population in Africa is uneducated and ignorant especially concerning issues relating to health, so expecting abstinence to work there as a means to curb the rise of AIDS and HIV is just ridiculous. Let's face it...abstinence hasn't exactly been widely embraced and/or practiced here in the US, either, where the population receives far more information and education about this issue than those in Africa do.
Do I think that responsibile behavior and morality should be strongly encouraged and taught? Absolutely. But whatever one's thoughts are on contraception, when it pertains to Africa, I think the use of condoms is not as much an issue of contraception as it is a public health issue.
"...peace is the highest aspiration of the American People. We will negotiate for it, sacrifice for it, we will never surrender for it, now or ever." President Ronald Reagan~ January 20, 1981
No offense, PrairieSky, but
March 18, 2009 - 16:44 ET by Indiana JoeNo offense, PrairieSky, but your "I'm Catholic, but..." comment reminds me of a Florence King story. When meeting folks who said, "We're Catholic, but we disagree with the Church on [fill in subject]," she'd respond:
"Congratulations, you're Protestant."
I've always liked that story. ;^)
"Meet the new boss, same as the old boss..." - The Who
Indiana...You're close...
March 18, 2009 - 17:54 ET by PrairieSkyI actually am a Catholic convert...I was raised Methodist. And as for your contention that I can't be Catholic because I don't embrace chapter and verse, line-by-line, every single word of every single doctrine of the Church, I think the vast majority of people, if they were being honest with themselves, would admit that they don't agree with all of their faith's doctrines. I don't agree with everything that the Republican party officially espouses...that doesn't mean that I don't consider myself a Republican.
I don't think any of us should ever blindly follow anyone or anything...when we do that, we surrender our ability to think for ourselves and our individuality. You may not agree with my viewpoint, and that's your right...It is, after all, a free country.
"...peace is the highest aspiration of the American People. We will negotiate for it, sacrifice for it, we will never surrender for it, now or ever." President Ronald Reagan~ January 20, 1981
Like I said, no offense, and it's not MY contention.
March 19, 2009 - 03:27 ET by Indiana JoeAs I also said, I think it's an amusing story. I'm a recently (5-6 years) unfallen Catholic, raised until about my teens when I dropped it (pretty common, I gather).
And I don't claim to be perfect, to follow chapter and verse, either. On the other hand, I don't believe the parts I don't follow are wrong, per se, or that I know better than the Pope. I just consider myself weak in those regards. When I have questions, I speak to my pastor, and follow his advice as best I can. He's actually pretty conservative and old-school, which is what I want. No "Catholic-lite" for me, thanks. But I've been surprised to find that actual Church teaching isn't nearly as rigid as the media portrays it.
In hindsight, I shouldn't have been surprised. Why should I trust the media's spin on Catholicism, when we know they're going to put it in the worst light possible?
Trust me, I'm not one of those who try to tell people how to practice their faith, even in my own parish. That's a personal choice. Hell, sometimes I'm not sure how to practice my own faith! I just do the best I can, I think that's all that's expected.
I just like the Florence King story, that's all. ;^)
"Meet the new boss, same as the old boss..." - The Who
Indiana...I understand what you're saying...
March 19, 2009 - 12:21 ET by PrairieSkyand I appreciate your point. I also agree whole-heartedly with this...
"Trust me, I'm not one of those who try to tell people how to practice their faith, even in my own parish. That's a personal choice. Hell, sometimes I'm not sure how to practice my own faith! I just do the best I can, I think that's all that's expected."
Very wise words, indeed, and perfectly stated...And you're right about the media's spin on just about any subject that involves the Catholic Church, or Christianity in general...It's open season on both of these, and I view with a jaundiced eye anything coming from the MSM about religion in general.
"...peace is the highest aspiration of the American People. We will negotiate for it, sacrifice for it, we will never surrender for it, now or ever." President Ronald Reagan~ January 20, 1981
I'm sorry, but I have to disagree also...
March 19, 2009 - 10:17 ET by lotrWith PrairieSky, that is, not the Pope. Like I mentioned above, condoms have a 5-10% failure rate. Therefore they simply cannot be the solution to the problem. But furthermore, as the Pope correctly suggests, they actually exacerbate the problem, for they instill a false sense of security when they are handed out with the promise of being anti-HIV (and pregnancy) "armor." The argument only need to be made that, statistically speaking, the distribution of condoms leads to an increase of risky behavior >5-10% (something highly plausible), where people who may have prudently abstained for fear of AIDS (something pretty scary and motivating) are now donning their condoms.
Of course, what I have just iterated is the practical secular argument supporting the Pope's wisdom. It also goes without saying that contraception in general is considered to be a sin, something that all Christian churches preached until the AD 1920s. The Pope cannot advocate condoms without falling into apostasy. God did not intend for the marital act to be sterilized ("Be fruitful and multiply" was the First Commandment).
And one by one dropped the revellers in the blood-bedewed halls of their revel, and died each in the despairing posture of his fall. -- Edgar Allan Poe
lotr...Please don't misconstrue my meaning...
March 19, 2009 - 12:50 ET by PrairieSkyin what I said about encouraging the use of condoms in Africa to help reduce the spread of HIV/AIDS...I am well aware of the failure rate of condoms and don't for one minute believe that they are the solution...Far from it. This problem is far too complex for there to be a single solution.
"The argument only need to be made that, statistically speaking, the distribution of condoms leads to an increase of risky behavior >5-10% (something highly plausible), where people who may have prudently abstained for fear of AIDS (something pretty scary and motivating) are now donning their condoms."
I'm not sure I agree with this view. I believe that abstinence education should wholeheartedly be used, but I also believe that even with that, people are going to have sex...And in the face of that reality, I believe that abstinence education and condoms should both be used as weapons against the AIDS epidemic that is decimating Africa. I think it is impractical to preach abstinence only in a place and culture such as Africa.
Of course the Pope, or any Catholic cleric for that matter, cannot espouse the use of any form of contraception...That is a central tenet of the Church's teaching, and as a Catholic, I am very aware of that fact...That said, in the case of Africa, I still believe that it is irresponsible for anyone to disavow the use of any weapon that can be of help in the prevention of AIDS.
"...peace is the highest aspiration of the American People. We will negotiate for it, sacrifice for it, we will never surrender for it, now or ever." President Ronald Reagan~ January 20, 1981
PraireSky, keep in mind this
March 19, 2009 - 14:00 ET by lotrWe must keep in mind here that nobody is preaching "abstinence only." That is a media misnomer. What is really being preached is "abstinence only outside of marriage." It is promiscuity (especially homosexual male), not natural marital relations, that leads to the spread of STDs such as HIV. Condoms may put a "damper" on the overall effects of promiscuity, but the problem is they lead to more promiscuity, which is the true source of the problem. HIV will not be stopped so long as there is promiscuity. Oh, and one other thing, in Catholic Africa they are very traditional, and they are very open to the undiluted Catholic dogmas. Problem is the mighty power of the secular new-liberal machine, both in terms of $$$ and mass media, has been seriously undermining this.
And one by one dropped the revellers in the blood-bedewed halls of their revel, and died each in the despairing posture of his fall. -- Edgar Allan Poe
lotr...I completely agree that...
March 19, 2009 - 20:38 ET by PrairieSkypromiscuity and a lack of morality are at the heart of the spread of HIV/AIDS. This is true in any country on any continent on the planet. That said, I'm not sure I agree with your contention that condom use will lead to more promiscuity...I'd have to see the statistics on that. I can see that there would be a mind-set among some that as long as a condom is used, then the "problem" of worrying about giving or getting HIV has been dealt with. This obviously is an erroneous contention. Condoms are not an STD/pregnancy prevention panacea. Ideally, abstinence would be practiced by all those outside of marriage, but I believe that is unrealistic...As I said in my last post, people are going to have sex.
A study came out today that said that the birth rate among American teen-agers went up again in 2007 for the second year in a row...Obviously these kids are not using condoms, even here in America, where sex ed, including abstinence only teaching, is everywhere. I'm 47, and I remember very well the sex ed that I received from the time that I was in elementary school through high school. We've been teaching sex ed all these years, and yet the teen pregnancy rate ( as well as STD's) is/are still a huge problem.
Let me give you an example of why I don't think counting on abstinence as the primary means of curbing the spread of AIDS is practical or likely to work. My daughter went to a Catholic school from elementary through high school. Obviously, as a part of the Catholic curriculum, the kids were taught Catholic theology and morality which obviously included abstinence before and outside of marriage. This is a small school and the average graduating class had/has approx. 60 students...While my daughter was in high school, we knew of 6 girls who became pregnant between her graduating class, and the classes the year right before hers and right after hers. That may not seem like a large number, but from a very small school, let alone a Catholic school, where these kids have this moral teaching drummed into them, it is alarming. I graduated from a public high school in 1979, and my school was huge in comparison to my daughter's school...There were 1500 kids in my school, and I had 535 kids in my graduating class, and I only knew of 2 girls that had babies at my school the whole time I was there. Granted this was 30 years ago, and morals have declined and promiscuity has risen since then, but I find the disparity between the two very disturbing.
Anyway...I still feel, until I'm convinced otherwise, that using condoms in conjunction with education about HIV/AIDS prevention along with teaching personal responsibility, morality, and abstinence, is (are) the best way(s) to try to combat the spread of AIDS in Africa.
"...peace is the highest aspiration of the American People. We will negotiate for it, sacrifice for it, we will never surrender for it, now or ever." President Ronald Reagan~ January 20, 1981
Admittedly, I don't have
March 19, 2009 - 21:12 ET by lotrAdmittedly, I don't have any hard statistics, only a strong intuition, base partially upon common sense and upon personal experience, that ready availability (and social acceptance) of contraception leads to increased frequency of sex outside of marriage (aka, promiscuity). I know from personal experience that as a teenager submerged in the Playboy culture I wanted to "do it" as badly anybody else. But I also knew that "doing it," even with a condom (which can be tricky to don correctly in the heat of the moment), could lead to an unwanted pregnacy. So, I abstained from intercourse (and lived to tell about it!). This would sound virtuous on my part, but for the fact that later on when I met a woman who was on "the Pill," well, guess what? So, I can cite from personal experience that contraception led to sex outside of marriage.
Regarding your examples, you really don't know exactly what happened in either case. In the case of your daughter, perhaps they were using condoms, but they failed (this includes "user failure"). Or perhaps they had used them previously, but then on one night they didn't have them, but were so accustomed to "doing it" that they said "oh what the heck?". In the case of your high school, perhaps they weren't having intercourse (but doing "everything else"). Or maybe they were getting abortions in secret (after all, abortions are all about "privacy," to the point where even parents might not know).
Bottom line is, condoms have a significant failure rate, and so promoting them as the answer is morally wrong. An analogy that I can think of would be cigarettes. Let's say there's a lung cancer pandemic. The government, rather than promoting "abstinence" (which they have no problem doing in the real world when it comes to cigarettes), promotes instead the "light" cigarettes, because people are going to smoke anyway.
And one by one dropped the revellers in the blood-bedewed halls of their revel, and died each in the despairing posture of his fall. -- Edgar Allan Poe
lotr...Obviously, there are no easy answers...
March 19, 2009 - 22:07 ET by PrairieSkyfor any of this... "Bottom line is, condoms have a significant failure rate, and so promoting them as the answer is morally wrong." I don't think that condom use is the answer here...Just another weapon to use for the prevention of the spread of HIV/AIDS. As I said, there are no easy answers.
At my daughter's school, she knew all the girls involved (as did I), and apparently at least 4 of the 6 girls said they did not use any form of contraception. Unfortunately, the Church's teaching on abstinence didn't stick, obviously. As I said, people are going to have sex...Even if they are immersed in moral teachings from the time that they are in elementary school...
At my school, I have no idea what the reasons were behind why those girls got pregnant...I didn't know either of them. And you're right...At that time, getting pregnant was still considered shameful (unlike today, unfortunately), so others in the same predicament may have had abortions secretly. Who knows?
Anyway, I guess we agree to disagree a bit on this issue...But I think we do agree that what is absolutely needed is an increase in personal morality and responsibility. With a return of both of those, the level of promiscuity that fuels the spread of HIV/AIDS would certainly drop. I am, however, not hopeful that we will see this happen in the near future, if ever.
"...peace is the highest aspiration of the American People. We will negotiate for it, sacrifice for it, we will never surrender for it, now or ever." President Ronald Reagan~ January 20, 1981
Anyway, I guess we agree
March 20, 2009 - 12:18 ET by lotrAnyway, I guess we agree to disagree a bit on this issue...But I think we do agree that what is absolutely needed is an increase in personal morality and responsibility. With a return of both of those, the level of promiscuity that fuels the spread of HIV/AIDS would certainly drop.
Agreed. And BTW, I do understand where you are coming from, as well as the practical argument behind condoms. I just totally understand and defend the Catholic teaching (echoed by this Pope) on the matter. Christianity presents an ideal of the heights to which the human person ought to aspire to. Ideally, if there were no promiscuity, there would've never been any HIV/AIDS; and even now, if people started obeying God's Law, HIV would be contained and eventually eradicated. That's the fact that the Pope witnesses to, even if the outlook for such an outcome looks bleak to us now.
And one by one dropped the revellers in the blood-bedewed halls of their revel, and died each in the despairing posture of his fall. -- Edgar Allan Poe
This is from a Reuters
March 18, 2009 - 16:18 ET by EugeniaPrairieSky, this is from a Reuters article TODAY on the Drudge Report regarding Washington, D.C.:
"Hader said the city is stepping up its efforts. The city said it raised the
number of people in its AIDS drug assistance program by 50 percent from 2007 to
2008, while the number of young people getting HIV tests doubled in the same
period.
The city said it is one of two in the nation with a major condom distribution
program, distributing 1.5 million in 2008."
Hello, people. Irresponsible people are supposed to suddenly use condoms "consistently and correctly"?? How stupid are the left and condom radicals. Obviously throwing condoms to people DOES NOT reduce AIDS as the stats in the Reuters article shows. Responsible behavior does. The Pope is right and CNN as usual are dopey idiotic reactionaries.
Eugenia...I agree and concede that...
March 18, 2009 - 16:39 ET by PrairieSkythat getting people in Africa to become more responsible in their sexual behavior is a lot to ask. We have enough of a problem with that here in the US...But given the out of control spread of HIV/AIDS there, I think every available weapon must be used to try to stop its spread.
"...peace is the highest aspiration of the American People. We will negotiate for it, sacrifice for it, we will never surrender for it, now or ever." President Ronald Reagan~ January 20, 1981
I've heard that
March 18, 2009 - 16:57 ET by Indiana JoeI've heard that the diagnosis of AIDS is handled a bit differently in Africa than in more developed areas. Here, for instance, we do blood tests for the HIV virus. Those tests take time, and are costly.
In Africa, I distinctly remember hearing, instead of going through all that, they have a list of "secondary" diseases. If you show symptoms of one of those conditions, you are diagnosed with AIDS. This approach actually makes some sense when dealing with a large, widely-spread, and unsophisticated society. Imagine trying to take, sort, test, and keep straight so many samples from such large areas.
But this is obviously not a perfect method. So, it's possible that the numbers are inflated by this method. And let's face it, the more cases of AIDS that can be claimed, the more financial aid will come to that area.
Sorry I don't have a source, or a link, or anything but my fuzzy memory, but I'm positive I heard this in some form of media years ago. I mean, it was reported, not just word-of-mouth.
Not to downplay the seriousness of AIDS, in Africa or anywhere else, but it is food for thought.
"Meet the new boss, same as the old boss..." - The Who
You're absolutely right,
March 18, 2009 - 17:13 ET by EugeniaYou're absolutely right, Indiana Joe. Your point about inflated AIDS/HIV rates in Africa is documented in "The Politically Incorrect Guide to Science" by Tom Bethell. Of course it's ALWAYS about ways to get funding and we're ALWAYS so glad to throw money anyone's way.
Thanks, Eugenia
March 18, 2009 - 17:24 ET by Indiana JoeI knew I heard it, and expected someone to ask for documentation. I think you just added a book to my Amazon wish-list.
;^)
"Meet the new boss, same as the old boss..." - The Who
But the Pope IS right.
March 18, 2009 - 23:54 ET by someloudthunderCondoms wont solve this problem. Neither will abstinence.
Education ABOUT HIV, how it is spread, how to prevent it and the dangers + condoms, + abstinence will help. One or the other is never the answer.
When used, abstinence is
March 19, 2009 - 00:00 ET by wyogatorWhen used, abstinence is 100% effective in preventing sexually-transmitted diseases and pregnancy!!
Learn about my daughter's Ugandan home for orphans with AIDS at
www.africaourownhome.org
~Sooooooooo
March 19, 2009 - 16:01 ET by choselife3xcondoms + abstinence 'helps'.
Question: Why would you need a condom when abstaining? And remind us how sexually transmitted diseases are spread.
That high-pitched scream you hear is the troll under my heel.
Question: Why would you
March 19, 2009 - 16:05 ET by sherylsimsQuestion: Why would you need a condom when abstaining?
Answer: ALL the really cool guys wear them. It is a fashion statement.
~I heard there are some
March 19, 2009 - 16:08 ET by choselife3xThat glow in the dark. Perhaps they could be used as signal device for people lost in the wilderness.
That high-pitched scream you hear is the troll under my heel.
I packed several boxes of
March 19, 2009 - 16:09 ET by sherylsimsI packed several boxes of those into our survival kits.
Excellent
March 19, 2009 - 16:16 ET by BlondeThey can be very useful for a number of thing (non-sex related)....keeping things dry, etc.
I hope he fails, too.
ROFL!! "Keeping things
March 19, 2009 - 16:25 ET by sherylsimsROFL!!
"Keeping things dry..." LOL! I can't even remember what I was going to say here. TOTALLY cracking up!
~Let me guess
March 19, 2009 - 16:19 ET by choselife3xThey're packed right next to the fire-fuel/toilet paper...aka 'The Audacity of Hope' .
That high-pitched scream you hear is the troll under my heel.
Whatever behavior you promote...
March 18, 2009 - 23:57 ET by wyogatorWhatever behavior you promote, you will get more of. Distributing condoms promotes indiscriminate sexual activity which is, by far, the leading cause of AIDS.
My daughter's AIDS orphanage (see link in my signature) is located in the Busoga district of Uganda and has the highest AIDS infection rate in Uganda. She says you can walk the streets of Jinja in the morning and see condoms scattered all over the roads from the activities of the previous evening. This hyper-sexualized culture leads to sexual activity even among some of the younger children...10, 11, 12 years old. Though most of these children contracted AIDS during childbirth, a few were sexually abused. Most of them are orphaned because both of their parents died of AIDS.
In the home, they are teaching abstinence and, for some of these young ones who have already been sexually active, a new start.
All of these children have been actually tested for HIV/AIDS and the tests are commonly used in the region. I have no doubt that some areas don't test and are identifying AIDS by the proxy method....associated diseases.
Most of the children who arrive in the home are fighting one or more illnesses due to their compromised immune systems. The worst was Jackson who had TB, candiasis, malnutrition, skin sores and pnemonia and his AIDS had advanced to stage 4. This 11-year-old boy weighed only 44 lbs. Holly was up with him for several nights running because they couldn't stop his pain. With proper medical care, food and love, he began to make progress. In barely a month he gained 14 pounds and he is now a "right chubby little elf" in Holly's words.
These children are a reminder that promiscuous sexual activity has consequences, and victims, far beyond the couple that engages.
Learn about my daughter's Ugandan home for orphans with AIDS at
www.africaourownhome.org
Wyogator
March 19, 2009 - 00:03 ET by RESTLESS 1Kudos to your daughter for doing the Lord's work. She is much stronger than I to see that suffering every day and keep a positive outlook.
"This
liberal would be all about socialize -- uh, uh, would be about
basically taking over and the government running all of your companies."-Maxine Waters 2008
Wyo
March 19, 2009 - 00:04 ET by BlondeI checked out your daughter's website the first time you posted here....she is doing wonderful work.
Keep on posting....and my best regards to your daughter.
I hope he fails, too.
the church would argue
March 19, 2009 - 14:51 ET by Dan The Man 2the church would argue it’s a morality issue
And it is, it is an issue of Sin and its consequences. We can try to save another from their sin or we can afetr much trial let them suffer the consequences of their sin. There will most likely be others who suffer becuase of their parents sin or anothers sin. But, we must remember God always let the consequences of sin run its course.
So perhaps we should let the consequences of sin run its course in this instance, even as much as it pains us or others. How much effort did Lot go to to save two cities from their sin? And the eventual outcome was they did not want to be saved. I believe Africa is this way, those who want to be rescued will be and those who do not will.
But, it all hinges on the fact one has to be willing to want to be saved. This is the way God works as He waits for one to ask. Should we not do the same? We should go afetr their eternal souls and not worry too much about their physcal bodies.
In reading some of teh Catholic responders I think they have forgotten this principle.
Nuke em til they glow then shoot em in the dark.
Love it when I'm right
March 19, 2009 - 15:49 ET by BlueCat57but don't know why. Then I find someone who explains it.
Score One for the Pope from Pajamas Media
http://pajamasmedia.com/andrewklavan/2009/03/18/score-one-for-the-pope/
I knew the MSM had taken the Pope out of context just didn't know how. Simple logic told me I was right, but this explains how.