Tuesday, October 23, 2007 | Reason : Political | print version

Catholic condom ban helping AIDS spread in Latam: U.N.

by Reuters

Thanks to Alex for the link.

Reposted from:
http://news.yahoo.com/s/nm/20071023/hl_nm/honduras_aids_dc

TEGUCIGALPA (Reuters) - The rapid spread in Latin America of the virus that causes AIDS is made worse by the Roman Catholic Church's stand against using condoms, a U.N. official said on Monday.

Some 1.7 million people across Latin America are infected with the HIV virus or full-blown AIDS, and the epidemic is spreading swiftly with up to 410,000 new cases in 2006, up from as many as 320,000 new cases in 2004, according the UN AIDS program, UNAIDS.

"In Latin America the use of condoms has been demonized, but if they were used in every relation I guarantee the epidemic would be resolved in the region," said Alberto Stella, the UNAIDS Coordinator for Honduras, Nicaragua and Costa Rica.

The Catholic Church, which holds sway in Latin America despite the rise in evangelical churches, opposes all forms of contraception and instead promotes abstinence as a way to avoid spreading AIDS.

"The fact young people start to be sexually active between 15 and 19 without sex education contributes to the spreading of the virus, as well as the fact that the evidence shows abstinence is not working," Stella told Reuters.

Latin America is home to nearly half the world's 1.1 billion Catholics, but the Church's position on premarital sex and contraception often clashes with modern values. Brazil, the region's largest Catholic nation, regularly distributes free condoms to try and bring down HIV infection rates.

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1. Comment #80891 by BathTub on October 23, 2007 at 11:42 am

"Shouldn't we use a condom?'
'No! That would be sinful!'
'But isn't this affair a sin?'
'Ummm, I missed that sermon."

An unfortunate example of people 'cherry' picking what they want from religion?

Other Comments by BathTub

2. Comment #80894 by Matt7895 on October 23, 2007 at 11:48 am

I know a Catholic and he says the Pope should change his stance on condoms. Obviously my friend isn't a very good Catholic.

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3. Comment #80899 by Bertybob on October 23, 2007 at 12:01 pm

It's too sad and pathetic to contemplate. If I do contemplate it, it winds me up something chronic.

Religion killing another 500,000 or so a year in Latin America and many more in Africa.

Other Comments by Bertybob

4. Comment #80900 by Diacanu on October 23, 2007 at 12:10 pm

As Hitchens would say, this is exactly what you should expect when you have a bunch of grotesque old virgins telling others what to do with their sex lives.

Other Comments by Diacanu

5. Comment #80911 by Barbara on October 23, 2007 at 1:18 pm

The Roman Catholic Church has its priorities all screwed up. Which of these is really most important to them? The avoidance of premarital sex or the avoidance of unnecessary death and disease?

If half of the worlds Catholics are in Latin America, and they are not abstaining or using protection, won't their numbers eventually dwindle?

While I like the idea of fewer religious people in the world, I'd prefer they just come to their senses and live good lives.

Other Comments by Barbara

6. Comment #80921 by BAEOZ on October 23, 2007 at 2:01 pm

More medieval cult of misery logic! Sex is against sky fairies rules! Use of condoms to avoid aids means licensing sex outside marriage! Sex should be between married couple, who will raise their hundred kiddies catholic! If the Cardinals and ecclesiastics can't have sex*, they are gonna make sure the believers have a warped sex life......

*Except with an altar boy.

Other Comments by BAEOZ

7. Comment #80923 by Ivan The Not So Bad on October 23, 2007 at 2:06 pm

Four years ago the RC Church spread the outrageous barefaced evidence free lie that condoms have holes in them that allow the HIV virus to pass through.

A few weeks back, one of their archbishops in Africa actually attempted to top this by claiming that condoms exported by European manufacturers had been deliberately infected with HIV in order to wipe out Africans.

Clearly, they will stop at nothing and are prepared to see countless thousands die in a peverse attempt to try and make people follow their take on morality.

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8. Comment #80944 by Shadow Boxer on October 23, 2007 at 3:29 pm

If half of the worlds Catholics are in Latin America, and they are not abstaining or using protection, won't their numbers eventually dwindle?

Interesting... maybe then, AIDS is NOT God's punishment for homosexuality (as so many of the nice preacher types have claimed in the past). Maybe he's just trying to get rid of all the Catholics... :-)

a bunch of grotesque old virgins

Does anybody actually believe these guys are virgins. There's no way anyone can check. After all, power corrupts, and absolute power....

Cardinal: "Come on baby, no-one will know. But if you tell anyone, you're going to hell!"

:-)

Other Comments by Shadow Boxer

9. Comment #80947 by kaiserkriss on October 23, 2007 at 3:44 pm

I wish the UN or some other international organization would bring the Roman Catholic Church up on charges of promoting racism, complicity to homicide and knowingly spreading of misinformation with regards to the whole condom and HIV issue.

At the very least, the negative publicity and costs associated with defending themselves should hopefully shut them up from spreading this clap trap forever. jcw

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10. Comment #80950 by Kristian Z on October 23, 2007 at 4:29 pm

"I know a Catholic and he says the Pope should change his stance on condoms."

Eh? Doesn't he know that the Poop is infallible? Whatever the Poop says about condoms, the universe or rock music, is absolute and undeniable truth.

Other Comments by Kristian Z

11. Comment #80951 by BAEOZ on October 23, 2007 at 4:33 pm

Kristian Z:

Doesn't he know that the Poop is infallible? Whatever the Poop says about condoms, the universe or rock music, is absolute and undeniable truth.

I'm probably wrong about this but, the pope can say anything as guidance for catholics to use but not be bound by. It's only when he speaks "ex cathedra" (from the poppy chair) that all catholics have to accept it as infallible work of god. I think that's the deal with a silly old fart in Rome ruling a billion odd lives.....

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12. Comment #80954 by Jack Rawlinson on October 23, 2007 at 4:51 pm

In other news... banging your head repeatedly against a wall hurts. Pictures at 11.

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13. Comment #80957 by AppliedMootist on October 23, 2007 at 4:57 pm

Advancing straw man arguments make you appear as ridiculous as the Pope. Attack the core of their faulty reasoning such as that the church is pursuing a systemic solution to Aids and that condom use is a band-aid, stop-gap measure which exacerbates rather than address root causes.

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14. Comment #80962 by Crazymalc on October 23, 2007 at 5:34 pm

Putting a rubber sheath on is so much worse than keeping a superman in the sky happy.

I saw a lot of this sort of shit while I was volutneering in Africa. Not all from the Catholic church either.

USAIDS - a U.S. funded agency - goes for the abstience approach, mostly due to the religious right in America leaning on George W.

Such a waste of life.

And then of course there are idiots like this guy:

http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/africa/7014335.stm

Other Comments by Crazymalc

15. Comment #80963 by Goldy on October 23, 2007 at 5:37 pm

"root causes"....snigger, chortle! He said "root", heheheheheh! Aaah, gotta love the English language!
And yes, I agree - celibacy is the key! Just say no - that'll work a treat in a patriarchal society! Men are totally in control of their urges! Look at the men of the cloth for guidance! We CAN counter millions of years of evolution, we CAN control people in thought and deed! Turn to Jesus for salvation!
If I may, Christ, some people talk the most absolute bollocks.

Other Comments by Goldy

16. Comment #80966 by artemisa on October 23, 2007 at 5:58 pm

In the early 60's living in Cuba as a teenager buying a condo at the pharmacy was a sign of pride and sophistication. I always assumed it's pretty much the same in other latin countries. Also while Cuba was then a catholic country most of the people were not the church going type, at least the people I knew.

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17. Comment #80967 by Veronique on October 23, 2007 at 6:13 pm

14. Comment #80962 by Crazymalc

Not the same as your experience, but did you realise that overseas Aid money from both the US and Australia (the only two countries to my knowledge) bears the caveat that no Aid money is to be used on contraception, abortion clinics or female reproductive health education?

Isn't that appalling? I am sure that some agencies have developed strategies to get around this stricture, but the fact that the money is given with the rider is dreadful.

BTW, I loathe the Roman Catholic Church edicts and there isn't a word to describe my feelings about the Pope.

Cheers
V

Other Comments by Veronique

18. Comment #80969 by Veronique on October 23, 2007 at 6:27 pm

Crazymalc

This is the letter I sent to our Minister for Training, Science & Technology, when I became aware of the caveat on aid moneys.

I have only just been made aware of the 'abortion' caveat on AusAID overseas. That there is a ban on the use of government aid to educate women in developing countries on the management of their reproductive health issues, including abortions is so hypocritical as to leave me breathless.

I understand the original inclusion of the ban was instigated by Brian Harradine. Well, I ask you, is there a greater misogynist in Parliament? That is possibly better left unanswered.

It matters not what your or my religious belief may be. There is absolutely no excuse for foisting any of its dogma on anyone else.

I urge you to support the lifting of this ban on AusAID delivery. Australia and America are the only two countries to have adopted this type of ban on overseas aid. This ban comes from a dark-age mentality and/or a religious dogma that no longer has any place in the 21st century that has a burgeoning global population that is overseeing the reduction in resources available for that population. Poverty is on the increase, even in our country. In America, the percentage of its citizens living below the poverty line is the highest among first world countries.

By withholding access to methods that are congruent with best health practices, the Australian government is, in effect, implicitly condoning the illegal abortion practices in those countries that lead to the death of women. For they will seek abortions from clandestine abortionists regardless. Thousands die because there is no access to safe abortions. Australia finds this acceptable? What arrant hubris!

One can think of many reasons why women opt for abortion.

* The ban on condom use that sees many poverty-ridden families saddled with children, a large number of whom don't survive childhood.

* The lack of female reproductive health education that leaves women unable to prevent pregnancies.

* Poor and often unsafe medical care that leads to an upsurge in disease (including, but not limited to HIV/AIDS) that then makes pregnancy unsafe.

* Economically impoverished people for whom another child is just out of the question.

That a first world country like Australia, that is also presumed to be secular, should dictate to a third world country that desperately needs our aid, how that aid is not to be used is an arrogance that I find appalling.

In sorrow and outrage,
Veronica Guy

Never got a reply except an automated response.
Pathetic
V

Other Comments by Veronique

19. Comment #80979 by NAIANF87 on October 23, 2007 at 7:31 pm

fucking retarded. i had an argument the other day about this with my staunch catholic grandmother. a wonderful lady, but its amazing what people will come to see as moral, especially when it is something causing the deaths of countless people who enjoy fucking but not hell.

Other Comments by NAIANF87

20. Comment #80986 by Shadow Boxer on October 23, 2007 at 8:29 pm

18. Comment #80969 by Veronique:

Is your information up-to-date? I did a little research (not much, admittedly) including a visit to the AusAid website http://www.ausaid.gov.au and while I didn't find any reference to what you were referring to, I did find this document http://www.ausaid.gov.au/publications/pdf/aids_strategy.pdf on Australia's AIDS strategy, which explicity promotes condom use as "the only proven and effective means of preventing sexual transmission of HIV." (Section 6.4, pg 16)

Maybe they've updated their policy recently.

But if I'm wrong (which is not unheard of), believe me, I am as outraged as you at this stupidity by our government.

Other Comments by Shadow Boxer

21. Comment #80987 by MIND_REBEL on October 23, 2007 at 8:38 pm

Logic is to religion as water is to flame.

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22. Comment #81017 by Veronique on October 23, 2007 at 10:49 pm

20. Comment #80986 by Shadow Boxer

Good!! My response to Bishop was because of a Greens' media alert - yes, it was months and months ago. Did you find out whether AUSAID moneys are able to be used to promote female reproductive health and abortion clinics?

I think the caveat on abortion clinics and education were the biggies in this.

But if I'm wrong (which is not unheard of), believe me, I am as outraged as you at this stupidity by our government.

Ha! I get things wrong as well. It isn't hard with the increasing secrecy that permeates our government:-)

Cheers
V

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23. Comment #81019 by Veronique on October 23, 2007 at 10:56 pm

Hey REBEL

Do you recall saying this on this site:

Religion is like the keeper of irrational values that prevents humankind from culturally evolving to the next level

I hope you do, because I printed it on my religi-board (Yorker's term) which is a blackboard outside my house on which I post quotes designed to make people think.

This is the first time I have had the opportunity to thank you:-) I always attribute quotes, so you are up there as well.

Cheers
V

Other Comments by Veronique

24. Comment #81022 by Shadow Boxer on October 23, 2007 at 11:03 pm

22. Comment #81017 by Veronique

I didn't look too deeply into it. I'm at work at the moment, so I've got work stuff to do... :-)

I was also thinking, you probably should have addressed your letter to Downer - AusAid falls under the purview of the foreign minister, not the education minister. Not that that would have helped much - he's an even bigger idiot than she is.

Other Comments by Shadow Boxer

25. Comment #81085 by detox on October 24, 2007 at 3:24 am

Repost:
I used to live in Teguc years ago. Lovely people, lovely place but depressing as you like. Given the pisspoor standard of living of the majority of the population it isn't surprising that they spent their time looking for a way out.

For the politicians they looked to the north and were rewarded with (among others) USAid, a front as far as I could see, for Virginia farmboys to keep an eye on their back door while doing bugger all of any pratical use.

For the people they looked to the church to deliver them from the misery of their daily lives. It isn't hard to imagine why a dirt poor slum-dweller would want to go somewhere where they told you that however miserable you are in this life at least in the next you will be in paradise.

The catholic church's obsession with the 'every sperm is sacred' line is just a way of subjugating the poorest and least well educated - in fact, the subjugated.

I forget while I'm perusing the arguments against religion on these pages how easy it is for me to reject god and carry on my normal life. For someone scavenging on a rubbish dump for their food, clothes and shelter I'm not sure if even Hitch or RD could persuade them that they are deluding themselves in believing in the 'world to come'. For them, the delusion is bliss.

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26. Comment #81117 by adamhaar on October 24, 2007 at 6:56 am

Re: 1. Comment #80891 by BathTub
I think you've hit the nail on the head. The pope could ban whatever he likes and it won't stop people doing what they like; people will just use the papal ban on condoms as an excuse to pressure other people, conveniently ignoring the papal ban on pre- and extra-marital sex. Agree with the stance or not, if there was no sex outside of marriage, the sexual transmission of HIV would be much reduced. (OTOH, if condoms were always used in such situations the transmission of HIV would be much reduced, and probably the abortion rate, too.) As much as it annoys me to say, I think that in this case the hypocrites are the people more than the pope. I suggest that people are digging holes for themselves and then blaming the pope.

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27. Comment #81120 by coolwainy on October 24, 2007 at 7:16 am

Yes but if people actually waited until they are married to have sex (as the Bible says), then they wouldn't contract AIDS in the first place!!

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28. Comment #81161 by pragmathiest on October 24, 2007 at 9:54 am

Consider the evolutionary irony that AIDS may selectively eradicate, in Latin America at least, those humans that deny evolution and abide by the Church doctrine and eschew condoms.

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29. Comment #81171 by notsobad on October 24, 2007 at 10:26 am

Isn't this the survival of the fittest?

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30. Comment #81432 by Crazymalc on October 24, 2007 at 5:56 pm

Comment #80967 by Veronique

Not the same as your experience, but did you realise that overseas Aid money from both the US and Australia (the only two countries to my knowledge) bears the caveat that no Aid money is to be used on contraception, abortion clinics or female reproductive health education?

Yup. A lot of pissed off HIV/AID workers in Africa over this. As if the epidemic wasn't already hard enough...

A good letter too.

Religion does poison everything

Other Comments by Crazymalc