HIV/Aids: Catholic Church in Condom Palaver

The Catholic Church has been accused of warning people in African, Asian and other countries with high rates of HIV infection that condoms do not protect against the transmission of the virus, the claims come just a day after a report revealed that a young person is now infected with HIV every 14 seconds.

According to BBC report, "cardinals, bishops, priests and nuns in four continents of the church have been quoted as saying HIV can pass through tiny holes in condoms but latest warnings were made in a Panorama programme called 'Sex and the Holy City' by one of the Vatican's most senior cardinals Alfonso Lopez Trujillo who allegedly suggests that the AIDS virus is roughly 450 times smaller than the spermatozoon and could pass through net formed by the condom.

Trujillo, President of the Vatican's Pontifical Council for the Family, called on governments to urge people not to use condoms.

His words "These margins of uncertainty, should represent an obligation on the part of the health ministries and all these campaigns to act in the same way as they do, with regard to cigarettes, which they state to be a danger."

In swift reaction to this claim, the World Health Organization (WHO) has condemned the comments and warned the Vatican to desist from putting lives at risk with such utterances.

A spokeswoman to WHO was quoted as saying that" Statements like this are quite dangerous"We are facing a global pandemic which has already killed more than 20 million people and currently affects around 42 million. "There is so much evidence to show that condoms don't let sexually transmitted infections like HIV through. "Anyone who says otherwise is just wrong."

Also reacting, Catherine Hankins, Chief Scientific Advisor to UNAIDS,, argued that the statements by Catholic Church are totally incorrect saying that Latex condoms are impermeable. She added that latex condoms are not only good but can perfectly prevent HIV transmission from one person to another during sex.

According to her, " "It is very unfortunate to have this type of misinformation being broadcast, "It is a concern. From a technical point of view, the statements are totally incorrect. "Latex condoms are impermeable. They do prevent HIV transmission."

Meanwhile, several anti - AIDS campaigns have also condemned the call by the Vatican arguing that condoms are straightforward and effective way of preventing HIV transmission and to suggest otherwise is dangerous.

However, the claim by the Catholic Church is already having effect on the condom distribution activities of some anti HIV/AIDS programmes.

Efforts to get a reaction from Catholic Secretariat in Lagos were unsuccessful as at press time.

Personally, I feel that to use "birth control" is to treat one's wife like a harlot in that it attempts to negate the procreative aspect of intercourse. It becomes merely an act of mutual gratification which is, of course, very little different than similar acts performed in brothels and by homosexuals.

*Snort.*

OK, you did a good job of talking the talk. But the truth is that the Catholic Church explicitly allows you to negate the procreative aspects of intercourse by using NFP (natural family planning, rhythm method, Billings method).

The Catholic Church won't prohibit you from having sex with your wife while she's menstruating, although this is a violation of Mosaic law.

You can have sex with your wife despite the fact that she had a hysterectomy due to cancer. You can have sex with your wife despite the fact that you are sterile due to having mumps. You can have sex with your wife when she's pregnant. You can have sex with your wife despite the fact that she is breast-feeding and therefore not ovulating. You can have sex with your wife despite the fact that she's gone through menopause and therefore is no longer ovulating.

In other words, according to the Catholic Church, you can have sex with your wife even though it's impossible for her to conceive, thus, zero possibility of procreation.

This is sophistry.

If you were honestly, truly, only willing to have sex with your wife when the possibility of procreation was there, you'd abstain during non-fertile times. If you don't abstain when she's not fertile, your little speech about harlots and brothels is a lie. Period, end of message.

*Snort.*

The Catholic Church won't prohibit you from having sex with your wife while she's menstruating, although this is a violation of Mosaic law.

In other words, according to the Catholic Church, you can have sex with your wife even though it's impossible for her to conceive, thus, zero possibility of procreation.

This is sophistry.

If you were honestly, truly, only willing to have sex with your wife when the possibility of procreation was there, you'd abstain during non-fertile times.

That you can't see the difference between intercourse while pregnant and intercourse using a condom or the pill says more about you than about the Church teaching you reject. All the other situations you mention do not involve a willful desire by the participants to defeat the procreative aspects of intercourse.

If you don't abstain when she's not fertile, your little speech about harlots and brothels is a lie. Period, end of message.

Nope. It holds up perfectly. Prostitutes and their customers attempt to willfully eliminate the procreative aspects of intercourse. What is one to say about married couples that emmulate such behavior?

I see from your profile that you are married, and that your wife is expecting your second child, so naturally you would find it offensive for me to bring up sex with a pregnant woman. Nevertheless, it is a fact beyond peradventure that a pregnant woman cannot conceive whilst pregnant.

If the obligation is to have sex only when procreation is possible, then you are not fulfilling that duty.

The Catholic Church does not eschew the use of science in any other realm of existence, be it disease, medicine, agriculture, whatever. God gave us intellect and the ability to solve problems. No other church prohibits birth control, not even the Jews and the Orthodox Catholics. I predict that the prohibition against contraception will be withdrawn in the future.

I will concede that you have a superior understanding of prostitutes. I have no idea how sex with prostitutes differs from sex with any other woman.

I see from your profile that you are married, and that your wife is expecting your second child, so naturally you would find it offensive for me to bring up sex with a pregnant woman.

I don't find this offensive. I find it idiotic and completely without logic. What I find offensive is when you call the doctrines of the Church "sophistry" while claiming to be a Catholic. You will be happy to know that my wife has since delivered a beautiful baby girl.

Nevertheless, it is a fact beyond peradventure that a pregnant woman cannot conceive whilst pregnant.

Still can't seem to get beyond the "willful intent" issue, can you?

If the obligation is to have sex only when procreation is possible, then you are not fulfilling that duty.

But that's not what the Church teaches, now is it? A little intellectual honesty please!

No other church prohibits birth control, not even the Jews and the Orthodox.

Those sects aren't any more correct now than the last time you said this 100-odd posts ago.

I predict that the prohibition against contraception will be withdrawn in the future.

Somehow, I suspect you're lacking in the prophesy department.

I will concede that you have a superior understanding of prostitutes. I have no idea how sex with prostitutes differs from sex with any other woman.

I'm not sure how to read this except as a cheap shot, though awkwardly taken. Not terribly Christian of you.

Congratulations on your second child!

I gather that you are still a young man. When you are my age (51) perhaps we'll revisit this conversation.

Because you are keeping up with my statements, no doubt you recall that I am taking cancer chemotherapy medication (methotrexate) which causes serious birth defects, weekly, for rheumatoid arthritis. So, I will glady meet my maker, confident that He did not wish for me to conceive a deformed child if it were at all possible to avoid.

Similarly, I am sure that He would not want Africans to contract HIV if they could avoid it.

Your opinion differs, and there's an end to it.

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