Posted on 11/29/2005 1:23:50 PM PST by NYer
The Vatican decried a culture of sex that is fueling the AIDS crisis and said Tuesday that keeping sexual activity exclusive to marriage was the best way to prevent the virus from spreading.
The Vatican's Pontifical Council for Health Pastoral Care issued a message for World AIDS Day, which is marked every Dec. 1.
In it, the Vatican said sexual transmission remains the most important pathway of infection — even more than by mother to child and blood transfusions.
"This is greatly fostered by a kind of pansexual culture that devalues sexuality, reducing it to mere pleasure without any further meaning," it said.
"Radical prevention in this field must come from a correct conception and practice of sexuality, where sexual activity is understood in its deep meaning as a total and absolute expression of the fecund giving of love."
It said that is found in keeping sex exclusive to marriage and in intensifying the strength of the family.
The Vatican's opposition to condoms has been criticized by those who advocate their use as a way to help combat the spread of the HIV virus. However, several prelates have suggested that using condoms that could prevent a death may be the lesser evil.
Last week organizers of the annual Christmas concert at the Vatican said a Brazilian singer who promoted condom use in an anti-AIDS campaign had been dropped from the lineup. Officials said Daniela Mercury's appearance was canceled for fear that she would publicly promote condom use while at the Vatican.
How many billions have we spent proving that one simple sentence true now?
Just my IMO, but it seems that condoms fail more often than simple chastity (according to one's state in life, of course).
Many will think it quaint, but it is so refreshing to hear someone in this day and age stating that sex should be reserved for the marital state. This has always and everywhere been Christian moral doctrine.
This type of revolutionary thinking will not win friends among the "progressives" of the world. But then again maybe it's just the "progressives" way of culling their herd.
I know liberals who really beliefve this stuff. They think conservatives and Catholics are "hung up on sex," "just want everyone to not have sex because they aren't getting any," and want to "punish" women who find contraceptives inconvenient and thus find themselves pregnant, and punish homosexuals by not finding a cure for AIDS.
You are more correct than you may think. So-called "progressives" see life as a zero sum game and apply Malthusian theory in every area. Helping people kill themselves through STDs is just one of their tricks.
THat's a problem. Sin is sin so why would the church choose one evil over another?
Not to mention the fact that some in the "gay" community see it as a badge of honor to get AIDS and actively seek it. As a side note-- it really irritates me that the word "gay" as been co-opted by the homosexual crowd. There is nothing gay about their lifestyle.
However, according to their playbook, there indeed is a facet of human sexuality that is deemed unhealthy: any self-chosen suppression of a desire.
later read/pingout.
Viva il Papa!
Why do liberals think the answer to poverty must be to birth control and abort the children? They say so there aren't so many mouths to feed, but don't most cultures need a lot of hands to grow the food so there is enough to eat? Isn't that the same zero sum thinking that rejects tax cutting to grow the economy?
Excellent statement.
It would be nice if they would mention that Africa and Asia need some decent medical care, too ... starting with clean needles for vaccinations and I.V.'s. It's a terrible scandal that they're overwhelmed with condoms and birth control pills, but can't get antibiotics, vitamins, and Pedialyte.
Long arm of the law? :-)
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