Free Republic
Browse · Search
News/Activism
Topics · Post Article

Skip to comments.

PBS's Erbe: Pope Benedict 'Horrifically Ignorant'
NewsBusters ^ | March 18, 2009 | Ken Shepherd

Posted on 03/19/2009 3:15:50 AM PDT by Zakeet

Hell hath no fury like a feminist writer directing a hissy fit at the pope.

Bonnie Erbe -- the US News & World Report contributing editor and PBS "To the Contrary" host who argued that Bristol Palin is more "mature" than her abstinence education-advocating mother -- finds the pope "horrifically ignorant" when it comes to HIV/AIDS.

What exactly did the pontiff say that set Erbe off? Try, "AIDS cannot be overcome by the distribution of condoms," hardly a controversial, implausible statement, but one that, to Erbe, showed the pope has "no sympathy" for women in Africa.

Yet in the midst of her sermon, Erbe showed it was she herself who was woefully misinformed:

The Pope is correct in saying that AIDS cannot be eradicated by condom use alone. Clearly, when young women are raped or otherwise forced into sex against their will, the men abusing them will not commit to use condoms.

But instead of offering these women useless verbiage, the Pope could have offered the vast resources of the Church to distribute anti-viral foam to young married women in AIDS-infested areas. Foam is the only form of AIDS prevention that young wives completely control and can use without their husbands' permission.

Distributing anti-viral foam to young married women would help prevent the spread of AIDS while still creating the babies the Church so desperately needs to fill its pews. But Pope Benedict made no mention of offering such help to African AIDS victims. He showed no understanding of the terrible lives these women endure, or the damage done to their children, many of whom are born HIV-positive or with AIDS.

But wait a minute, these foams are still in the experimental phase and of questionable preventative effect, commenter "Annette of PA" replied, citing the World Health Organization (WHO):

What "foams" are ready to be distributed? Antiviral foam to prevent HIV transmission is not yet available according to the WHO's website:

http://www.who.int/hiv/topics/microbicides/microbicides/en/

The most promising anti HIV gel, PRO 2000 is still in clinical trials. It's most recent efficacy rating in preventing HIV transmission is 30%.

Also, these foams may not have the desired effect as in SubSaharan cultures, "dry sex" is desired. Without changing the attitude of all (as Benedict is calling for), women will still be victimized.



TOPICS: Culture/Society; News/Current Events; Philosophy
KEYWORDS: anticatholicbigotry; benedict; catholic; defundpbs; erbe; pbs; pope
Navigation: use the links below to view more comments.
first previous 1-2021-33 last
To: Mrs. Don-o

> And DieHard, how’s your progress toward Catholicism coming? Despite growls and clucks and the prodigious stinks you’ll find inside the Ark, you need to get on board. It really won’t do for you to keep swimming along behind! :o)

It’s coming along, but not as quickly as I had originally intended. I’ve not been able to dedicate as much time to my studies as I would have wanted to this past year for a variety of reasons. My fault — I have spent too much time on Matters Temporal and not enough time on Matters Spiritual. I shall be taking positive steps to remedy that in the next 12 months.


21 posted on 03/19/2009 5:17:32 AM PDT by DieHard the Hunter (Is mise an ceann-cinnidh. Cha ghéill mi do dhuine. Fàg am bealach.)
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 14 | View Replies]

To: Mrs. Don-o
Despite growls and clucks and the prodigious stinks you'll find inside the Ark ...

Look here, I'm trying to get Vlad toilet trained, and the dog goes outside, religiously! Spray the place with some Sol-U-Mel!

22 posted on 03/19/2009 5:20:16 AM PDT by Tax-chick ("Even for a thin-skinned solipsistic narcissist, Obama seems a frightful po-faced pill." ~Mark Steyn)
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 14 | View Replies]

To: DieHard the Hunter

Bless you, me bucko!


23 posted on 03/19/2009 5:33:48 AM PDT by Mrs. Don-o ("I have a mustard seed, and I'm not afraid to use it." ------ attributed to +Benedict XVI)
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 21 | View Replies]

To: Tax-chick

Pee-YOOOO!


24 posted on 03/19/2009 5:34:23 AM PDT by Mrs. Don-o ("I have a mustard seed, and I'm not afraid to use it." ------ attributed to +Benedict XVI)
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 22 | View Replies]

To: Mrs. Don-o

Well, the dog’s getting a bath this afternoon!


25 posted on 03/19/2009 5:35:31 AM PDT by Tax-chick ("Even for a thin-skinned solipsistic narcissist, Obama seems a frightful po-faced pill." ~Mark Steyn)
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 24 | View Replies]

To: Zakeet

Indeed ms. Erbe, let’s just keep doing what we’re doing in Africa with “sex education,” free HIV drugs and free condoms - because it is working out so well!!! 30% infection rate in Botswana.

Who exactly has the failed policies?


26 posted on 03/19/2009 5:38:17 AM PDT by PGR88
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 1 | View Replies]

To: gridlock

“Feminism” is just one front in the war on the family. It’s based on lies, and furthers the aims of the father of lies.

Christianity would do far more to prevent AIDS in Africa than a bunch of rubbers.

The “Bitter Single Female” at the beginning of the feminist movement saw men having sex with no consequences or responsibility, but, instead of working to make men behave better, they worked to make women act like these irresponsible men.


27 posted on 03/19/2009 5:40:41 AM PDT by MrB (The 0bamanation: Marxism, Infanticide, Appeasement, Depression, Thuggery, and Censorship)
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 9 | View Replies]

To: narses
What's really bothering her? Hormone swings from abortifacient birth control? An abortion maybe?

The Pope has nothing to do with condom distribution. There is nothing stopping liberals and secular humanist organizations from distributing condoms wherever they want to. The hysteria over this is phony. If she is really concerned about it she can move to Africa and open a condom store, offering weekend seminars to teach men how to put them on.

28 posted on 03/19/2009 6:06:52 AM PDT by HowlinglyMind-BendingAbsurdity
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 10 | View Replies]

To: Zakeet; Salvation; narses; SMEDLEYBUTLER; redhead; Notwithstanding; nickcarraway; Romulus; ...
Catholic Ping
Please freepmail me if you want on/off this list


29 posted on 03/19/2009 9:36:52 AM PDT by NYer ("Run from places of sin as from a plague." - St. John Climacus)
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 1 | View Replies]

To: NYer

God is surely ROTFLHAO.

Talk about
up being down
and
black being white!

Bonnie is so far out of her league that words fail me.


30 posted on 03/19/2009 9:59:47 AM PDT by Notwithstanding (OneBigAssMistakeAmerica)
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 29 | View Replies]

To: Zakeet
Who to listen to? A super-intelligent, compassionate, world-beloved man? Or some vicious, ignorant reporterette?

Such a difficult decision.
31 posted on 03/19/2009 10:26:07 AM PDT by Antoninus (So now "change" is defined as "more of the same, but worse"?)
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 1 | View Replies]

To: muir_redwoods; cyborg
...towering intellects like Erbe...

Whew!

That was fun.

Look, I know you meant this sarcastically, but I have to report, upon seeing these four words together, I fell to the floor laughing out loud, literally rolling around in spasms of uncontrollable fits of giggling, like a drunken circus bear.

That was ten minutes ago.

32 posted on 03/19/2009 10:31:22 AM PDT by Petronski (For the next few years, Gethsemane will not be marginal. We will know that garden. -- Cdl. Stafford)
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 8 | View Replies]

To: Zakeet

Thank you for that beautiful portrait of BXVI. Duly saved to my personal file. :o)


33 posted on 03/19/2009 11:22:45 AM PDT by redhead (Don't look at ME! I voted for SARAH!)
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 1 | View Replies]


Navigation: use the links below to view more comments.
first previous 1-2021-33 last

Disclaimer: Opinions posted on Free Republic are those of the individual posters and do not necessarily represent the opinion of Free Republic or its management. All materials posted herein are protected by copyright law and the exemption for fair use of copyrighted works.

Free Republic
Browse · Search
News/Activism
Topics · Post Article

FreeRepublic, LLC, PO BOX 9771, FRESNO, CA 93794
FreeRepublic.com is powered by software copyright 2000-2008 John Robinson