The topic of condom use in preventing the spread of HIV/AIDS should not be controversial. If you want to help prevent the spread of HIV/AIDS, then focus on prevention. As Pope Benedict XVI is visiting the United States, the topic of his views on birth control has come up a few times lately on Sirius Satellite Radio’s OutQ channel along with this article in the New York Times.
Pope Benedict is following outdated Roman Catholic dogma that places a ban on birth control. It’s great that he sticks to his beliefs and core values, but sometimes the rules need eased for the greater good. Allowing the doctrine of condom use to help prevent HIV/AIDS has the potential to save literally millions of lives in the world, especially in places where education is not prevalent and where the Roman Catholic church has the presence and means to help. I’m talking about places like Haiti and most of Africa.
Isn’t Christianity supposed to be about loving your neighbors as yourself and being kind and benevolent? When then are we continuing to hurt people by not educating them about the importance of condom use and the spread of HIV/AIDS among other sexually transmitted diseases? As the leader of the largest church in the world it is time for the Pope to get into the 21st century and realize that helping and caring can include birth control.
Tags: aids · Benedict XVI · christianity · condom · doctrine · hiv · pope benedict xvi · prevention · religion · religious values · roman catholic church · sex2 Comments
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I believe that the Roman Catholic Church has stuck to an anti-condom stance is due to the association of condom use and birth control. From the Church’s view, gay sexual relationships are sinful in the first place. Therefore, if they were to get over that, gay condom use would be tolerated because it would become a non-issue with birth control.
The Vatican is not condemning Catholic gays to death by AIDS, the Catholic Church’s official teaching on the subject is that being gay is fine and unchangeable, but a gay or lesbian person must remain celibate for life. The Catholic Church teaches that all sexual contact must be for the purpose of reproduction and be between two married people.
For the Catholic Church to support condom use to stop the spread of AIDS in the gay population is to support what they see as sin. Of course they are not supporting the spread of AIDS, but the acceptance of an abstinent lifestyle for gay people.
It is somewhat rumored that the American Bishops have been working on a way to condone gay sexual contact in a blessed and committed relationship, but I haven’t heard any recent news on the subject.