This is what Pope Benedict said about the Aids epidemic:
“Aids cannot be overcome through the distribution of condoms, which even aggravates the problems”
Echoing words spoken frequently by Pope John Paul II, Benedict declared that the “traditional teaching of the Church” on chastity outside marriage and fidelity within it had proved to be “the only sure way of preventing the spread of HIV and Aids”.
And here is a response from Planned Parenthood:
Kevin Osborne, HIV adviser at the International Planned Parenthood Federation, said: “All the evidence is that preaching sexual abstinence and fidelity will not solve the problems. We need to work with the reality of where people are, especially in countries he is visiting such as Angola, which is hard-hit by the epidemic.
“The Pope’s message will alienate everybody. It is scary. It spreads stigma and creates a fertile breeding ground for the spread of HIV.”
I’m not a Roman Catholic and I’m not against birth control, but it is easy to spot the diversionary tactic employed in this response by Planned Parenthood. Obviously it’s not the preaching alone that would prevent the spread of Aids, but the preaching and practising of fidelity and abstinence. And there is evidence to suggest that it does work:
Uganda Winning the Battle Against AIDS – Using Abstinence
Uganda may be on its way to wiping out AIDS by using the Biblical values of chastity and fidelity, a new Harvard University study finds. According to the study, abstinence education has shown significant effectiveness in reducing AIDS in Uganda, with the HIV infection rate dropping 50 percent between the years 1992 and 2000.
Uganda is not teaching just abstinence and fidelity within marriage. The programs that I’ve heard about also include instruction in condom usage and the expectation that if Abstinence and Fidelity don’t work, people are taught to use condoms. The country also is offering free testing, and instruction and assistance in safe birthing and feeding practices for positive mothers and negative children. I would think that could have an enormous impact on the transmission rates of HIV.
Working to find ways that are culturally acceptable, as well as safe & effective, at preventing the spread of HIV is something we should all be interested in. Planned Parenthood and the Roman Catholic church. Seems to me that PP is the only one that teaches a comprehensive sexuality education. The Roman Catholic church sticks to the same old abstinence-only tune.
This appears to be one effective use of condoms.