Chastity best antidote to AIDS, Pope says (CWN)

[stumbler]

Vatican, Jun. 10 (CWNews.com) - Pope Benedict XVI (bio - news) stressed the virtue of chastity during a June 10 meeting with bishops from southern Africa.

The Holy Father urged the bishops to promote chastity as a means of countering the AIDS epidemic; he also encouraged them to select candidates for the priesthood who are prepared to live celibate lives.

Pope Benedict was meeting with 33 bishops from South Africa, Botswana, Swaziland, Namibia, and Lesotho, who were making their ad limina visits to Rome. Speaking in English, the Pontiff told them: “The traditional teaching of the Church has proven to be the only failsafe way to prevent the spread of HIV/AIDS.”

Regarding the training of candidates for the priesthood, the Pope remarked that young men face “a world filled with temptations,” and must be prepared for the demands of celibate life in a world that will challenge their commitment. He exhorted the bishops “to conscientiously select candidates for the priesthood.”

Voicing his “deep concern over the devastation caused by AIDS and related diseases,” the Pope said that he prayed especially for the widows and orphans left behind by the epidemic. The best remedy, he said, lies in a renewal of dedication to chastity and marital fidelity. . . .

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Full article

 

[Sarah_Jane]

“The traditional teaching of the Church has proven to be the only failsafe way to prevent the spread of HIV/AIDS.”

 

[shannin]

A very sensible and logical solution - good for the Holy Father.

 

[seeker63]

Much of the problem with society today is that people feel that one of their inherent rights is that of sex without consequences. If you don’t want to be at risk of AIDS, don’t do the things that encourage its spread. How hard is that to comprehend?

 

[Lisa4Catholics]

He will be the next Pope to be accused of mass murder for telling the truth:nope:

 

[Researcher]

Let’s see, chastity costs nothing, prevents addiction to sexual pleasure a.k.a. lust, prevents the spread of many diseases, prevents unwanted conception, instills respect for the opposite (I guess even same) sex, instills discipline, encourages true love. I guess chastity simply has too many advantages for some to comprehend its value.

 

[didymus]

Researcher:

Let’s see, chastity costs nothing, prevents addiction to sexual pleasure a.k.a. lust, prevents the spread of many diseases, prevents unwanted conception, instills respect for the opposite (I guess even same) sex, instills discipline, encourages true love. I guess chastity simply has too many advantages for some to comprehend its value.

Chastity! Surely you don’t mean people should stifle their natural urges, repress their sexuality, fail to realise their full potential as human persons (whatever the hel that means – ask your local guru)?
Who but a benighted bigot living back on the 12th century could suggest such a thing? [me!]

Perhaps the anti-chastity crowd just assume that human beings are simply incapable of self-control.

 

[Rosalinda]

LifeSite News had this link posted in their navigation bar. Was Karol Wotyla the Greatest Mass Murderer of the 20th Century? by Michael Cook, published June 10.

techcentralstation.com/061005D.html

 

[Rosalinda]

Was Karol Wojtyla the Greatest Mass Murderer of the 20th Century? by Michael Cook, published June 10.

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A great article to file for future reference for any Catholic apologists.

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techcentralstation.com/061005D.html

 

[ShroudMan]

Though I am pro chastity, I also live in reality and would without a doubt upon failing to convince my closet friends to abstain from sex would purchase the condoms for them myself if I knew they were hellbent on having a night of horny pleasure. Heck…even I myself would use condoms if I decided to have sex outside of marriage…while Chastity is THE (BEST) way to avoid problems, Condoms are a close second, and its crazy to ignore it.
Much better to confess those sins then find out someone is pregnant or there is a disease to deal with. Of course I dont expect the church to state as much, ( and I dont have a problem with that either) because people would take it as an okay by the church to have pre marital sex, but I also believe they would hope if someone is gonna commit a sexual sin, then that person would protect against unwanted pregnancy or life threatening disease.

 

[fix]

ShroudMan:

Though I am pro chastity, I also live in reality and would without a doubt upon failing to convince my closet friends to abstain from sex would purchase the condoms for them myself if I knew they were hellbent on having a night of horny pleasure. Heck…even I myself would use condoms if I decided to have sex outside of marriage…while Chastity is THE (BEST) way to avoid problems, Condoms are a close second, and its crazy to ignore it.
Much better to confess those sins then find out someone is pregnant or there is a disease to deal with. Of course I dont expect the church to state as much, ( and I dont have a problem with that either) because people would take it as an okay by the church to have pre marital sex, but I also believe they would hope if someone is gonna commit a sexual sin, then that person would protect against unwanted pregnancy or life threatening disease.

Contraception is a serious sin as is fornication. Where do we get the idea if we are going to commit a grave sin it is a good idea to commit another grave sin on top of it? The idea is to save our immortal soul. If we think we can go commit a sin and just go to confession afterward we really seem to be presuming on Christ’s mercy. Where does this attitude come from?

 

[Servant1]

DO NOT mistake my reply for an attempt to argue with the Church’s stand on contraception or sexual morality! That said:

His Holiness would be correct IF sexual contact were the only or even the main way in which AIDS is transmitted. The medical fact is that AIDS **CAN **be a STD, but there is far more to it than that. Calling AIDS a STD is a vast oversimplification.

It would, of course, be totally accurate to say that chastity is the best antidote for the sexual transmission of AIDS.

Actually, antidote is the wrong word. An antidote is something you give after a the infection or poisoning has happened, and you give it to reverse it or halt it. Once AIDS is transmitted sexually or otherwise, no amount of abstinence of chastity will make it go away. The only way in which chastity will stop sexually transmitted AIDS is if chastity is the practice BEFORE the AIDS is transmitted. In that case, it is a preventive measure, not an antidote.

 

[fix]

DO NOT mistake my reply for an attempt to argue with the Church’s stand on contraception or sexual morality! That said:

His Holiness would be correct IF sexual contact were the only or even the main way in which AIDS is transmitted. The medical fact is that AIDS **CAN **be a STD, but there is far more to it than that. Calling AIDS a STD is a vast oversimplification.

It would, of course, be totally accurate to say that chastity is the best antidote for the sexual transmission of AIDS.

Actually, antidote is the wrong word. An antidote is something you give after a the infection or poisoning has happened, and you give it to reverse it or halt it. Once AIDS is transmitted sexually or otherwise, no amount of abstinence of chastity will make it go away. The only way in which chastity will stop sexually transmitted AIDS is if chastity is the practice BEFORE the AIDS is transmitted. In that case, it is a preventive measure, not an antidote.

The Pope was talking about the huge spread of AIDS in Africa which is primarily from sex outside of marriage. If people stopped doing these things the incidence of AIDS infection would decline.

 

[Servant1]

fix:

The Pope was talking about the huge spread of AIDS in Africa which is primarily from sex outside of marriage. If people stopped doing these things the incidence of AIDS infection would decline.

That’s good to know. And my problem was quite likely more with the reporting than with the Pope

For instance, in the US, the demographics of AIDS has turned away from sex being the largest proportion of transmission. If Africa, it’s a different situation.

Indeed, if Africans became chaste unless married, the incidence of AIDS would go down.

 

[ShroudMan]

Yes…without a doubt I would have no problem putting one sin on another… its foolish to just argue the point of “its wrong”…of course its wrong…its also wrong to have an abortion and horrible to catch a disease. I dont need Church Doctrine quoted to me. I know what it is. I also realize not everybody in the world is Catholic and not every Christian agrees that condoms are wrong.

Answer this plain and clear…are YOU saying someone who has sex outside of marriage SHOULDNT use a common and therefore SPREAD a disease or run the risk of pregnancy.? I say, if you pretty much committed yourself to the idea of having some premartial sex, that DOESNT excuse the need to STILL BE (RESPONSIBLE) in ones sexual actions.
This is where the Church needs to rethink their approach in their language WITHOUT giving an allusion that they are promoting premartial sex…but yeah, I am of the belief, if you ARE gonna do it, do it as safe as possible. And I feel I have no problem holding this belief and still stating I believe first and foremost in abstaining…but I also know young (as well as older people) have sexual urges and quite simply, people HAVE SEX…its even in the bible…even Gods favorites were doing it outside marriage…doesnt mean he approved, but my point is, PEOPLE HAVE SEX…so its logical to be as safe as possible…to do less is compounding the problem of already making that decision…and quite stupid and unfair to tell teens…just abstain cause condoms “dont work”… THAT is a LIE and THAT is DANGEROUS. Maybe a teen in the heat of the moment without any condoms handy (and pretty much committed to the deed) will think"awe the heck with a condom, “THEY” all say they dont work anyway…so whats the difference"?..

for ME that is unfair to a teen who already is thinking with the “little head” instead of the big one. Its a total lie to say condoms dont work…its propaganda. They arent 100% safe & effective, but neither are bullet “proof” vests…they are simply bullet “resistent”…chances are you WILL DIE or get seriously injured if not wearing your “protection” than if you were.

Do you think they “deserve” to get a disease for having premarital sex?

Please dont answer with what the Church says, we KNOW that…And I think you are smart enough to realize that despite what the Church says people WILL have premarital sex…so please…be realistic and tell me what you would say to them barring failing to get them to change their mind?

Would you be silent? “afraid” of sinning against God if you dared to think for yourself and offered an opinion to that person?

Me…I’m gonna BEG them to use a condom…to me, barring not being successful in convincing them to abstain (the best choice) I feel I am being Christian by possibly saving their life not only physically from a potential disease or DEATH itself, but possibly an unwanted pregnancy that could possibly turn into an abortion…I would rather deal with sex and condoms than sex w/o condoms but now including an unwanted pregnancy and abortion(murder) the choice for me is easy. I’d rather pile up some sins than pile up life long physical and emotional problems (barring of course the choice to not abstain has been made)

My morality scale is:

Premaital sex & Condoms…easily forgivable and more than likely walk away unscathed …hardest thing to do: Confession

Flip side of coin:

Sex without condom=Possible STD or AIDS, possible pregnancy, possible abortion, bigger guilt and shame and possible death sentence, that despite confession will not go away and you possibly die.

of Course abstainence, but barring that cause I refuse to put my head in the sand with people I care about, my caring will NEVER stop at the…“well the Church says this” I cant tell you anything any further… and then I just walk away…not Christian at all in my book. Its clear for me, the lesser sin(s) are just using the damn condom…maybe even TWO, and just going to confession if the urge was that great to have sex.

I simply aint walking away from a buddy or my own protection of my life if they or me cant control sexual urges…if the world were a utopia there wouldnt be a need for Confession in the first place…its there cause people DO break the rules…doesnt mean to abuse the outlet of Confession, but its there cause people do these things and they need to be educated on what to do IF they are gonna breal the rules. I think its criminal to keep them in the dark and issue misinformation that condoms simply dont work.

 

[fix]

ShroudMan:

Yes…without a doubt I would have no problem putting one sin on another… its foolish to just argue the point of “its wrong”…of course its wrong…its also wrong to have an abortion and horrible to catch a disease. I dont need Church Doctrine quoted to me. I know what it is. I also realize not everybody in the world is Catholic and not every Christian agrees that condoms are wrong.

This is moral relativism. Contraception is wrong because Christ says it is wrong. Whether everyone accepts Christ’s will is another matter. It is not like saying the Church says one ought not meat on Good Friday, contraception is wrong for all humans.

Answer this plain and clear…are YOU saying someone who has sex outside of marriage SHOULDNT use a common and therefore SPREAD a disease or run the risk of pregnancy.?

I am saying one ought never fornicate or commit adultery. Yes, contraception is intrinsically wrong and ought never be done within the congugal act, married or not.

I say, if you pretty much committed yourself to the idea of having some premartial sex, that DOESNT excuse the need to STILL BE (RESPONSIBLE) in ones sexual actions.

Huh? How is it responsible to violate the moral law and lose one’s soul?

.but I also know young (as well as older people) have sexual urges and quite simply, people HAVE SEX…

They also muder, do you have a theory that if one has an urge to murder one should wear body armor so that if the cops shoot you will not be killed?

THAT is a LIE and THAT is DANGEROUS. Maybe a teen in the heat of the moment without any condoms handy (and pretty much committed to the deed) will think"awe the heck with a condom, “THEY” all say they dont work anyway…so whats the difference"?..

The real lie is saying that we are animals and cannot control ourselves. The real lie is saying we may presume upon the mercy of Christ.

Do you think they “deserve” to get a disease for having premarital sex?

I think there are consequences for our sinful choices. It is not for me to say what anyone deserves. It is for all of us to respond to the grcae of God and obey.

so please…be realistic and tell me what you would say to them barring failing to get them to change their mind?

One may say many things depending on the person and the circumstance.

Would you be silent? “afraid” of sinning against God if you dared to think for yourself and offered an opinion to that person?

No, I would speak. I just need more info before I give a response.

I’d rather pile up some sins than pile up life long physical and emotional problems (barring of course the choice to not abstain has been made)

What good is it to inherit the world, yet lose your soul?

Premaital sex & Condoms…easily forgivable and more than likely walk away unscathed …hardest thing to do: Confession

This is the sin of presumption. For one to be absolved one has to be authentically contrite and have a firm purpose of amendment. Your words seem to relate you think absolution is automatic and some minor perfunctory exercise.

I simply aint walking away from a buddy or my own protection of my life if they or me cant control sexual urges.

They can be controlled. To say otherwise is to deny our human nature and deny the grace of God.

 

[ShroudMan]

Yikes… a total copout to my questions…

and I never alluded that we are simply animals…but YOU choose to ignore we ARE FALLEN CREATURES that DESPITE Gods Grace we WILL and we DO “fall”… if it were any different there wouldnt be those wooden boxes we go into and say sorry.

but yet I DO get the feeling you think that if someone “plays” they should “PAY”
My idea of “pay” is them going to confession and doing penance, I think yours is them getting a disease for their actions.
You have managed to evade answering in your own words upon dealing with real world situations… you basically have me convinced that you would quote church doctrine and simply walk away and in your mind, think that if someone caught a disease or became pregnant, its simply “their conseqences” they must now pay…too bad for them that they didnt know about condoms cause you aint even mentioning the word to them.

You end with “they can be controlled” (I assume meaning our passions) again a copout…of course we can control ourselves, but you and others make it like its as simple as a “pat answer”

So if controlling ourselves is that easy, lets alert the Vatican and the Pope…mankind ALWAYS operates in Gods grace and therefore we can abolish the need for the Confessional!

I am simply explaining the reason Confession exists…not as an excuse to commit sin, but as a remedy when sin is committed…and I happen to think that people, regardless of deciding to commit sin STILL must maintain a personal responsibility to themselves and their partners IF they are gonna sin…just cause a sin is gonna be committed doesnt excuse us as Christians to now be (totally) BRAINDEAD

Thats not moral relativism at all, its moral REALITY…people DO (SIN) and when they/we do, we STILL have an obligation to affect the LEAST amount of people as possible by preventing possible (ATOMIC)chain reaction consequences…ie…disease, pregnancy and/or abortion.

I aint condoning premarital sex, I AM however stating that if its gonna happen, you dont have an excuse to throw 100% caution to the wind. How can you walk away from a brother commtted to sinning feeling content that you did your job by merely quoting doctrine… and thinking, let their chips fall where they may?..

I will not do that to a brother NOR myself or the woman who may not know better and is relying on me in whatever situation. If I or another is gonna sin sexually…I’m gonna buy or insist they buy some condoms to further the chances/odds nobody gets a disease and dies, or head into a possible abortion making lives more miserable…

Condoms DO protect and I have no problem teaching abstainance FIRST & FOREMOST…but ALONG with Safer sex… I admit its a fine line in regards to how to explain and teach this… but its gotta be done so teens dont get the impression condoms are totally useless and then they have sex w/o them. Abstanence is the best choice, but people lose sight that is still a “choice” and sometimes, people arent gonna choose it. And I thik its horrible to not let teens know what the OTHER (though less desirable choices) ARE

I choose to give teens more credit that with FULL KNOWLEDGE of these subjects and NOT keeping them fearful and misinformed, they WILL make the proper choices at least 70% of the time…ie…no sex until marriage…and that just cause they are taught about condoms doesnt mean they all will take it as a license to sin adn not worry about it cause confession is always there. And we ALL abuse, though hopefully not on purpose the confessional cause we ALL have patricular sins we struggle with.

 

[ShroudMan]

I wanted to add, I cannot see how someone as parent would stop at telling their teen…this is church doctrine xwz…DONT SIN!

and then that kid goes out…

what ignorance and what forgetfulness of that parent when THEY were a TEEN!

Of course we dont want them to have pre sex… we hope and pray they dont, but as far as I am concerned a parent not dealing with the REALITY of the situation (especially in todays world) is wearing blinders if somehow they think “their” teen is gonna be that “special one” to avoid the forbidden fruit… its hopeful they will, but not likely…the MAJORITY of us didnt so what makes us think our kids are any different?

I would explain explain church doctrine and instill a fear in them of not ABUSING the confessional just cause its there… and then I’d explain to them about how condoms (can) HELP protect…I’d beg them to NOT indulge but still give them the condoms if they are at least 18. I do not want my kid coming home pregnant, telling me they got someone pregnant or worse yet, finding out they have a disease cause they were too embarrassed to buy them or didnt have the money. Maintaining our childhood memories of what WE DID is of the upmost importance in saving our kids …but ignoring or simply not wanting to think about our little Sally or Jimmy as sexual creatures cause it bothers us to vioew them that way can have deadly consequences, even though we know what the Church says and teaches. My parents didnt teach me about condoms and my first sexual experience (DESPITE what they told me about waiting for marriage…yoo hoo… I was a TEEN! Who thinks about THAT when ya wanna have sex?) I was without one and it could have ended quite horribly…my kid is gonna have better odds that that.

I aint gonna deride a parent who cant do this, but damn If I will be derided cause I wanna help my kid overcome the odds of todays environment. If thats a sin then so be it…

 

[fix]

No one knows the time and place when we will be called before the throne of God. You do a terrible disservice to all when you do not give the full truth. We are not talking of some sterile doctrine , but the words of Christ.

You do act as if humans are all animals and have no control over their desires, this is false. Of course many will fall this is due in large part to folks who do not explain why fornication is wrong and who say do not do it, but wink wink, if you do then use a condom. What a false and misleading message.

Your position is moral relativism. You set aside the teaching Christ for a secular view.

 

[ShroudMan]