H
hecd2
Guest
OK, now that we agree on something, let’s talk about AIDS and the efficacy of condoms as a prophylactic.
MichaelTDoyle:
For example, Cardinal Trujillo (a man for whom I have nothing but contempt), kept repeating the lie, rejected by all authorities, that condoms allow the passage of the AIDS virus.I needn’t tell you what damage that erroneous claim caused to humanity and how many deaths lie at his door because of it.
Major world organisations agree that condoms are an important weapon in fighting AIDS: World Health Organisation; Federal Drugs Administration; Department of Health (USA); Ministry of Health (UK); National Institutes for Health; Centers for Disease Control; Christian Aid; the list goes on.
Turning now to Uganda, the facts are that AIDS possibly started in the country so it has been infected longer than every other country. The government took an extremely enlightened position on AIDS, and with the endoresement of the president, the support of many grass roots bodies, and a programme of education and prophylaxis, Uganda has, uniquely amongst African states appeared to reduce the prevalence of HIV (through mortality and reduced incidence)
Most of the reduction in prevalence was achieved in the 1990s and early 2000s through the ABC programme (abstinence, be faithful, use condoms). Condoms were a key element of this strategy. It is only since 2004 that abstinence-only (de-emphasisng, potentially disastrously, the proven elements of ‘be faithful’, and ‘use condoms’) programmes have been promoted. If the ineffective results of the US research on abstinence-only is repeated in Uganda, much of the good of the last two decades will be undone by dropping two elements of the successful three pronged programme. And that would be tragic.
Here are a couple of links to learn about this. They cannot be read in ten seconds but then this issue is more important than a ten second read.
avert.org/aidsuganda.htm
hrw.org/reports/2005/uganda0305/5.htm#_Toc98378370
hrw.org/reports/2005/uganda0305/8.htm#_Toc98378386
I stand by my opionion on this matter: The church’s teaching on condoms is, in my view, misguided, immoral, uncharitable and plain wrong. The facts of the Uganda situation support that view. Thank you for introducing it.
Alec
evolutionpages.com
Well I am sorry, Michael, but this is rank propaganda. I am anxious that you don’t interpet this as an attack, but I don’t know how else to categorise this link other than as dishonest - I know that you are too honourable to support the idea that one can lie one’s way into heaven. I am angry about the link you posted because it has the potential to change behaviours in a way that is very damaging to people, based on misinformation.hecd2:![]()
Do your research. The only successful programs to stem the tide of Aids in africa has been abstinence based. Condoms reinforce the idea that fornication is a-ok; hence, the disease gets the opportunity to spread.Condoms work well to prevent unwanted pregnancies and very well as a prophylactic against STDs. The church’s teaching on condoms is, in my view, misguided, immoral, uncharitable and plain wrong…and is, in my opinion, based on a deeply disordered view of human sexuality.
10 second internet search:
xtec.es/~vfeliu/writing/atasks/abstinence.htm
For example, Cardinal Trujillo (a man for whom I have nothing but contempt), kept repeating the lie, rejected by all authorities, that condoms allow the passage of the AIDS virus.I needn’t tell you what damage that erroneous claim caused to humanity and how many deaths lie at his door because of it.
Major world organisations agree that condoms are an important weapon in fighting AIDS: World Health Organisation; Federal Drugs Administration; Department of Health (USA); Ministry of Health (UK); National Institutes for Health; Centers for Disease Control; Christian Aid; the list goes on.
Turning now to Uganda, the facts are that AIDS possibly started in the country so it has been infected longer than every other country. The government took an extremely enlightened position on AIDS, and with the endoresement of the president, the support of many grass roots bodies, and a programme of education and prophylaxis, Uganda has, uniquely amongst African states appeared to reduce the prevalence of HIV (through mortality and reduced incidence)
Most of the reduction in prevalence was achieved in the 1990s and early 2000s through the ABC programme (abstinence, be faithful, use condoms). Condoms were a key element of this strategy. It is only since 2004 that abstinence-only (de-emphasisng, potentially disastrously, the proven elements of ‘be faithful’, and ‘use condoms’) programmes have been promoted. If the ineffective results of the US research on abstinence-only is repeated in Uganda, much of the good of the last two decades will be undone by dropping two elements of the successful three pronged programme. And that would be tragic.
Here are a couple of links to learn about this. They cannot be read in ten seconds but then this issue is more important than a ten second read.
avert.org/aidsuganda.htm
hrw.org/reports/2005/uganda0305/5.htm#_Toc98378370
hrw.org/reports/2005/uganda0305/8.htm#_Toc98378386
I stand by my opionion on this matter: The church’s teaching on condoms is, in my view, misguided, immoral, uncharitable and plain wrong. The facts of the Uganda situation support that view. Thank you for introducing it.
Alec
evolutionpages.com