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Pope: Abstinence is the solution for aids
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Fox



Joined: 04 Mar 2009

PostPosted: Sat Apr 04, 2009 6:44 pm    Post subject: Reply with quote

Well, let's say I lived in South Africa, where the estimated AIDS infection rate is a massive 15 to 20% for people between 15 and 49, or Lesotho, where it's estimated to be 21 to 24% (http://data.unaids.org/pub/GlobalReport/2008/GR08_2007_HIVPrevWallMap_GR08_en.jpg). In situations like that, honestly being sexually conservative is probably very, very wise if you want to avoid infection. The sort of casual sexual encounters we are comfortable with in the West become almost like Russian roulette when you're looking at percentages like that.

The Pope is wrong in saying condoms will make things worse, but he's not entirely wrong in saying that in some of these nations the people probably do need to change their behavior if they want to deal with this epidemic. I don't think his religious nonsense is the answer, but avoiding prostitutes and casual, semi-anonymous sex would probably do a world of good when nearly 1 in 4 of your potential partners is infected.
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harlowethrombey



Joined: 17 Mar 2009
Location: Seoul

PostPosted: Sun Apr 05, 2009 12:05 am    Post subject: Reply with quote

Abstinence education works! Just ask Sarah Palin.


Besides, no one knows more about sex or STDs than an old, robe-wearing, celebant, former Nazi head of an imaginary city-state.

On a similar note, Ted Haggard has some advice for the next NASA flight and Billy Graham would like to advise you on proper investment for your 401K.
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Koveras



Joined: 09 Oct 2008

PostPosted: Sun Apr 05, 2009 1:19 am    Post subject: Reply with quote

I want to clarify that abstinence doesn't mean never ever having sex, it means only having sex with your spouse. Discouraging promiscuity seems to me like a benign and perhaps even effective policy for containing the spread of STDs.
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ED209



Joined: 17 Oct 2006

PostPosted: Sun Apr 05, 2009 2:03 am    Post subject: Reply with quote

It may seem that way. But so far it has been far from effective. People should demonstrate more self control, but if people could really achieve this there wouldn't be a smoker, drinker or overweight person on this planet.

http://www.reuters.com/article/latestCrisis/idUSN23459576
Quote:
"Vast sums of federal monies continue to be directed toward these programs. And, in fact, there is evidence to suggest that some of these programs are even harmful and have negative consequences by not providing adequate information for those teens who do become sexually active," Dr. Margaret Blythe of the American Academy of Pediatrics told the committee.



Quote:
Rep. John Duncan, a Tennessee Republican, said that it seems "rather elitist" that people with academic degrees in health think they know better than parents what type of sex education is appropriate. "I don't think it's something we should abandon," he said of abstinence-only funding.

Rolling Eyes Does that include the 30% of parents who have kids before the age of 20?

At the same time people shouldn't throw their hands in the air and give up. Proper education is needed at home as well as in Africa. The Pope is speaking against the science and facts. His claims that condoms increase the problem only reflects how out of touch he is.
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bacasper



Joined: 26 Mar 2007

PostPosted: Sun Apr 05, 2009 7:09 am    Post subject: Reply with quote

AbbeFaria wrote:
Is there a devout Catholic out there who can tell me why a person such as this has any authority to be dictating the lives of billions of people? Since the bible makes no mention of the office of Pope, where to they derive their power?

In a nutshell, why would anyone, anywhere listen to such wrong-headed nonsense?

I'm not a devout Catholic, but I know that Christ instructed St. Peter, the first pope, to establish His church, and that the pope is the vicar of Christ on earth. From there descends his authority, or at least that is the Catholic narrative.

With all the recent Church scandals of under- and overage sex, priests and nuns running away with each other, homosexual priests, excommunication of priests who perform marriages of homosexuals, and the declining number of priests and increased difficulty in recruiting them, I am disappointed that the opportunity was not taken to reconsider the Church's entire (mis)understanding of human sexuality.

Perhaps in the next millennium (if it survives that much longer).
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Fox



Joined: 04 Mar 2009

PostPosted: Sun Apr 05, 2009 4:32 pm    Post subject: Reply with quote

bacasper wrote:

With all the recent Church scandals of under- and overage sex, priests and nuns running away with each other, homosexual priests, excommunication of priests who perform marriages of homosexuals, and the declining number of priests and increased difficulty in recruiting them, I am disappointed that the opportunity was not taken to reconsider the Church's entire (mis)understanding of human sexuality.


If a religious organization were collectively capable of that level of critical thinking and self-examination, I don't think its members would persist in their religious devotion.
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harlowethrombey



Joined: 17 Mar 2009
Location: Seoul

PostPosted: Sun Apr 05, 2009 7:37 pm    Post subject: Reply with quote

Koveras wrote:
I want to clarify that abstinence doesn't mean never ever having sex, it means only having sex with your spouse. Discouraging promiscuity seems to me like a benign and perhaps even effective policy for containing the spread of STDs.



do you mean this as a working definition because the term 'sexual abstience' means: not having sex. at all.

only with your spouse is monogamy.

monogamy is a good thing, people shouldnt cheat on their spouses. But to assume that all human beings can refrain some intercourse until they're married is about as realistic as asking all human beings to only sleep during the day. The desire to procreate is an instinct and the need to fulfill instincts often far outweighs beliefs. (think of your desire to eat when you're starving vs. your desire to pray when you're worried).
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bacasper



Joined: 26 Mar 2007

PostPosted: Mon Apr 06, 2009 7:43 am    Post subject: Reply with quote

Fox wrote:
bacasper wrote:

With all the recent Church scandals of under- and overage sex, priests and nuns running away with each other, homosexual priests, excommunication of priests who perform marriages of homosexuals, and the declining number of priests and increased difficulty in recruiting them, I am disappointed that the opportunity was not taken to reconsider the Church's entire (mis)understanding of human sexuality.


If a religious organization were collectively capable of that level of critical thinking and self-examination, I don't think its members would persist in their religious devotion.

Not in its entirety, but if a few in upper echelons decided on some changes which were subtlely introduced, the mass of the congregation would have sheepishly followed.
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aquaponics08



Joined: 22 Dec 2008
Location: Korea

PostPosted: Wed Apr 08, 2009 10:43 pm    Post subject: Reply with quote

Iran, Iraq and Saudi Arabia have a good cure plan as well!
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