"Pope Benedict has always made it clear he intends to uphold the traditional Catholic teaching on artificial contraception -- a "clear moral prohibition" -- Allen said. But his remarks Tuesday were among the first times he stated the policy explicitly since he became pope nearly four years ago." -(CNN article)
He has, on the other hand, also "assembled a panel of scientists and theologians" to consider whether or not married couples should be allowed to use condoms. Personally, I believe that there should be no real question as to whether or not people should be given access to condoms. Even if one sees birth control / artificial contraception as flat out wrong, one must still consider the 22 million people infected by HIV in sub-Saharan Africa alone.
"More than 22 million people in sub-Saharan Africa are infected with HIV, according to a 2008 UNAIDS/WHO report. Nine out of 10 children with HIV in the world live in the region, which has 11.4 million orphans because of AIDS, the report said, and 1.5 million people there died of the disease in 2007" -(CNN article)The numbers alone would be enough to convince me.
5 comments:
This is so stupid. In my opinion, when we're dealing with this issue, we shouldn't be thinking about ideology and morality (although these are important). Instead, we need to consider reality. Obviously, the Pope is unable to recognize that this isn't just a matter of people breaking their morals. There is a deadly disease going around that has killed millions of people. There are many women in Africa that are forced into prostitution in order to raise their families and get food on the table. I don't view this as an immoral act; I view it as a survival tactic. Money needs to be earned, and in Africa, many woman feel helpless and are without formal education. When thinking about HIV/AIDS alone, it needs to be recognized that the population pyramid is being completely skewed in an unnatural way. If there is no form of remedy or protection from this virus, there will be more middle-aged people dying (the most productive sector), leaving an unhealthily large younger and older population.
To me, I don't see condoms as a commodity which can be, or should be, regulated by the government or the Vatican. They were created for our protection and should therefore be encouraged, if anything. But the fact that the Pope refused to alleviate the ban in the face of all the problems in Africa seems more than a little out of touch with reality, even for the traditional ways of the church. I feel that the morals of people who follow the Vatican's guidelines have no relevance to the moral decisions necessary to a life in African society. I feel that those who follow the Vatican's guidelines live comfortable lives, with every access to health care, clean water, and sufficient nutrition that would make the guidelines of the Vatican seem like plausible life terms. But in Africa, supplies and the same necessary commodities are so scarce that the guidelines of the Vatican are laughable. How many people in Africa actually have access to condoms? How many can afford them? Compared to those who follow the instructions of the Vatican? And yes, everything is relative, as we've picked up in our poverty readings, but doesn't that also make such instructions relative? In context, such guidelines for Africa make no sense. These people need intervention, and that will not come from religion, or some other intangible force. They need something on a broader, grander scale, and they'll only get it from education and information, accompanied with the necessary supplies to put that education into practice.
My first thought of that is how could you even have that thought cross your mind. You are going to put the Catholic church over thousands of people dying from AIDS. Its amazing how religion is so influential over the things that deserve the most common sense. Even introducing condoms in Africa will probably save people from suffering AIDS. We cannot control what they do there but this is the time when people need to start doing what is right.
Lauren C. Strojny- I understand ones religious beliefs are important. At this point though the Pope who is one of the most well known people in the world is preaching against something that can save lives. So really isnt he hurting his people who believe in him. Really this is no longer a question of religion it is about people losing their life to an epidemic than can be helped with the lifting of a ban that one man is keeping.
I'm Catholic and I'm pretty religious but I don't think using condoms violates the "sacredness" of babymaking or whatever. I think the pope is too orthodox. He needs to understand that using condoms has overwhelming benefits and that it does not violate any of the 10 Commandments...
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