The South African Catholic bishops’ stance against the use of condoms to curb the spread of HIV is irresponsible. Not only is the debate 15 years too late, but totally out of touch with the suffering of so many people.
The assertion that “condoms may even be one of the main reasons for the spread of HIV/Aids” is ludicrous and unscientific.
The bishops sound like the Sadducees of old and certainly not like the life-affirming healer Jesus. Young women, particularly, will continue to bear the brunt of Aids and many will die.
Surely thebishops ought to walk the talk of life and compassion. It is shameful that they have not offered pastoral guidance during this time of confusion and despair.
Our only hope in these circumstances is that religion is no longer the opium of the people and that good sense will prevail. Mark Potterton, 17 Fairbridge Road, Roosevelt Park
Fuck the Catholic bishops without condoms. Pat Hopkins
When it comes to Aids, the bishops of Southern Africa are right but for the wrong reason: “Catholic bishops from Southern Africa on Monday condemned the use of condoms to fight the Aids pandemic gripping the continent, saying it was immoral and dangerous.”
Using condoms to fight Aids is indeed immoral and dangerous because condoms don’t prevent Aids because Aids is not sexually transmitted. In fact, Aids is not contagious at all.
Aids in Africa is just a new name for the diseases of poverty caused by malnutrition, poor sanitation, bad water, parasites and so on. Using condoms to prevent the diseases of poverty is the leading obscenity of our time. David Rasnick, PhD, member of President Thabo Mbeki’s Aids Advisory Panel