Breathtaking ignorance through religion

[WaldoMcFroog]

A Catholic Bishop in Mozambique has claimed that some European condoms are deliberately infected with HIV.

He has claimed the same about some retro-viral drugs.

http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/world/africa/701433 5.stm

In a country with 16.2% HIV infection, this beggers belief.

He also goes on to say that abstinance in the unmarried, and faithfulness for the married are the best way to fight AIDS/ HIV. Whilst these two facts are of themselves obviously true, they equally clearly ignores reality.

The reality is that the bishop is promoting this line on condoms because the Catholic church wants high birth rates, because it knows very well that it is the best way to shore up its own power. When it is clear (and for anyone that doubts this, stop the debate - you are wrong) that allowing people to limit their families is one of the very best ways of reducing poverty as well as stopping AIDS, this has to be considered an act of unconscionable evil.

[naomi24]

Can we really compare our society to that of Mozambique?Perhaps the main consideration here should be the lack of education and the widespread superstition prevalent in the Third World. Some educated Catholics in the western world won't use condoms since their church tells them not to, so how would a message such as that given by this Bishop be received by the tribal peoples in a country ike Mozambique, where poverty is rife, education is minimal at the most, and life expectation low? Men of the church are often treated as demi-gods in such societies, and their word is never questioned. This is simply wicked.

[jake-the-peg]

When are the abrahamic religions going to stop being so f**ing hypocritical about sex?

They have their army chaplains running about blessing soldiers about to go and kill other human beings and wag their fingers telling people how the almighty is so concerned with their sex lives that hell damn them to hell for sleeping with each other without a priest's blessing!

And I've lost count of the number of "A la carte Catholics" I know that totally ignore their church's teaching on contraception.

How they have any credibility left I simply have no idea.

The church has no business in people's bedrooms

[Octavius]

Well they don�t interfere in my bedroom Jake, do they in yours?

[naomi24]

Thanks for the link, Fender. For one man to wield such control and power over millions - and for no good or rational reason - is criminal.

[naomi24]

Fender, why indeed! Love is the last thing in their hearts. My point here is that in many regions of Africa education in any form is practically non-existent, superstition is rife, and the indiginous people live within a culture and possess a mentality far removed from that of the west. Having said that, whilst I can understand those people believing and fearing the superstitious claptrap the churches preach, why supposedly educated westerners fall for it is totally beyond me. There are evil people in this world, and this man, who is quite clearly fully aware that every day people are suffering and dying, and innocent babies are being born with AIDS, is a prime example. This really is evil - and if the heaven he promises his flock does exist, I trust when he finally makes that great last journey, he'll find the pearly gates firmly locked before him!

[ruby27]

I am going off the point, but I feel the need to interject. When we talk about education and whether people have it or not can we ensure we are making reference to formal teaching via an education system. Those in Africa who do not go to school and live in poverty are often extremely well educated, just maybe in subjects that are not too desirable.

[naomi24]

Ruby, Yes, you are going off the point somewhat. Nevertheless, given the subject under discussion, I'm sure those taking part have no need of clarificaton. They will know precisely what I mean.

[natalie_1982]

I don't think this is just the Catholic Church; Gambia is a Muslim country and I have experienced similar there.

These sorts of stories are so common, when I was in the Gambia earlier this year, the President Jammeh was visiting hospitals bursting with AIDS patients and treating them with herbal tea. The patients were preaching how their lives had been saved, etc. AIDs is the second biggest killer in the Gambia, next to malaria. How on earth can you educate anyone whose leader tells them that HIV and AIDS can be cured by drinking a tea made of six special herbs? One female government official spoke up and said Ya-ya Jammeh was wrong and that the country needed to be educated. She was extradited within 24 hours.

The countries need to be educated, and the educated need to be educated. A close Gambian friend of mine visited the UK for 4weeks this year. During a discussion somebody mentioned a dinosaur, and he didn't know what one is. He is a school teacher back in the Gambia. How on earth can we expect countries to learn the importance of safe sex and abstinence if the educated need educating too? It is the religious leaders that need to be controlled.