So the Pope is touring around in Africa. While in Cameroon he said
HIV/Aids is a tragedy that cannot be overcome through the distribution of condoms, which can even increase the problem.
It is not at all surprising that this patent nonsense would come out of the mouth of a man who purports to talk to an invisible sky man. It is not at all surprising that he gets it completely wrong – the Centers for Disease Control say that
Latex condoms, when used consistently and correctly, are highly effective in preventing the sexual transmission of HIV, the virus that causes AIDS.
The life expectancy in Botswana between 1990 and 1995 was 65 years. Between 2000 and 2005 it’s dropped to 40 years. Twenty two million people in Sub-Saharan Africa had HIV/AIDS in 2007, and there were nearly two million new cases of HIV infection in 2007. A quarter of the population of Botswana, Lesotho, and Swaziland have HIV/AIDS. 39,000 people died of AIDS in Cameroon in 2007. 1.5 million people died in 2007 in Sub-Saharan Africa.
And the Pope continues to spread falsehoods while Africans die? Fuck you Pope Benedict. Fuck you.
#1 by John Wilson on 18 March 2009 - 2:26 pm
Yeah, I agree that Pope quote sounds stupid out of context. It probably even sounds stupid in context. No doubt thousands of Catholics world-wide will misinterpret his Holiness and call for the banning of condoms in all kinds of places where condoms would do some good.
But read this:
http://www.salon.com/health/sex/urge/world/1999/12/10/drysex/
“Dry, abrasive vaginas are seen as desirable in sexual intercourse in the vast majority of southern African cultures, notes an article in Tuesday’s Village Voice. Aversion to moisture in penetration has inflamed the HIV/AIDS epidemic in this region.”
I’m guessing that a culture that desires “dry, abrasive vaginas” would be extremely unlikely to use latex condoms “consistently and correctly” (indeed, the article notes that “condoms break far more easily due to the increased friction.”) I’m also guessing that among an uneducated populace people will believe that the condom will work no matter what “Here, use one of these and you won’t get AIDS.”
I would not be surprised if there were parts of Africa where condom distribution made the problem worse. Certainly on the margins there are people who have put their trust in condoms not understanding how they work and have gotten HIV as a result. It’s just a guess, but I suspect that’s what the Pope was referring to in his speech.
And, being the Pope, he couldn’t exactly say “HIV/Aids is a tragedy that cannot be overcome through the distribution of condoms, which can even increase the problem since you seem to prefer dry, abrasive vaginas while having sex.”
Yes, it’s unfortunate that so many people are going to misinterpret the Pope and run around calling for the banning of condoms, which, when used properly are a Good Thing ™. But I can’t see how he is totally wrong here, and I certainly don’t think that he is relying the invisible sky man to tell him what to say about the Evil Sex Bags.
#2 by Jeff on 18 March 2009 - 4:35 pm
John,
Sorry, but I gotta call Occam’s Razor on this one. I find it unlikely that Benedict thinks condoms are really swell when used correctly, and that he was simply making a very narrow statement about how condoms don’t work well in southern Africa because the people there have sexual proclivities that make them less likely to use them correctly (or, perhaps, likely to use them _more incorrectly_).
Even if that’s what he meant, I’m not willing to concede that argument. Basically, it’s based on the assumption that distribution of condoms itself will cause so much more sex that the extra numbers will overwhelm the numbers who are actually successfully protected. I don’t think it’s at all obvious that assumption is valid, even given the special circumstances described by the article you quoted.
Anyway, I think it’s incredibly more likely that Benedict meant what Brad thinks he meant… the same counter-scientific dogma that the Catholic church in particular (and many others) have been spewing for years now: that preaching to the masses about all the sex they shouldn’t be having is better than using condoms.
#3 by John Wilson on 18 March 2009 - 6:01 pm
All I’m saying is that I don’t think the Pope said that condoms do nothing to prevent HIV, or that condoms always make HIV worse. That’s all I’m saying: that the Pope isn’t a complete science denying retard.
Of course the Pope doesn’t like condoms, he’s the POPE.
#4 by John Wilson on 18 March 2009 - 6:13 pm
Also, please don’t get me wrong, I’m NOT making the argument that we should or should not distribute condoms in Africa. I cannot think of a person who is LESS qualified than I am to answer that question. I do think that condom distribution can be fraught with danger for the reasons I indicated above, although how to mitigate that or what steps to take to minimize those risks are completely beyond me.
Some villagers in Africa are convinced that the way to cure AIDS is to have sex with a virgin. Did you have sex with a virgin? You still have AIDS? She must not have been a virgin! Better find a younger one! I don’t even know where to begin that’s so wrong.
#5 by John Wilson on 18 March 2009 - 6:15 pm
Sorry Jeff, one of my comments is being moderated so sorry if that looks a little disjointed. Brad? Your CAPTCHA thing never gave me an actual image, all I got was the text “captcha-image” which I typed into the box and it didn’t work. ;)
#6 by Samh on 30 March 2009 - 4:13 pm
The Pope said condoms can increase the risk of HIV.
Which part of that of that isn’t completely irresponsible ?
#7 by Billy on 04 April 2009 - 9:08 am
The pope?
Fuck that cunt, he’s a wanker! FACT!
#8 by athiest on 29 October 2009 - 1:29 pm
fuck the pope