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Christianity Today, March (Web-only), 2009 |

Interview

Condoms, HIV, and Pope Benedict

Leading HIV researcher Edward C. Green says criticism of the pope 'unfair.'

Interview by Timothy C. Morgan | posted 3/20/2009 04:27PM

Edward C. Green is one of the world's leading field researchers on the spread of HIV and public health interventions. He's the director of the Harvard AIDS Prevention Research Project, and is a leading ...

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tom saxon

Posted: March 30, 2009 2:20 PM

It is difficult for the secular world to heed the word of someone who is celibate on matters of sexuality. When the Pope makes remarks that condoms INCREASE HIV he looks foolish. At worse, condoms may be ineffectual because they are culturally distained in Africa and therefore not used. Then state that. The Pope is a brilliant intelluctual. He knows the world parses every word he speaks. Why leave yourself open for so much criticism and abuse. Most right-minded people agree with the ABC method of HIV prevention: Abstain, Be faithful, use a Condom. We first have to keep people alive before we convert them to Catholicism

George

Posted: March 28, 2009 12:45 PM

For me, the most astonishing is the aggressive propaganda of the so called "mainstream" media, based exclusively on ideological ground. Pope does not have any power to tell his angry enemies whether or not they should use condoms. The highest incidence of AIDS in the West is among homosexual men who massively ignore Church teaching on condoms. In fact, the HIV infections are again on the rise in this group. Isn't this the time to cut on multiple partners?

Samuel Njenga

Posted: March 26, 2009 6:45 AM

Xino we need not suport the pope ,what at stake is neither the pope no the Church He heads ,the most important assignment of every human being is that responsibility given to him/her by tha creator(what ever the name you give yours)Truth will always win and unless you are not surrounded by people suffering out of AIDS in the name of offering the protection using condoms and showing them that sexuallity can be used anyhowly thenyou can continue your rhetoric.Wake up to the truth,AIDS will never be won by infidelity but only by fidelity

Tesserian

Posted: March 25, 2009 7:02 AM

"If people...are getting AIDS because they are not using condoms because the Pope told them not to, why didn't they listen to him telling them not to have sex outside of marriage? There's no logical reason to ignore the teaching on extramarital sex but follow the one on condoms." This bears repeating, and goes to the heart of the issue. The Pope is the head of the Church. Sexual abstinence, continence, and fidelity within marriage are issues that are not limited only to their impact on the AIDS crisis- they go to the heart of human morality and carry over into the core stability of human society.

Jonathan

Posted: March 24, 2009 4:32 PM


You can't beat God's perfect plan. One man for one woman for one lifetime.

Jim	Posted: March 24, 2009 9:55 AM

I think Pope Benedict is absolutely right and I applaud him for standing up for the truth. Condoms are not the solution to the consequences of sexual immorality. I think thats what the Pope is trying to say. Repentance and prayer are. As for Xino, it is Jesus Christ who is ultimately going to decide who is a Christian and who is not. I would advise you to be cautious. Paul says, "No one can say Jesus is Lord except by the Holy Spirit". Many practising Catholics truly believe that Jesus is Lord. Thus you might want to be careful lest you be sinning against the Holy Spirit by condemning a temple He dwells in. The rest of the stuff you say is all bogus. Protestants are as guilty of claiming to be the true church as anyone else, and there has been enough Protestant literature that's not only misleading but also pure lies. Jack Chick comes to mind. Instead lets pray for another. God Bless.

T.O. Body Lover

Posted: March 24, 2009 9:51 AM


Wow Xino, You are so full of hate for the Catholic church that you would rather indirectly support the failing use of condoms than to support a truth presented by the Pope? How Christian of you.

erika

Posted: March 24, 2009 7:27 AM


wow, amazing how someone like Xino, comments on here and hijacks the whole subject of the article. I totally agree with the Pope, condoms does not work in Africa. The men don't even WANT to use it! I am African, so I talk from experience. The liberal media will spin the Pope's words and put words in his mouth. ( I am not Catholic, so that is not why I am defending him )

StewartIII

Posted: March 23, 2009 8:07 PM


HIV Researcher, a Self-described Liberal, Defends Pope's Recent Condom/AIDS Statement http://newsbusters.org/blogs/ken-shepherd/2009/03/23/hiv-researc her-self-described-liberal-defends-popes-recent-condom-aids

Xino	Posted: March 23, 2009 1:11 PM

I can do without Catholic promotion in CT. Ever since some Republican Party operatives decided to forge a political alliance between evangelicals and Catholics, our media has been friendly towards the Catholic Church and tried to paint them as good fellow Christians. Meanwhile, this Church has been busy proclaiming itself the "one True Church" and denying that our communities are even "Churches" in the proper sense. If we're to be Saved at all, says the Vatican, it's because God decides we're just too stupid to "get" the grand Truth of Catholicism. Their apologists are busy hitting the Internet with misleading and often blatantly false arguments to trick people into thinking their way about "the Church" and the need to belong to it. They want to convert us to their Church, while we smile nicely at Rome and stick with trying to win the Unsaved. The Roman Catholic Church is NOT our friend, and we don't need to promote their Pope.

anon	Posted: March 23, 2009 10:27 AM

Many media sources are criticizing the Pope for discouraging the use of condoms but forgetting that he also discourages intercourse outside of marriage. If people in Africa are getting AIDS because they are not using condoms because the Pope told them not to, why didn't they listen to him telling them not to have sex outside of marriage? There's no logical reason to ignore the teaching on extramarital sex but follow the one on condoms. In fact, it would make more sense to either obey both or ignore both. If someone is selectively ignoring the teaching on extramarital sex but following the one on condoms, it is because they want to have extramarital sex but don't WANT to use a condom, not because they feel morally obligated to go without one - they've already proven that the teachings of the Catholic church don't have much sway over their personal morality.

Lillian Heeney

Posted: March 21, 2009 6:53 PM

Pope Benedict is a learned man and for the preservation of mankind. He probably never wore a condom and probably never caused a pregnancy and definitely never got aids. He must be doing something right. EMAIL PROCESSORS NEEDED Make $750 - $1,000 a day. $25 in 15 minutes for each email processed Order today and get a $5.00 rebate. All work is done online. Get paid daily. Get started today! Easy money paid to you daily Click link below for your signup and $5.00 rebate. https://paydotcom.com/r/41121/lilyannh/23436104

H. D. Schmidt

Posted: March 21, 2009 6:39 AM

Fantastic article indeed! However, the following question: It is a fact that now Christian bodies, no matter the Denomination, every one of them seem to promote the usage of contraceptions at an ever increasing pace with a yearly business that might reach into the billions, is that contributing to really what, may I ask: More fidelity, or ever less so, as even in America, the nation under God and says it trusts in God, divorce, abortion, homeless children, gay and lesbian, more American women now living without a men than do, and if wanting a child no more a man needed as God intented, more married couples want no children than do, etc., etc., etc. Was this same God stupid for not at the very beginning, make sure that a man and woman in holy matrimony, might enjoy all the sex to their hearts content, provide some sure way to have zero procreation, without Christians even spending millions on contraceptions? For Christian marriage counselers, contraceptions, is it not almost number one?

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