Courant.com

Pope Benedict's recent trip to Africa — his first as pontiff — was a great opportunity for the Catholic Church to correct its stance against the use of condoms. Instead, the pope doubled down on the church's position, claiming the HIV/AIDS crisis "cannot be overcome through the distribution of condoms, which can even increase the problem." The solution, he contends, is "spiritual and human awakening" and "friendship for those who suffer."

It would be funny, were it not so deadly serious.

Perhaps the pope doesn't know that 12 million people in sub-Saharan Africa are suffering with the disease. Perhaps he doesn't know that of all the people around the world who are infected, two-thirds of them are in Africa.

At least the pope didn't reiterate the ridiculous belief that condoms simply don't work. That is a rather unscientific conclusion, to say the least — so much for the compatibility of faith and reason. We can only hope he's given up on that notion.

In any case, the real problem with the church's position is not that it's shoddy science; it is that it's immoral. It means more people will get infected, fewer people will get treatment and more people will die.

Of course the church's policy on condoms is perfectly consistent with its denigration of the body and general fear of sexuality. But its more abhorrent motive has to do with the church's dwindling numbers around the world and its need to bring new members into the flock. Instead of praying for those in need, the church is preying on them.

It would be nice if the recent outrage directed at Connecticut state Rep. Michael P. Lawlor and state Sen. Andrew McDonald and their call for transparency in parish finances were matched by an equal or greater outrage at the pope's disregard (if not contempt) for the people of Africa. It would seem we have come to expect so little from our religious leaders.

When the pope goes to Africa and tells people that using condoms is wrong, he is not a preacher of love; he is a preacher of death.

 

I hate to break it to you, Mr. Post, but obviously these folks aren't wearing their condoms, so it's moot to assert that dropping raining condoms down from liberal American heaven out of helicopters is going to solve the problem. Even Harvard-yes, Harvard the University, supports the Pope with objective stats on this, Mr. Post-man. Study the stats, Mr. Post-man. Even you might have a meager pocket of room left for true enlightenment in that thoroughly brainwashed, indoctrinated, secularist skull of yours.

Jennifer Leeper

Middle of America, Planet Earth