Pope Benedict XVI made his take on condoms quite clear yesterday, when he insisted that such prophylactics do nothing to stop the spread of HIV/AIDS. In fact, he claims they only help increase the bug’s numbers.
Said the pope, who made his first trip to Africa yesterday, "[AIDS] is a tragedy that cannot be overcome by money alone, and that cannot be overcome through the distribution of condoms, which even aggravates the problems."
Benedict’s stance should come as no surprise, of course — the Vatican is officially pro-abstinence, but this is the first time Benedict has spoken publicly on the matter. Many Catholic missions on the continent actually support using condoms, so Benedict’s comments may ruffle some feathers.
They certainly ruffled the feathers of the World Health Organization. Said the WHO, according to the Times: "These incorrect statements about condoms and HIV are dangerous when we are facing a global pandemic, which has already killed more than 20 million people, and currently affects at least 42 million." Those are some ungodly statistics.
43 comments:
Oddly enough, this was one of GW Bush's greatest accomplishments. He did more to advance humanitarian aid for HIV in Africa than any leader before or since. To that we should all be very proud!
If you are Catholic then you would understand where he is coming from.
The only for sure prevention is abstinance. He means that by promoting condom use you are promoting sex between unmarried people. The more sex,the greater the risk of AIDS. I know you think"well what if their married and just don't want children?" The Catholic church believes in the rhythm method of birth control and thats it. Don't beat up on the Pope.He's doing his job as the head of the Catholic church.Aids is a terrible scourge on humanity and anything we can do to prevent it's spread should be welcomed.
And RAC I don't understand why you would say it was oddly enough about former Pres.Bush.You know a lot of conservatives thought that he was the best thing to happen to liberalism since Carter. He wasn't a monster no matter what you think of him. If you really go back and look at his record on humanitarian and social issues you would see that we could have done much,much worse.
I say oddly enough because (sadly) he won't be remembered for his humanitarian efforts. Just like LBJ is generally not remembered for his contributions to civil rights.
So true.And I don't know but everything I ever see on TV about LBJ always shows him in a positive light for Civil Rights. I can honestly say that I remember LBJ.And I am not ashamed of his presidency. He was thrust into it with the assasination of JFK and rose to the occasion and did a pretty good job. He fucked up Viet Nam by listening to McNamara. He never pretended to be an expert on defense and McNamara screwed him over. But he was a smart guy in deciding not to run for re-election. I think he could have won by the way but he was smart that way. If only they all could be.
I am no way qualified enough to respond to the substance of this thread. I have taken a new jump in faith with Jesus a few months ago. I am not Catholic. I have no denomination. But I am a Christian. I am not saying Catholics are not Christian. All I'm saying is that I will not respond to anything that deals with a person of the 'Cloth'.
It's OK Ric. You can respond. Everybody has an opinion.I know you know who the pope is.He's the Grand Poobah of the Catholic church but is also regarded(by both political parties)as a major spiritual leader. For a lot of the worlds population what he says carries a lot of weight. You aren't going to hell if you talk about him. If you believe in God then you believe that he made us in his image and with free will and with our own thoughts and opinions. I think he needs to get out more myself. But he is a good and decent man. And I think he has earned a lot of respect from Christians around the world. Don't be afraid to have an opinion on something he says. God gave us free thought and free will. I believe he wants us to make informed decisions in life and not just stumble along like robots. Go fishing. Thats my church. Go hiking. Go take in all that he has to offer. But never ever be afraid of him.
My thoughts are that religious leaders should involve themselves in matters of religion, not healthcare, education, or government policies.
Mat,"free will and our own thoughts and opinions" I beg to differ that you don't follow what you've been saying recently to me and Sam. Again practice what you preach. Who abducted Matthew Kalb?
I agree with you Cindy.
Joanna I have no idea what you are talking about. everybody is blogging away having a good old time and out of the blue you posted some shit from Sam and when I responded to it you start beating me up over it. I don't even know what Sam was talking about.Of all the anti Obama shit here mine has been really mellow. Again we can't have opinions without being called white trash? You are supposed to be smart and well read(your words) and yet you would deny us our right to have an opinion different than yours. If you want to say something Jo just say it. I'm tired of this immature"you know what" shit. Because I really don't.Just come out and say whats on your mind. Apparently I said or did something that pissed you off. Sam too.42 years I'm friends with you guys and Sams my best man and thats what I get? Plus this thread doesn't even have anything to say about what you're talking about. I defend Ric and DRL because they are my friends. I would certainly do the same for you,or your brother or Doug or RAC. What kind of shit is this Jo? Doug, RAC you guys are so smart. But what fuck the rest of us because we vote differently than you. You are a shallow, sad, small person. I'm glad I'm not the only one who is complaining about your conduct on the blog.How intersting would the blog be if everyone thought like you?example: "Isn't President Obama the best?" "Yes he is the best". "Aren't his policies the best?" "Why yes they are the best". "Wasn't Bush apiece of shit". "why yes he was"."What do you want to talk about now?" " I know lets talk about how good President Obama Is" "Why yes lets" Whatever! I truly will continue to pray for you and Sam though because you are spiritually bankrupt and tormented. God bless you Jo.
Okay Matt, this is way too strong and I know you don't mean it in your heart, the same as I know you would have sucked as a Nazi. Now Joanna has always looked up to you as an older brother type person in her life and suddenly she is noticing that your armor is not as shinny as she once thought and worse yet, you have more or less defected to the other side. That takes some time to adjust to. Don't delude your self that this is about Political discussions and such on the blog. This is about a bunch of Third Culture kids trying to re-establish some sort of pecking order with people they didn't really hang with much in the past with anyway. You suck at being mean so give it up.
Well well Juliet Juliet welcome back. What are you talking about? What defection I am clueless. If you mean my politics then sorry but I have always been a republican. Sam will tell you. We used to debate Bush#1 vs Clinton at his house in Chalan Pago. If you are talking about my friendship with Ric and DRL then sorry again they have always been my friends. Their whole family was. True we weren't as close as say Me and the Sparks or me and Pete Larson. But friends none the less. We're closer now because we reconnected at the re-union and had a blast. To bad you couldn't make it you would have had a blast. I don't know what pecking order your talking about back in the day. If you are referring to my friendship with RAC and Doug on the blog. Then whats your point. I hardly knew Doug at Dean's circle by that I mean he was older than me but I certainly remember him. Robert is a little younger than me and as I remember we didn't especially get along. Whats your point Juliet? I still don't get it. Those of us that went to Vegas reconnected and had a good time. I consider Doug,RAC, and everydamn body else on this blog my friend.Shit we're in our 40's and 50's now and if there's any third culture kid shit going on then you are the one perpetuating it. I hope you don't mean I and my group of friends were the third culture ones and you and your group were better than us and so now I have no buisness trying to break in to they're ranks? I really don't know what your trying to say. Do you? I suck at being mean? Yea I could have told you that I'm a teddy bear. Again whats your point? Joanna and Sam posted a downright nasty comment aimed not only at me but the rest of the "third culture kids". I responded back and she didn't like what I said. Tough shit. Joanna isn't a little girl. Shes 42 years old and if she hasn't learned by now that when you call people names and talk about their families theres gonna be consequences then she just got schooled. The only reason I'm posting this to you is because you seem to have decided to be her defender. I'm sorry you feel the way you do to. We used to really get along Juliet. If you or Joanna can decide what it was that I did to piss you off so bad then let me know. Good to hear from you again.
Juliet I get it now. DUH. We were all third culture kids and some of us didn't like each other any ways so why should we like each other now? Well I guess some of us just grew up and as a matter of fact Juliet, When we were at the reunion a lot of us would say "hey do you remember this or that" and most of time we were like"no". So I'm sorry for trying to get along with people that were outside of my pecking order. I certainly won't let that happen again. I'll just stay over here on my side of the "circle".Peace Out.
Oh sorry I was trying to be mean but I just remember I suck at it.
Third culture Kids are people who are raised in another place outside of their own country. Many of them never feel they fit in with their home country and tend to seek out the relationships they had with people who shared their similar experiences. This group polarizes regardless of what the topic is. So I am not so convinced that it is about left or right politics. And I think some of us are spending a lot of time here that probably comes at the expense of time with family. So are the politics more important or is it the connection be it a positive or negative one?
Matt you got part of that wrong it isn't that we didn't like each other but that because the history is not as deep it is more difficult to fall back into an order that was well established in our youth. For the most part in groups there are leaders and followers, supporters and dissenters, depending on the strengths and weaknesses of the participants. There are always those that try to dominate everything and will stop at nothing to draw people into the drama. Divide and conquer. Now I think you are as pissed at Jo and Sam because you are convinced that they are rejecting you as a person and not just your politics. I don't believe that is the case.I think if we all went back and really re read those threads we would see a systematic distortion of the facts that would result in a mellowing of some of this polarizing reaction. It is silly to say some of us didn't grow up. Most of us have gotten on with our lives quite well, We are all established and I am sure can drum up enough childish games at home if we want to. So what is all the dumping about here on the blog. Re read the threads and find out.
You re-read all the threads. All I know is I intervened in Joanna and DRL's feud in an effort to keep the blog a fun place to shoot the breeze and now I'm being psycoanalyzed. As a matter of fact I seem to re-call way back Ric made a post about being on call and how it sucked sometime. You and Jo both asked him if he ever considered persuing his advanced degree. Ric misunderstood and starting reading you guys the riot act. I intervened on you and Jo's behalf and told Ric that you guys were just admiring his passion for his field. You or Jo never acknowledged that and then DRL got on said something in Rics defense and you began feuding with him. Thats where it all started. It was all over a misunderstanding. Don't believe me? Go back and look it up. Stop already. nobody has any issues here except for you and Joanna. This blog is actually a nice place to unwind and shoot the breeze with my friends until you and Jo show up. I know DRL said some bad things to you. We all read them but you said some right back. When he quit blogging then Ric became the target. I tried to step in to difuse it and now I'm a target. I think you and Joanna just enjoy the drama. Sad. So was I rough on Jo? Yea but how else am I supposed to get through. Because she is my sister and I care about her as a person. I still care deeply for Sam but he's having some issues that he needs worked out. You getting on and trying to analyze me and enabling Joanna by running to her defense isn't doing anyone any good. Especially those of us that want to unwind with our friends after work. I will pray for you to Juliet.
Jo and Juliet, I am praying for you both too! To attack some one, especially openly and pubilically, you must be experiencing some personal pain in your own life's. Misery loves company. But don't count me in. I don't associate with the misery of others.
Ok time to get back to the original post. This ones for Cindy. All the pope is saying is that not having sex outside of a commited,monogamous relationship will decrease the spread of AIDS. Encouraging condom use is encouraging free sex and thereby increasing the spread of AIDS. Condoms are not 100 percent effective. Close but not 100 percent. When dealing with such a devastating incurable disease would you want anything less than 100 percent. I wouldn't Period. Thats all that was said. And last time I heard the Pope wasn't responsible for any policy making outside the Vatican. He's merely a spiritual leader. Besides with all the genocide and warring in Africa Aids is the least of their problems.
Matt you got that wrong. I wrote something about the Brain Function on that Post and Ric flipped out and you told drl to back off. Drl flipped out early on when he accused me of being a traitor because I had a different point of view for the origin of the Iraq war. Drl's distortions of what people write goes way back and Ric's blanketed support of anything he distorts and says is a constant. Thanks for praying for me Mat'ster and Ric'steir or Mat miester what ever that little pet name is that I hear around the blog. The catholic church is another organization that is fading because it refuses to modernize and accept the reality of the world and find sustainable solutions for its flock. It is stuck in the past.
Hi, I will try to keep this short and put each thought on a separate comment.
First, I am sorry to say, that the title alone is degrading to the leader of a Church. "out of touch" is a term used of the very wealthy. Pope Benedict XVI is not a perfect person, only Christ was. However what he said is true. AIDS is the only Pandemic in history that can be quashed with "moral" conduct. If it were that a man only slept with his only wife, and a wife only slept with her only husband, there would not only be very few cases of AIDS but most sexually transmitted diseases. Condoms do not negate the ability for the virus to pass from one host to the next. Seamen and Vaginal Fluids are not the only conductor of the virus. Saliva, blood and even the tear duct can transfuse the virus from one host to the other. Let us not forget the use of needles. As Mat said, contraceptives of any kind are prohibited by the Roman Catholic Church. I ask, what is wrong with abstinence and faithfulness? If you do not like that, join a church that allows what you are looking for. Remember, humans do my nature excuse there sins. I am not Roman Catholic, but am a Theologian. I do not practice much of the Roman Catholic traditions, but I do not most of the Jewish ether. If the one who sits upon the Papal seat had come out with something immoral, I would be the first to jump on it, but what he said is moral. I ask this, what is the problem with morality?
Well, if we could all go back in time and avoid the original sin so to speak than Abstinence might be an option, Unfortunately, Aids has spread and in countries like Africa where an infected man can inherit his brothers wives after his brother died, it makes it hard to follow the sleep only with your wife morality clause for avoiding Aids. The reality is that Aids is here and the Pope is not doing his job as the head of the Catholic church to find sustainable solutions for present day problems because he is only reinforcing the control rhetoric of the past.
Okay, the second.
If Religious leaders should not be able to speak on involve themselves in politics, then who should be able to in a free society?
Any religious leader that speaks on morality, will speak on politics. If it be, marriage, sex, addictions, abortion, and on and on, they will be speaking on politics. As I have said, If you do not like what the Papal Father has said, then don't listen. The Catholic church is not fading or dwindling. It has been around for going on 1700 years (I will stand corrected in the eyes of a Roman Catholic because having Peter as the first Pope, it will be near 2000 years. But as for the "Roman Catholic Church" the name was used after Emperor Constantine was in power). If it the hope that it will fade, prophetically that can't happen. Let me put it this way, if believers are not around, the rapture has happened. But as Mat said, if what a religious leader says will lessen the scourge on humanity, why not give it a try?
Numbers are way down in the Catholic Church.
Some times we can and do misunderstand intentions by what is in the written word (i.e., posts and comments on the blog). It is a two dimensional communication at best. Emotion is conquered by the reader. If something is misunderstood, lets acknowledge it and move on. At the same time, let us not psycho-analyse one another. I don't care if you have a Psych Nursing degree. As I have stated, it could not only fall under slander and libel, but a criminal if it is incorrect. Ask what we were thinking and move on. Juliet, I have said that I stepped over the bounds of decency in the past. Can you acknowledge the same? Juliet, you have never acknowledged any wrong doing, or anything insulting in anything you have written. Please do that now. I think it would help the entire blog if you were to.
You suggested now that Mat's armor was tarnished, meaning imperfect, Flawed, stained, and if it were shiny he would be unblemished.
Please, everyone, we do not need this hateful speech on the blog. Any good discussion has not demeaning or degrading connotation. If you have insulted someone, all reasonable communication is over. I love a lively debate, and had a great coach. Lets keep it at that. Juliet and Joanna, lets keep this from becoming a "personal attack" forum.
I love how Mat started saying, "I will pray for you". And I see others have as well. Wouldn't this be a better place if we all did?
May God bless you all.
dJuliet, He is doing his part. Remember he has advocated abstinence, marriage, and deplores adultery and fornication. Remember, AIDS can be nearly wiped out by those simple practices. We can not simply say that because we have sinned, we should sin.
By the way, it is in no way control or rhetoric. I know rhetoric is simply "public speaking" but is used as a word that in sinister. You never hear the word used like this, "The pastors loving rhetorick on marriage" or something like that. But remember, if he controls anyone, it is his followers and no one else. I will have to say, he does not control most of the world.
Numbers may be way down in the Roman Catholic Church, but there have been ebbs and flows in the past. As I said, prophetically, the Church will be here till the rapture.
Sorry, I don't know how I typed djuliet. I meant Juliet. My bad.
Drl you are weaving a tale again and attributing things to me that are just not true. You seem to feed off of this stuff, I just hope you have both hands on the key board when you are typing it. First of all I do not have a degree in Nursing. I have not diagnosed anyone, that is another distortion on your part. I put up a link to some information about how people are manipulated by others. I posted that link initially in response to your guilt tripping post to Joanna when you again distorted the facts about what I wrote. I am sure you don't want people to learn about how they can become victims of aggressive Manipulators because you would have to start changing your MO as chief victim on the blog as a sick means to gain attention and sympathy. Yes analyzing what people are really writing wouldn't work for you at all. That would put and end to your career as a major distorter of facts.
Juliet, see, this is what I was talking about. I must have misunderstood you. I thought you talked about you work as a psych nurse. It was in the post "I am on call this weekend". Your quote is, "Oh, did I forget to add, I have in patient psych nursing experience". Were you not certified? I will admit that I could have taken it wrong.
I have said that I am not a victim and am in no way seeking sympathy. I was simply saying that I was insulted too, and have not received an apology.
"I don't care if you have a Psych Nursing degree. As I have stated, it could not only fall under slander and libel, but a criminal if it is incorrect." drl,you wrote this and I am responding to it that you are saying something that is not true. I have never said on this blog anywhere that I have a degree in Psych Nursing. You feel you are owed an apology by me but basically you create this need for constant apologies by distorting facts and making up false statements that are not supported by the text that people wrote this blog. You basically tie your self up into knots and then complain that someone tied you up. Not going down the road with you on that drl. It is sick.
Juliet, correct, I did say that, but in reply to the quote I just put up. Do you deny saying that you worked as a Psych Nurse?
I will also take it that you find no fault in anything you have said that would be deserving of an apology. I am okay with that. I am only responsible for myself, not you. I have forgiven you, you don't need to ask me. I have asked you to forgive me, and you have denied me that.
Juliet,
What did you mean by me having both hands on the keyboard while I type?
After all that intelligence,drl do you really need to ask that question? It is self explanatory as I see it.
I hope the "good" guys and gals can see what is really being said here. There are the attacks and slander but,we're really trying to get through some thick skulls. It may be hopeless.That I am so sad to say.
Is is a reply to my saying I have Cerebral Palsy?
It affects my right leg minimally, not my hands. If it was to imply masturbation (oops, that will hit on the FBI's list) at the computer, I would say that was way out of bounds. Wouldn't you? But you know, it is alright. I will laugh with her on this. I can see where it is a little funny now.
Good one Juliet, you got me on that. Keep the light heartiness going.
Juliet,Just to be fair and correct you. It's "Dougster" and "Racmeister". its not Mat anything except Mat. And for what it's worth I was the one that asked Doug to be the blog sheriff or "Elder". It didn't mean anything other than I thought the blog was getting nasty and when you threatened DRL with charges and shutting it down. I thought Doug would speak out if he thought things were getting out of hand. It doesn't mean anything of course we just goof around here and I thought it was kind of cool and funny. If you were in Vegas with us you would have understood. Also for what it's worth I was the first one that met up with Doug in Vegas and about 20 minutes later Juls showed up and then it was ON.diet Coke and Jack baby. Three third culture kids from three different cliques and you would have thought that we had been best friends all our lives. I'm truly sorry that you weren't there but I'm telling you this just to set everything straight. We all called Joanna from the room.We all took turns talking to her. She was supposed to stay with my wife and I.You don't know how much trouble I got in with my wife for not asking her first. Or you might. You're a wife. I even paid for her upfront for the upgraded room. Every body there picked on and teased DRL when they met him about"spellcheck" including himself. We drank copious(there goes that ten dollar word) amounts of liquor and ate like starved boonie dogs. And never, ever did anyone bring up who used to kick whose ass or whatever. We did but it was all in good fun and truthfully if someone brought something like that up no one cared or remembered. We were all one big happy family. We were like a bunch of drunk frat boys and sorority girls traipsing around the strip liquored up riding the roller coaster at New York New York and I'm sure annoying people along the way. Again this post doesn't mean anything other than what you choose to read into it. Yea I'm a third culture, level two clique,white trash,red neck,whatever fill in the blank and you know what? I'm damn proud to be. Peace Out.
Wow Mat, Vegas was so much fun. Those that missed it, it was like going back in time!
(Mat, remember that a lot of us also pitched in and set up a pool of money to buy Jo an airline ticket for the reunion. DRL even volunteered to to be the treasurer of the money, and faithfully he did. People often forget the nice things you attempt to do for them.). It would have been so nice if more people would have showed up. Maybe the next one?
I know Ric and didn't mean to detract from that. Everybody pitched in for Joanna and we were all sad that she couldn't make it. Hence the phone call from the room. Maybe next time.
Thank-You all for trying to get me out.Maybe I would have bonded even more than I realize.I'm sorry for the hurtful words that I've been making comments on and I mean it to everyone I may have hurt.I am sorry.Mat,especially you.You are like my brother(maybe that's why we like to fight:)Dave,I'm sorry also.I teach my daughter not to hate so,I should practice what I preach.
Joanna, I don't know what to say, but I want to tell you I appreciate your words. I have been really upset about everything that has been said and the things I wanted to say but didn't on the blog, and wondered what happened to sanity, including my-own. Like Mat said, the truth is, we all hung out in different clicks, but when we all sat together in Vegas, ate, drank, laughed and desperately tried to remember stuff we were like one big happy family. All the negative stuff we may have felt at one time, or grudges we may have had at some point was all gone. It doesn't matter to me whether someone is a conservative or liberal, as long as they are for peace, love and forgiveness, all the virtues Jesus taught. Which admittedly, I struggle with everyday. Gosh that sounds sappy, but you know, I have been humbled.
Thank you Joanna, You have said it better than I could have. I wish that I could have said that as you did.
Let us all "agree to disagree". If I say something that insults or upsets you, Let me know.
Hi matt, texting from my phone. Would have replied earlier but was flying to guam. Its not vegas but it will do.
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