Pope Says Condoms Won't Solve AIDS

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astasia
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Pope Says Condoms Won't Solve AIDS

Post by astasia »

http://www.npr.org/templates/story/stor ... =101997598

So, the AIDS epidemic in Africa - or in Washington D.C., is it just a case of "just saying no" unless you're married and monogamous, or is it only solvable by increasing protection against STIs through the use of condoms (or newly developed gels/creams and pills)?
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Re: Pope Says Condoms Won't Solve AIDS

Post by Lethal Interjection »

Condoms won't solve AIDS.
Or at least not by themselves.
Education is key. Handing out condoms without any proper education about how to use them, etc. is useless.
The problem is that westerners in general want something tangible to throw their dollars at. Knowledge isn't tangible.
It's the whole fish/teach to fish thing.

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Re: Pope Says Condoms Won't Solve AIDS

Post by ChooChooTrain »

I think there is a fundamental problem with the way sex is viewed in our society. My belief is that sex should be limited to marriage. I admit that view is rooted in my religion. However, if people would keep sex inside marriage, instead of treating it as a casual pastime, it could potentially solve a lot of society's problems; STDs, abortion, broken marriages, broken homes.

Truthfully though, I'm not delusional enough to think that dream is realistic. Because the consequences are not great enough to deter people from casual sex, I think it is necessary to promote condom use. However, I think the pope could be right that condoms could potentially increase the AIDs problem long-term by perpetuating society's delusion that they can have commitment free, risk free sex.

I'm going to stop here before I further establish myself as the forum's that guy.
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Re: Pope Says Condoms Won't Solve AIDS

Post by Edminster »

ChooChooTrain wrote:I'm going to stop here before I further establish myself as the forum's that guy.
Dude, ever since you started posting you had established yourself as the Forum's 'that guy'.
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Re: Pope Says Condoms Won't Solve AIDS

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Edminster wrote:
ChooChooTrain wrote:I'm going to stop here before I further establish myself as the forum's that guy.
Dude, ever since you started posting you had established yourself as the Forum's 'that guy'.
That's why I specified further. I know I'm already that guy. I'm hoping if I restrain myself a bit some of you kind folk will be nice enough to forgive me.
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Re: Pope Says Condoms Won't Solve AIDS

Post by Edminster »

ChooChooTrain wrote:
Edminster wrote:
ChooChooTrain wrote:I'm going to stop here before I further establish myself as the forum's that guy.
Dude, ever since you started posting you had established yourself as the Forum's 'that guy'.
That's why I specified 'further'. I know I'm already that guy. I'm hoping if I restrain myself a bit some of you kind folk will be nice enough to forgive me.
You really haven't been lurking long, have you? We don't ever forgive fundamental behaviour. We just stop poking so hard when the bahaviour ceases.
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Re: Pope Says Condoms Won't Solve AIDS

Post by Lethal Interjection »

ChooChooTrain wrote:I think there is a fundamental problem with the way sex is viewed in our society. My belief is that sex should be limited to marriage. I admit that view is rooted in my religion. However, if people would keep sex inside marriage, instead of treating it as a casual pastime, it could potentially solve a lot of society's problems; STDs, abortion, broken marriages, broken homes.
I agree that sex is taken too casually by some and too seriously by others. Christianity tends to fall into the latter. The general African populous the former.
Actually the whole sex before marriage falls under the "does this still apply?" category of the Bible, for me*. Mostly because society is very different from when the Bible was written. Particularly now, when people are supposed to focus on their career track and forget about anything else serious until they've become accomplished**. Asking people to hold out on sex until they are 30 is asking a lot.

*I'm not saying it doesn't, I'm just realizing the grayness of the whole issue.
**This is a major part of the overeducation of society, and the decreased support for trades and other hands-on vocations. Not to mention other societal problems that have arisen from this fleeting American Dream.

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Re: Pope Says Condoms Won't Solve AIDS

Post by mountainmage »

Sex is natural. People were having sex way before this whole marriage business came about. Stopping people from having sex until they're married is just plain dumb. Give them protection, explain to them the risks, etc.
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Re: Pope Says Condoms Won't Solve AIDS

Post by ChooChooTrain »

mountainmage wrote:Sex is natural. People were having sex way before this whole marriage business came about. Stopping people from having sex until they're married is just plain dumb. Give them protection, explain to them the risks, etc.
You're right. I guess I should reform my stance. Inside marriage isn't really a reasonable condition to impose. I don't know if I could properly define what conditions I think are reasonable. I just think things are a bit out of control. For one, middle-schoolers shouldn't be getting pregnant.
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Re: Pope Says Condoms Won't Solve AIDS

Post by mountainmage »

I agree with you on that. Teen pregnancy is a problem. While we can promote abstinence until our mouths are dry, I think we should just provide them with protection. Of course then we have to decide how old should someone be allowed access to protection, and whatnot.
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Re: Pope Says Condoms Won't Solve AIDS

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mountainmage wrote:I agree with you on that. Teen pregnancy is a problem. While we can promote abstinence until our mouths are dry, I think we should just provide them with protection. Of course then we have to decide how old should someone be allowed access to protection, and whatnot.
This is a truly tough question for me. I'm so revolted by the idea of such young kids making such potentially devastating decisions. To give them condoms feels like an invitation to go at it. However, trying to convince them to stay abstinent feels completely futile. The contrary influences are too numerous and too convincing.
I'm so torn. It hurts me. I guess for now I have to settle on both. A stern warning against becoming sexually active so early, accompanied by a warning to use protection if they decide to take the risk.
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Re: Pope Says Condoms Won't Solve AIDS

Post by smiley_cow »

I've already read about this here but I assume the two articles aren't too different.

I can't say this is the first time I've found Pope Benedict to be misinformed. Studies show that people who are educated about sex and have access to contraceptives are much less likely to have sex until they are older or to catch an STI. Not to mention that AIDS and HIV are a major epidemic in Africa right now, anything that can be done to prevent this spread of AIDS/HIV there really should be done, and if the answer to that is more condoms so be it. Remember, Africa isn't in the same position we are in the Western world, people are dying by the thousands over there. And all that the pope is going to accomplish by saying that is making an already terrible situation even worse. My two cents anyways.
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Re: Pope Says Condoms Won't Solve AIDS

Post by Lethal Interjection »

The "condoms to kids" situation is completely no win. Either you are promoting sex at an early age, or you are indirectly promoting STIs and pregnancy at an early age. I would imagine there is some decent middle-ground situations, but I haven't heard a decent one proposed. Condoms don't directly promote sex, but if they are readily available, more might consider the option. However some of the kids will be having it anyways, so you do want them to be safe. Really, you either need to blanket it one way or the other. Either you make the condoms available and hope the kids use it, ignoring the distastefulness of what you semi-condoned, or you strictly promote abstinence or sommat, and the ones who decide to experiment end up as young teen moms, you just hope a very small number. It is no wonder it has been such a difficult topic. Either side you take is villainous.

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Re: Pope Says Condoms Won't Solve AIDS

Post by mountainmage »

Truly, it is a paradox. (Love that word and concept).
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Re: Pope Says Condoms Won't Solve AIDS

Post by astasia »

Re: Condoms to young teenagers.

I work with middle schoolers. It is an unfortunate reality that they are curious about and willing to experiment with sex. However, just because it bothers the rest of us and seems like a horrendous mistake doesn't mean that

A: this hasn't been the norm for thousands of years (probably a full hundred thousand, as long as people have been around) - remember how people used to be marrying as young teenagers?

B: doing the "just say no" thing will actually work - in fact, it's been proven that there are higher rates of STIs and pregnancies when children/young adults are taught abstinence-only education.
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