E-DRUG: BBC: Vatican condemns Aids drug firms (3)
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I agree totally,
the Vatican, which literally brainwashes the very well meant, generous
and honest grassroot Catholic priests and nuns, has a lot of
responsibility in the epidemic of AIDS. There was a very interesting
and infuriating documentary (BBC again) a couple of months back on how
the message that condoms have little holes in them which make them
unprotective is spread unanimously at catholic led AIDS prevention or
treatment centres. The Catholic church continuously insists on sexual
abstinence as the one and only way to contain the spread of AIDS.
This not only creates more and more AIDS sufferers, plus the orphans the
Church so much cares about.
There is obviously also the general issue of population control.
The Catholic Church has other roles as well, in Africa in particular,
where it is probably the strongest supporter and "activist" in the fight
against female genital mutilation, a very widespread problem. It also in
general supports the underprivileged in many excellent ways, so mine is
not meant as a full blown attack.
Yet, its preaching on AIDS and on birth control (no form of
contraception is allowed except for the "natural" method, ie abstinence
during the fertile days of a woman's menstrual cycle) is at least
irresponsible. I doubt though that it will change as the Catholic
Church's view on sexuality is deeply rooted in its 2000 years history.
Valeria
Dr Valeria Frighi
Oxford Centre for Diabetes, Endocrinology and Metabolism
Churchill Hospital
Oxford
UK
valeria.frighi@dtu.ox.ac.uk
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