The Pope and Condoms.

Posted on March 18, 2009 - by Andy McMahon

The Pope has been quoted as saying, “You can’t resolve it [Aids] with the distribution of condoms,” the pope said. ”On the contrary, it increases the problem.”

He also said, “The only solution is two-fold,” he said. “The first is a humanisation of sexuality, a human, spiritual renewal which brings with it a friendship, especially for those who are suffering, a willingness to make personal sacrifices.”

What are your thoughts? What, if any repercussions is this going to have on the African nations? Do you think offering spiritual renewal is enough to keep them from having sex? Do you think enough is being done in terms of missionary outreach, and justice?

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March 18, 2009

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adam said:

my wife lived in the Ivory Coast for a while. the women she worked with had a very interesting attitude on sex and HIV/AIDS.

when the missionaries explained HIV/AIDS to them in a way that they could understand the women looked defeated. they said there was nothing anyone could do about promiscuity and unprotected sex in Africa. they resigned themselves to defeat and the idea that Africa would be destroyed by this.

i don't remember the position of the mission group on passing out condoms. i know they aren't fans of sex between unmarried people, but that doesn't always (and shouldn't always) match up.

as Christians we are called to love and care for (physically and spiritually) those who don't believe just as we do our brothers and sisters in Christ. the Pope is corect that there needs to be a spiritual renewal. he is correct that a spiritual problem is the root of all this. but does that mean we can't take measures to help people who have different values and beliefs protect themselves from a disease that will kill them? in pragmatic evangelical terms, we would be robbing them of the opportunity to have a full life in which the gospel could work on their heart if we didn't try to save their lives.

of course this is a big gray area with lots of discussion. i don't have the answers. i don't think there's any “increasing the problem” in Africa – it's about as bad as it can get. any compassion and help, be it in the form of condoms or food or education or whatever, will save lives and is worth it.
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March 20, 2009

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Aunt Mary said:

I think it is very, very hard to understand the Pope’s comments without reading and studying the context of it. The Theology of the Body is extensive but it brings a richness and fullness to sexuality and human beings that cannot be understood without years of study. I don’t say this to trivialize the issues, but with full understanding of the incredible gift God has given us in our sexuality one cannot understand how condem could hurt the person. It is all very esoterical.

I bet you now wish I hadn’t found your blog. I was just looking for the sonogram pictures.
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March 20, 2009

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Andy McMahon said:

I love it. There are things said that I had never thought of. (Though I did think that maybe I should read the entire quote before judging too harshly, OR leniently.)

Aunt Mary, thank you for finding my blog! I love it. read around… I’m excited that you commented. The pictures are to the right! Love you!

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Posted on March 18, 2009 - by Andy McMahon