German bishop warns against making a condom taboo
From the main German TV station, ZDF
Discussion of condom-criticism of the pope continues
The discussion about the condom's criticism of the pope does not stop. Politicians, and AIDS activists plaguing Benedict's remarks - but also a German Bishop saw reason to be stressed: "The church is not in a dark anti-condom-corner."
In an article for the weekly newspaper Die Zeit in Hamburg the Catholic Bishop Hans-Jochen Jaschke warns against making a taboo from condoms. At the same time he warned of their over-estimation. "The church is not in a dark anti-condom-corner from which they want to intimidate people," he wrote in the guest article.
Benedict XVI on Tuesday at the start of his Africa trip said that the AIDS epidemic cannot be overcome by the distribution of condoms which only magnified the problems. 67 percent of HIV-infected people in the world live in Africa. 17 million people on the continent have already died of AIDS.
"Condoms do not solve the problem '
Jaschke defended the position of the Catholic Church onn AIDS: they follow a holistic approach of awareness, prevention and assistance for the sick. Human sexuality requires responsibility for themselves and others. At the same time, the bishop does not reject the use of condoms"Anyone who has AIDS and sexually active, who seeks ever-changing partners, must protect others and themselves." he writes. If a husband sick with AIDS has sex with his wife, " protection is required."
Jaschke defended the position of the Catholic Church onn AIDS: they follow a holistic approach of awareness, prevention and assistance for the sick. Human sexuality requires responsibility for themselves and others. At the same time, the bishop does not reject the use of condoms"Anyone who has AIDS and sexually active, who seeks ever-changing partners, must protect others and themselves." he writes. If a husband sick with AIDS has sex with his wife, " protection is required."
At the same time, the bishop warned against "myths and trivialisation". The distribution of condoms could not solve the problem. Men often rejected from their use. Ignorance, lack of hygiene, and inhumane living conditions created a dangerous breeding ground for the spread of AIDS. Jaschke also referred to the global commitment of the Church against AIDS. Half the institutions in the fight against AIDS globally were church organisations, one quarter being Catholic organisations.
The SPD federal ministers, Ulla Schmidt and Heidemarie Wieczorek-Zeul, spoke against the pope, without mentioning him explicitly. "Modern development cooperation must give the poorest of the poor access to family planning. And in particular, the use of condoms. Anything else would be irresponsible," they made a joint declaration in Berlin. In addition tcondoms played a crucial role in the fight against the immune deficiency disease AIDS.
Sharp criticism came from the health policy spokesman of the SPD, Wolfgang Wodarg, and the German AIDS-Hilfe. Wodarg said, by "his reckless speech displaying ideological hostility to the world, the Pope places a heavy guilt upon himself. He endangers human life and devaluea responsible prevention work of many non-governmental organizations, governments and international education programs."
Sharp criticism came from the health policy spokesman of the SPD, Wolfgang Wodarg, and the German AIDS-Hilfe. Wodarg said, by "his reckless speech displaying ideological hostility to the world, the Pope places a heavy guilt upon himself. He endangers human life and devaluea responsible prevention work of many non-governmental organizations, governments and international education programs."
AIDS-Hilfe said that given the millions suffering from HIV and AIDS in Africa, the categorical rejection of the condom by the Vatican is "cynical and devalues humanity". Further a spokesman said: "The Pope not only sins against Catholics but the whole of humanity."
"Pope has not strictly forbidden condoms "
The head of the German Section of Vatican Radio in Rome, Father Eberhard von Gemmingen, defended the church leader. "Pope Benedict XVI has not strictly forbidden condoms, as is shown," he told Deutsche Welle. "The Pope has just said that the condom is not a 'solution'. That's one thing I hope we all agree," said the Father. The solution lies in overcoming poverty.
"Pope has not strictly forbidden condoms "
The head of the German Section of Vatican Radio in Rome, Father Eberhard von Gemmingen, defended the church leader. "Pope Benedict XVI has not strictly forbidden condoms, as is shown," he told Deutsche Welle. "The Pope has just said that the condom is not a 'solution'. That's one thing I hope we all agree," said the Father. The solution lies in overcoming poverty.
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Comments
This is unbelievable. What does this priest mean by saying that the Pope "has not strictly forbidden condoms, as is shown"??? No just the Pope but the Church teaches that the use of a condom in a sexual relationship is intrinsically evil. Therefore, forbidden!!!
VATICAN CITY, 19 MAR 2009 (VIS) - The Holy See Press Office released the following communique yesterday afternoon:
"Concerning certain reactions aroused by the Pope's remarks on HIV/AIDS during his apostolic trip to Africa, Holy See Press Office Director Fr. Federico Lombardi S.J. has explained that the Holy Father was reiterating the position of the Catholic Church and the basic lines of her commitment to combat the terrible scourge of HIV/AIDS: Firstly, by educating people to a responsible practice of sexuality and by reaffirming the essential role marriage and the family. Secondly, by research into, and application of, effective cures for HIV/AIDS, and by making them available to the largest possible number of sick people through numerous initiatives and healthcare institutions. Thirdly, by human and spiritual assistance to AIDS victims and all other suffering people, who have always been close to the Church's heart.
"These are the areas in which the Church concentrates her efforts, not believing that relying primarily on the greater dissemination of condoms is, in fact, the best, most longsighted or effective way to combat the scourge of HIV/AIDS and safeguard human life".
OP/CLARIFICATION AIDS/LOMBARDIVIS 090319 (200)
Politically correct knee-jerk-reactions like that, just one step away from Thabo Mbeki and Robert Mugabe who reportedly have both suggested that AIDS comes from poverty rather than HIV infection, won't take us (resp. Africa) anywhere. There is no cause and effect between the high AIDS-rate and poverty in Africa, not even if one DOES take the HIV-virus into consideration. Rather, both, poverty and AIDS, go back to a mutual cause nobody will ever mention. And if the Holy Father dares to scratch even the surface of the problem, all hell breaks loose.