Pope & Condoms

So, Pope Benedict XVI decides to go on a week-long trip through the continent of Africa. This past Tuesdays he makes comments on condoms and how they are used to fight HIV. I'm not sure of his exact quote, word-for-word, but it was something along the lines of, "condoms do not help fight HIV, in fact they increase the problem." I would have to respectfully disagree with his comments, and first say, "Are you serious? You're the Pope and you think condoms increase the numbers of HIV in Africa [or maybe around the world in general]." This is why he is not a scientist and I am not the pope.

First, I have to put myself in his shoes and look at this from his perspective. I truly believe like, Pope John Paul II, that abstinence is the key to absolving this world of HIV/AIDS. I'm an optimistic person, but that's not gonna happen. That is unless there is a sexually transmitted disease that will cause someone's body to disintegrate after 30 days. Maybe then people will start to learn. But abstinence has always been and will always be the key. So I level with him and see that he might be saying that since condoms are available it is somewhat giving people the option to have sex, sex, and more sex.

Then I step back into the real world and think of an analogy....Aha....Having condoms readily available--especially in Africa where it is most prevalent--is like being a firefighter in Africa without a suit, gas mask, oxygen tank, and etc. You would be fighting fires and saving people from burning buildings while getting burned too. Sooner or later you would die while trying to save someone without any form of protective gear to shield yourself from the flames. Stations would go through firefighters like clockwork. That is until there is either the smart fireman or the smart fire station that makes the sacrifice to purchase the protective gear. Other firefighters and stations will look in awe like, "Aww man. I could have prevented that burn on my face I just had last week if I had that protective gear on." And the individuals wearing the gear would say, "Now I can really do my job. Ahhhh. This is safer and I feel even better living life and fighting fires." I use analogies a lot to help people understand something that I may not have the words for, and analogies are great.

If there weren't condoms this epidemic would be a whole lot worse than it is now. For someone who has such a respected opinion he should have thought about this a lot more. Now Catholic followers can use that in saying, "Well the Pope said that condoms aren't helping, so let's not use them at all." That's looking at his statement in relative to people out there who prey on women and vice versa.

Condoms are HIGHLY effective in preventing HIV infection. In a two year study, in which one partner was HIV-infected and the other was HIV-negative, no uninfected parter became infected among couples using condoms correctly and consistently at every act of vaginal or anal sex versus 10 percent of those using condoms inconsistently (www. advocatesforyouth.org).

They are needed and the concept of sex should be discussed in more households. I hope the Pope rethinks his thoughts, because many families and individuals around the world listen and follow everything the Pope says.

Those are just my thoughts as an eternal student, though.