Vatican’s View On Use Of Condom

Doctor John Downs, currently employed at the Messina Hospital, in Northern South Africa, participates in a monthly campaign where more than 1000 condoms are distributed to locals. “We have been distributing for a while now. For employees around here, it has become common sense for us to try to help in reducing AIDS infections within the population.” It is said that 20% of South Africans are infected with HIV.

Beitbridge, just a few miles north of Messina, is the first town to be seen after the border between Zimbabwe and South Africa. It is also said that Zimbabwe, now facing a cholera epidemic, is among one of the nations with the highest HIV infection rate in the south of the continent.

The distribution of condoms has been long condemned by the catholic church, claiming on occasions that the method of prevention is not effective because the virus is seemingly smaller than the latex pores. Cardinal Alfonso Lopez Trujilo continues “These margins of uncertainty… should represent an obligation on the part of the health ministries and all these campaigns to act in the same way as they do with regard to cigarettes, which they state to be a danger.”

Is this an exaggeration?

The World Health Organization has condemned Vatican’s claims, stating that there is no time for “incorrect statements” when the world is currently facing a global pandemic that has already killed more than 20 million people, and currently affects the lives of at least 42 million. The Vatican maintains it’s position, claiming that the problem is “an easily recognizable fact.”

The problem is that the Vatican has already, by papal decree, condemned the use of condom because it promotes promiscuity, prostitution, and the “misuse” of sex. Furthermore, this frenzy has led to Tanzanian priests claiming that some condoms are sold with HIV infections within them.

Pope John Paul II has continuously fought against any method of contraception because it was a break in the link between sex and procreation. But how far is one willing to go for their beliefs? Would it be considered “right” to wage continuous attacks against the most widespread use of contraceptive at the expense of millions of lives?

The Vatican’s claims have not tampered with some Federal Government’s initiative to offer free samples of the contraceptive. Brazil has, regardless claims from the Pope during his last visit to the country, launched a campaign that offered free condoms to the population. A campaign that most would deem successful after almost four years of existence.

To my viewing, this is equivalent to saying “throw yourself into a war unprepared”, whereas if you were equipped, it would — quite simply put — be morally incorrect.

It is my understanding that this topic has previously been discussed, and is quite popular to say the least, but this debate still continues. There are people who have no idea of what happens when they copulate. International efforts have been waged to try to educate populations all over the world, but you still get individuals who are either unaware of the situation or, to the worst example out there, some who take pleasure in infecting others with the virus.

It is not correct to ban contraceptive methods because of morale, for different people will have different beliefs on what is wrong and what is right. But it is certainly not right to ban the distribution of condoms. Not in this status quo.