Påven och kondomstormen

Har ännu inte hunnit blogga om de uttalanden påven nyligen gjorde i Afrika (som tydligen lett till en mediastorm på över 4.000 artiklar).

Skrev istället ett debattinlägg till Kyrkans tidning, som replik till en hårresande krönika nu i veckan, där Annika Borg uppmanar alla kyrkor och även Sveriges regering att bryta förbindelserna med Vatikanen tills de "bättrar sig"! (Kommer sannolikt att publiceras i bloggen senare.)

För övrigt pågår diverse olustiga kampanjer mot påven på Facebook p.g.a. hans uttalande (samt det sorgliga fallet med den 9-åriga flickan, där det ju inte var han utan en biskop som gjorde bort sig rejält). Tyvärr måste man gå med i grupperna för att kunna kommentera - och jag har ingen lust att visa mitt stöd för dem ens en sekund. Om någon vill ta en titt så heter den svenska gruppen: "Rött kort Vatikanen" och den internationella gruppen kallas: "Papa don't preach", båda har initierats av Birgitta Ohlsson, (FP).

Uppdatering om det sistnämnda: kom på att det ju går att maila och bjuda in till samtal om ämnet här - sagt och gjort!

Hittade nu en artikel där en Harvardforskare bekräftar påvens teorier i kondomfrågan - vilket även överensstämmer med kontentan av det jag skrev i debattinlägget.

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"Benedict XVI’s Tuesday comments on condoms were made as part of his explanation of the Church’s two prong approach to fighting AIDS. At one point in his response the Pontiff stressed that AIDS cannot be overcome by advertising slogans and distributing condoms and argued that they “worsen the problem.” The media responded with an avalanche of over 4,000 articles on the subject, calling Benedict a “threat to public health,” and saying that the Catholic Church should “enter the 21st century.”

Senior Harvard Research Scientist for AIDS Prevention, Dr. Edward Green, who is the author of five books, including “Rethinking AIDS Prevention: Learning from Successes in Developing Countries” discussed his support for Pope Benedict XVI’s comments with CNA.

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“[Risk compensation] is the idea that if somebody is using a certain technology to reduce risk, a phenomenon actually occurs where people are willing to take on greater risk.” The idea can be related to someone that puts on sun block and is willing to stay out in the sun longer because they have added protection. In this case, however, the greater risk is sexual. Because people are willing take on more risk, they may “disproportionally erase” the benefits of condom use, Green said.

Another factor that contributes to ineffective condom use in Africa, is the phenomenon where condoms may be effective on an “individual level,” but not on a “population level.” Green’s research found that “condoms have been effective” in HIV concentrated areas where high risk activities are already being conducted, such as brothels in countries like Thailand.

Claiming to be a liberal himself, Green asserts that promoting Western “liberal ideology” where, “most Africans are conservative when it comes to sexual behavior,” is quite offensive to them. Citing his new book, “Indigenous Theories and Contagious Disease,” Green described Africans as “very religious by global standards” who are offended by “trucks going around where people are dancing to ‘Rock ‘n’ Roll’, tossing out condoms to teenagers and the children of the village.”

Green also noted that there is an ideology called “harm reduction” that is being pushed by many organizations trying to prevent AIDS. The ideology believes that “you can’t change the underlying behavior, that you can’t get people to be faithful, especially Africans,” the HIV specialist explained.

One country, Uganda, recognized these issues and said, “Listen, if you have multiple sex partners, you are going to get AIDS.” What worked in Uganda, a country that has seen a decline by as much as 2/3 in AIDS infections, was that officials realized that even aside from religious and cultural reasons, “no one likes condoms.” Instead of waiting for “American and European advisors to arrive,” Ugandan officials reacted and developed a program that fit their culture; their main message being “stick to one partner or love faithfully.”"

Läs hela artikeln här.

Här finns påvens uttalande.

Läs mer här, här och här.

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Allmän uppdatering:

Vattenglaset som de katolska stormarna pågår i tycks bara bli större. Hade tänkt skriva om detta redan förra veckan - men glömde det. Läs även kommentarerna.