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Pope Benedict XVI's recent controversial comments citing condoms as aggravating the AIDS epidemic in Africa have inspired harsh criticism. As a leader of worldwide standing, the Pope has a chance to step up and make a real difference in battling this disease.
Each religious denomination is entitled to stick to their texts and continue to teach their own values and traditions, however, accepting condom use in the case of this ravaging disease is necessary in order to prevent the increase of deaths and infections. The severity of the problem can be somewhat muted by using condoms, and when death is the consequence of not using condoms, then they cannot be discouraged because of the Vatican’s stance against any form of contraception. Africa needs to be the Pope’s exception. By denouncing condom use in Africa, the Pope continues to abandon practical solutions for the AIDS epidemic, instead repeating the same religious rhetoric.
The controversial comment
Pope Benedict XVI spoke about condom use for the first time in March this year en route to Cameroon, Africa. He told reporters that AIDS ‘is a tragedy that cannot be overcome by money alone, and that cannot be overcome through the distribution of condoms, which even aggravate the problems.’
Benedict still insisted that the Catholic Church was at the forefront of the battle against AIDS in Africa, but said the ultimate solution to the disease was sexual abstinence. Refusing to waver from religious tradition means that the church is refusing to accept the reality of the disease in Africa.
This reality is made clear by the bleak statistics. The United Nations estimates that of the total number of people affected with AIDS in 2007, a staggering 22 million were from Sub-Saharan Africa.
In order to promote healthy dialogue in society, religious beliefs and teachings should be challenged, but religious followers should not be forced to compromise their beliefs to completely accept condom use. However, if the Pope declares that condoms enhance the problem and furthermore condemns their use, a practical alternative needs to be given. The pontiff instead cited ‘spiritual awakening’ and ‘friendship for those who suffer’ as methods for the African people to conquer AIDS.
As Stanley Obale Okpu, a civil servant in Cameroon, told The Times, ‘What the Pope says is an ideal for the Catholic Church. But he needs to look at the realities on the ground. One should be aware of these realities.’
How the Vatican hinders change
The Vatican has long prevented Catholic Churches and clinics from distributing condoms or supporting their use, isolating and ignoring them if they choose to disagree with this position, and polarising the supporters of change.
The Vatican also argues against the effectiveness of condoms in reducing infection rates by ignoring the statistics. In a continent so ravaged by the disease, abstinence may help, but condoms are essential in preventing the spread of the disease to people's partners and their children. The World Health Organisation (The WHO) said ‘consistent and correct’ condom use reduced HIV infection risks by 90 per cent. It’s hard to argue loudly against facts as bold as that.
When faced with similar comments from The Vatican in 2003, The WHO said, ‘These incorrect statements about condoms and HIV are dangerous when we are facing a global pandemic which has already killed more than 20 million people, and currently affects at least 42 million.’
Peter Fourie, senior politics lecturer at Macquarie University’s Centre for Mid East and North African studies, has taught in South Africa and has seen a high ratio of HIV positive students. He told ABC Radio National that the number of infections are growing by day, and will be with the African continent for decades to come.
Although Fourie recognises the Pope’s intention is to encourage abstinence as the ‘moral’ means, and the way to completely stop the spread of AIDS between partners, he says it is irresponsible to discourage the use of condoms when it is statistically the most effective way to prevent it spreading.
The need to embrace change
Pope Benedict has a unique chance to bring the Catholic Church and its teachings forward. As he only began his papacy in 2005, and has yet to make his stance known on a variety of issues, he has a new slate to work with. The Pope has the opportunity to make a break from the previous stance that Pope John Paul II followed on controversial topics like condom use, a stance that has drawn fire from critics. It is important that the Pope demonstrates the kind of leadership that the 21st century needs, especially on pressing issues like Africa’s AIDS epidemic. Pope Benedict needs to encourage the use of condoms in order to fight the disease, ease human suffering and to save a vast number of lives, even if he doesn’t accept condoms as a contraceptive measure.
The church does not need to abandon its core teachings of abstinence and no contraception, for it is free to teach what it believes. The Vatican may never overturn its belief that condoms cannot be used as contraception, because it is one of their fundamental principles, and a blanket acceptance of condom use is not essential. But it cannot condemn its use to African nations by saying the only alternative is for complete abstinence and spiritual awakening when the lives of children and wives are sacrificed for an unwavering reliance on tradition. The Pope cannot stick to dogmatic and unrealistic ideas when faced with pressing issues like AIDS in Africa. The result of this inflexibility is death and the spreading of infections to children and spouses. The Pope must lead the Vatican, and embrace the opportunity for change.
How do I know this?
The Australian, ‘Condoms make AIDS worse, Pope says’
http://www.theaustralian.news.com.au/story/0,,25204278-601,00.html?from=public_rss viewed April 1, 209
ABC, ‘Pope says condoms won’t solve AIDS crisis’
http://www.abc.net.au/lateline/content/2008/s2520100.htm viewed April 2, 2009
The Australian, ‘Pope Benedict XVI’s AIDS comments under fire’
http://www.theaustralian.news.com.au/story/0,,25206355-2703,00.html viewed April 1, 2009
ABC Radio National, ‘Pope Benedict says condoms make AIDS epidemic worse’
http://www.abc.net.au/pm/content/2008/s2519981.htm viewed March 31, 2009
The New York Times, ‘The Pope and AIDS’
http://www.nytimes.com/2005/05/08/opinion/08kristof.html?_r=2 viewed April 1, 2009
The Huffington Post, ‘Pope: condoms not the answer’
http://www.huffingtonpost.com/2009/03/17/pope-condoms-not-the-answ_n_175623.html viewed April 2, 2009
The Canberra Times, ‘Pope sends mixed messages to African women’
http://www.canberratimes.com.au/news/opinion/editorial/general/pope-sends-mixed-message-to-african-women/1465892.aspx viewed March 31, 2009
Sydney Morning Herald, ‘Pope says condoms only aggravate aids problem’
http://www.smh.com.au/world/pope-says-condoms-only-aggravate-aids-problem-20090318-927h.html viewed April 1, 2009
Sydney Morning Herald, ‘Parting shot to Pope: get real on AIDS’
http://www.smh.com.au/news/world/parting-shot-to-pope-get-real-on-aids/2005/12/03/1133422148025.html viewed April 1, 2009
The Daily Mail, ‘Vatican defends Pope ‘condoms increase the problem of AIDS in Africa’ controversy’
http://www.dailymail.co.uk/news/worldnews/article-1162679/Vatican-defends-Pope-condoms-increase-problem-Aids-Africa-controversy.html viewed April 1, 2009
