catholicsphere

LifeSiteNews.com is reporting that “A Colombian town councilman has proposed making condoms mandatory, suggesting that anyone 14 or older who fails to possess at least one condom be subject to a $180 fine.”

Father Jesus Velasquez said, “I would have to have a condom even though I’m clergy.”

And, LifeSite’s article rightly points out: Studies have shown that condom promotion policies actually increase the spread of AIDS. A Lancet study revealed in 2000 that “vigorous condom-promotion policy could increase rather than decrease unprotected sexual exposure if it has the unintended effect of encouraging greater sexual activity.” The authors of the report wrote that “it is hard to show that condom promotion has had any effect on HIV epidemics.”

This is, in fact, why there is much talk about adding “abstinence campaigns” to the United Nations’ plan to combat the spread of HIV/AIDS, particularly in Africa where the number of victims of AIDS continues to rise, despite an aggressive “condom campaign”, … and in the US the numbers of new AIDS cases is on the rise, with the greatest number of AIDS cases among homosexual men.

The thing to take away from this is that one should take notice of the wording of statements about the effectiveness of condoms against HIV/AIDS, other STDs and “unplanned pregnancies.” Often one will read that “Condoms, if used correctly and consistently, can help prevent both unintended pregnancies and STDs.” But, notice what it does not say … it doesn’t say that it will absolutely prevent these, but that it will help prevent these. It’s an important distinction, which is a reason for promoting abstinence.

If you aren’t ready for babies and don’t want STDs, then abstinence is the best and only method that is 100% effective. Groups out there don’t want people to hear that … they believe people are base animals that cannot control urges, and must submit at any moment to their animal instincts.

Bunk! People can and do control their actions … God has given us this ability and we are called upon by Him to exercise that judgement and restraint, not only when it comes to sex, but to many other occasions of sin.