I'm pretty sure that's not why the Catholic church isn't going to promote condoms, Jacques. In the meantime: don't go to the Pope for medical advice. He's not a doctor.
It's not that he's not promoting them, he's actively condemning their use, besides that, there are large numbers of people that will follow his advice against the advice of their doctor.
The pope should not be handing out medical advice precisely because he is not a doctor, but that does not seem to stop him.
> it was dumb of me to take the bait, and now I regret doing so. Sorry.
An insult in an apology :)
Joke for you: Judge: John, what did you say? John: I said he was an asshole. Judge: Apologize for that! John: Ok. "George, I'm sorry you're an asshole".
It wasn't meant as bait, sorry you interpreted it as such. It's just that the way the church has dealt with scientific stuff (and medicine is science too) is really painful and problematic to me.
Lives are at stake here, millions of them, especially in Africa and one word from one guy could change this, and he chooses not to speak it.
Any proof of that? Everything I have read shows that the uptake in condoms in Africa hasn't caused a proportionate decline in AIDS. This makes me question the hypothesis that condoms are the answer to the problem.
from your links:
The Pope says>> believes marital fidelity and sexual abstinence are the best way to prevent the spread of HIV.
Scientist says >>The best way to avoid transmission of the virus is to abstain from sexual intercourse or have a long-term mutually monogamous relationship with an uninfected person.
Sounds like the old dude knows what he is talking about. From those links it looks like the best plan of attack is condoms for high risk people and partner reduction strategies for the general population. The condoms for everyone approach seems to spend time and materials ineffectively.
> Everything I have read shows that the uptake in condoms in Africa hasn't caused a proportionate decline in AIDS.
On another note, your expectations are wholly without merit, the use of condoms can only halt the spreading of aids, but not its prevalence, and hence will never cause a decline.
The pope should not be handing out medical advice precisely because he is not a doctor, but that does not seem to stop him.
Real damage is done by this dogmatic stance.