Many in Africa Reject Pope's Anti-Condom Message

Many have slammed the Nazi Pope Benedict XVI for his delusional statements that condoms increase HIV/AIDS infections and his condemnation of condom distributions in Africa. Fortunately, many within the Catholic Church even in Africa seems to recognize that Benedict XVI is an ignorant, senile old man who is a sick representation of the larger problem of a corrupt and delusional Church hierarchy. Some are even speaking out publicly. As I have said before, I believe what Benedict really wants is rapid growth of Church membership in Africa to help hide the fact that the Church and Vatican authority are in severe decline in educated parts of the world. Thus, the more unwanted pregnancies among African Catholics, the more it helps bolster membership numbers. Sadly, Africa with its often low levels of education and vulnerable populace is still fertile ground for the Church's antiquated and unscientific message. I find Benedict's behavior indeed nearly criminal and it underscores how little the Church leadership cares about the lives of individual Catholics. Here are some highlights from the Washington Post about those opposing Benedict's irresponsible message:

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[S]ince stepping off the papal plane Tuesday, attention has focused on the pope's statements rejecting condoms as a way to stop the spread of HIV in Africa. . . . Luzia Gaspar, a Catholic nurse who trains midwives outside Luanda, prays the pope will reconsider. "It's very dangerous. If we do not counsel people to use condoms we are condemning them to almost certain death," she said.

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This dissident view is held among Catholics throughout Africa, including in the church hierarchy. Some say how the debate is resolved could be the key to controlling AIDS in Africa, and to the continued credibility of the church. To protest the ban on condoms, 14 South African nuns who work with AIDS victims formed Sisters for Justice. And the bishops of southern Africa years ago declared condoms should be used by married couples if one spouse is HIV positive.

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South African Bishop Kevin Dowling, who says he is heartbroken by the sight of dying women with emaciated babies among the victims, says people at risk of spreading HIV "should use a condom in order to prevent the transmission of potential death to another."

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Some Catholic priests in Africa also ignore the church requirement that they take a vow of celibacy. "Priests having affairs is rampant in the church" in South Africa, said Velesiwe Mkwanazi, a former Catholic lay leader who co-founded Women Ordination South Africa and says she knows two priests with children.

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The Rev. Simangaliso Mkhatshwa, a priest who is also a leading member of South Africa's governing African National Congress, said the church needs to have an open discussion about celibacy.

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In Cameroon on Wednesday, Benedict also urged the nation's bishops to defend the traditional African family from the dangers of modernity and secularization. But Mkhatshwa, the South African priest, is more concerned about the pope addressing "training the clergy to minister to the people of today ... to really be getting actively involved in issues of poverty, unemployment, disease, economic and political justice."

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Hopefully, more voices of common sense and enlightenment will flourish and add to those who seek to reject the 12th century mentality that now so heavily prevails throughout the out of touch and corrupt Church hierarchy. Like Christianists in the USA, Benedict helps make the religion a force for evil rather than a force for good.