Pope 'distorting condom science'

[steven johnson]

Source: BBC

One of the world's most prestigious medical journals, the Lancet, has accused Pope Benedict XVI of distorting science in his remarks on condom use.

It said the Pope's recent comments that condoms exacerbated the problem of HIV/Aids were wildly inaccurate and could have devastating consequences. The Pope had said the "cruel epidemic" should be tackled through abstinence and fidelity rather than condom use.

Correspondents say the attack from the Lancet was unprecedentedly virulent. But the London-based Lancet said the Pope had "publicly distorted scientific evidence to promote Catholic doctrine on this issue". It said the male latex condom was the single most efficient way to reduce the sexual transmission of HIV/Aids.

"Whether the Pope's error was due to ignorance or a deliberate attempt to manipulate science to support Catholic ideology is unclear," said the journal. But is said the comment still stood and urged the Vatican to issue a retraction.


Read more: http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/europe/7967173.stm

---

Religious distortions of science do a disservice to both science and religion. They initially mislead the public about science in tangible ways and eventually make people distrust religion.

[Richard Steele]

1. Go, Lancet! K&R

[saigon68]

17. He needs to get his priests to Zip up their Trousers

[Not Me]

2. Murderer

This man

by his deeds is guilty of murder.

[HysteryDiagnosis]

3. Shouldn't he be making

cookies in a hollow tree somewhere??

[bitchkitty]

13. pffffft - went the tea, all over my keys.

You're right, he looks like Mr. Keebler!

[HysteryDiagnosis]

16. Think how much money he could make for charity if he would

do a Keebler commercial....

[applegrove]

11. Yup. That is what he is doing to Africa.

[HereSince1628]

4. Ratzo refuses "condom"ints on his frankfurters. Dumbass eats them "zonder" n/t

[xchrom]

5. recommend

[Sultana]

6. The Pope should be bitchslapped with condoms a million times

:evilgrin:

[geckosfeet]

7. The pope is a theologian - not a reproductive biologist. WTF does he know about condoms.

[givemebackmycountry]

8. He Don't Care - That's the point -

The Church could give a shit how many people die.
As long as the doctrine is adhered to, who really gives a shit?

GOD -

He needs a major upgrade in the fucking PR department, because the assholes he's got representing him now ain't getting it done.

[DJ13]

9. He's really stretching the truth, thats for sure

:yoiks:

[unkachuck]

10. someone....

....from the Lancet should put a condom on and go visit the Nazi Pope....we need to know if the Nazi Popes' personal preference is go condomless....hypocrisy could cost the Nazi Pope my loyal support....

[kanrok]

12. Gosh....sorry to be a hate-party pooper

But it appears that a Harvard professor agrees with Pope Benedict

http://www.catholicnewsagency.com/new.php?n=15445

[ehrnst]

20. The Lancet is also a scientific source - and sees differently from this one professor.

The Pope's first priority is to promote RC dogma. He has and will continue to disregard or distort science to the ends of getting people to comply with RC teachings.

The Vatican promotes the idea that Abortion causes mental harm - when science shows that it doesn't.

If the scientific community's findings show him to be correct on HIV/AIDS prevention - it will not be because he respects the value of science, it will be a case of a stopped clock being right twice a day.

[kanrok]

21. He's hardly disregarding science

You have two scientific giants debating the issue, yet you only find one credible.

Shocker.

[TommyO]

14. In other words, Ratzo lied!

How typical of an anti-gay, misogynistic, hateful, church hierarchy. My apologies to Catholics, my beef is with the hierarchy, not you.

[glinda]

15. He is throwing the people to the Evangelicals as they are leaving the Church. Truly sad.

He is a selfish man.

[Wednesdays]

18. Kick and Rec

:kick:

[Joe Bacon]

19. Eggs Benedict doesn't care about black people.

That is the bottom line. Screw him and his newest pal Newt!

[daleo]

22. Condom science has been distorted by the pope

And blown up all out of proportion. Hopefully, there will be a breakthrough soon.

[AngryOldDem]

23. The Vatican will never retract its stance on condoms.

It's Galileo all over again, only with much more deadly consequences. Maybe in 500 years the Church will revisit its position.