1. I fatti:
- Il 17 marzo, durante la conferenza stampa sul volo che lo portava in Africa, il Papa ha parlato tra le altre cose del problema AIDS, ed ha dichiarato in sostanza che: "Serve un rinnovo spirituale e umano della sessualità" e che "non si può superare (l'epidemia di aids) con la distribuzione dei preservativi che, anzi aumentano i problemi."
- Tra i tanti a contestare il Papa per queste dichiarazioni, ci sono alcuni governi europei e la stessa Unione Europea. La sostanza delle contestazioni si concentra sul concetto secondo where condoms are harmful, not the rest.
- Scores of Catholics have now defended the Pope from these criticisms, concerning the concept of "condom harmful" and together, the public related to the Catholic world has provided a range of data to support what was said by the Pope (Some distinguished commentators, are happily focused on the use of the word "condom", stating that it was with joy the first time a pope used the word that nice comment! As if the Pope was an elderly lady with a past age by purity to sharpness. The form will also be important and worthy of analysis. In fact, the distinguished commentators Vatican knows that in some ambiti la forma è sostanza; ma qui il Papa non parlava ex cathedra , era un'intervista, e concentrarsi sulla forma dimenticando il contenuto non è bene per un giornalista, anche per un vaticanista che è pur sempre un giornalista. -eh si, lo so anche io che dire che un vaticanista è un giornalista sembra uno scoop- )
2. I dati e le loro confutazioni:
- Dichiarazioni del Papa dal sito del Vaticano: "....Direi che non si può superare questo problema dell'Aids solo con slogan pubblicitari. Se non c'è l'anima, se gli africani non si aiutano, non si può risolvere il flagello con la distribuzione di profilattici: al contrario, il rischio è di aumentare the problem "(see: http://www.vatican.va/holy_father/benedict_xvi/speeches/2009/march/documents/hf_ben-xvi_spe_20090317_africa-interview_it.html ).
But journalists at the conference have recorded these words, quoting the Corriere della Sera: From transcription of the records in the possession of journalists, the words of Benedict XVI are instead in the following way: "... I would say that you can not overcome this problem of AIDS only with money that is needed but if there is no soul who knows how to apply them, not help, can not be overcome with the distribution of condoms, on the contrary, increase the problem. "
- Ineffectiveness of condoms : The Pope's phrase "the condoms increases the problem," is explained by some of his defenders argued that the lack of water, the weather is hot and dusty African increases the likelihood of breakage of the condom, as well as the increase in the inexperience 'use and a more rural way of life (cf. with http://www.ilsussidiario.net/articolo.aspx?articolo=14466 ). Among the many controcritiche who has accused the Pope of being wrong, this is the most sensible. But the vision of Africa as only huge remote village, is at least simplistic. The testimony of Rose Busingye (reported in the previous link) is important, but it's an experience, and as such is a bit 'out a little to draw from so absolute theory of the type "distribute condoms in Africa is useless because you can not use both" (a theory supported by the quiet piety of thought "Negro-African-dirt-no-stupid-could-use- condom-no-break "). The experience documented by Rose Busingye is not marginal, perhaps dominant, but urban life in Africa is much lower. The urban population moves to the African share 45% and sub-Saharan Africa (the one where AIDS is most prevalent), the percentage is greater, and it is the urban areas most affected. These areas of high urban growth, have certainly not all Western standards, and is also true that the urban population lives worse than the rural, dirty and unhealthy places, but access to water is easier than the village. Then compared to the temperatures of Africa, we can say that are not dissimilar from those of the rest of the world crossed by the same climatic zones, and then proclaim the absolute uselessness of condoms for technical and logistic reasons-climate is a gross exaggeration.
- African countries with greater spread of Catholicism are those with less spread of AIDS. This is a poor attempt to convey a different message, but its mediocrity is insidious because it is false.
Through these links you may have an overview of:
spread AIDS
spread Catholicism
religious majorities country
religions in the world
Why are the defenders of the Pope used this statistic? (African countries with greater spread of Catholicism are those with less spread of AIDS.)
To demonstrate that there are more virtuous? Well, but then the most virtuous are Muslims, because in reality, African countries with greater spread of Islam are those with less spread of AIDS.
Or, use this phantom statistics to show that the attitude proposes that Catholic morality (ie, abstaining) is better than secular emphasizing condoms? But then, we must also note, however, that there is a high spread of AIDS in African countries to the Protestant majority, and it is difficult to say that the moral of these two denominations are substantially different. Among other things, then you find that there are countries with non-monotheistic religions, but closer to animism, where sexual mores are not so regulated by morality, and where AIDS spreads are equal to those countries with a Catholic majority .
Or, you can use these statistics to show that, where the Catholic missions have occurred, the situation improved? I think this review is not wrong, indeed, but that does not mean that the attitude of non-Catholics is wrong, nor that the attitude of the missionaries is coinciding with the pope's words
(see http://www. lastampa.it/redazione/cmsSezioni/cronache/200903articoli/42068girata.asp ). Among Catholics, there are critics, perhaps in a minor key, but not too much of a minority, there are bishops, theologians, and above all faithful missionaries who collided with reality recommend the use of condoms, since they have a pragmatic approach to the problem.
3. Finally:
The success of the Uganda case , cited by defenders of the Pope and the papal argument. (See http://www.avvenire.it/Chiesa/Il+successo+dellUganda+d+ragione+al+Papa_200903190735076170000.htm )
The success of Uganda has a number of factors: first, the political commitment. The state has worked hard to eradicate the disease, a commitment that the governments of other African countries have failed to lend. Second, the money. The anti-AIDS program in Uganda, among others, has involved the United States and the World Bank, it is clear that an economic program supported by huge spending is more effective, to compare countries on which it is poured money with others where there Drought aid, it is useless for understanding the problem. Third, the program can be summed up in the Ugandan ABC (Abstain, be faithful, use condoms = Abstain, Be faithful, use condoms). The three channels of the program obviously have different stories, Be Faithful belongs to the first phase of the program and is currently losing ground. Abstinence is in recent years strongly promoted by the United States through PEPFAR . Condoms has undergone ups and downs of large withdrawals and distributions of condoms. We should then consider how they affected other factors besides the ABC program, for example, how many AIDS patients have died before and during the initial years of the ABC program thus preventing a further wave of infections. The Ugandan success is not, therefore, only of those who see the solution in abstinence or condoms to those who see in the only weapon .*
4. Conclusions:
The story of the criticisms of Pope argued the need for moral education, even before sex, it is extremely correct, to argue that condoms do not produce damage or have a role in the solution is false. The Pope said the false . 'S why we are angry, and much, because you can not criticize a public figure, easily refutable nonsense that says in a press conference? Why should I be attacked for criticizing the Pope? Because the laity must yield to the dogma of papal infallibility?
Perché il Papa si nasconde dietro la sua intoccabilità ultraterrena e non ritorna sulle sue parole, non si preoccupa di spiegare un pensiero che ha suscitato tante polemiche?
Discutendo sull'argomento mi è stato risposto: La chiesa è contro il preservativo perché simboleggia la morale disumana del "fai ciò che vuoi e fregatene", la deresponsabilizzazione e l'istintività. Esatto, la chiesa -una parte- è contro un simbolo, anche se questo simbolo (insieme ad altro) contribuisce a proteggere delle vite.
*Altri esempi di lotta all'aids:
In generale, le condizioni di povertà, la mancate distribuzione di farmaci antiretrovirali, le scarse conoscenze medico-sanitarie, have fostered the spread of the epidemic even though some countries have seen the free distribution of condoms. single tactic is not effective, and the success of a tactic or a combination of these is not always successful when it is exported to other countries.
In Botswana, despite the action of PEPFAR, is the second highest rate of patients.
In Nigeria, the strong presence of Christian missions has low rates of AIDS with low distribution of condoms.
In Zambia, the strong Christian presence, the strong push toward abstinence and low use of condoms, have higher rates of disease spread.
In Zimbabwe, there have been recent improvements thanks to the wide distribution of condoms, the prevalence rates are still not low.
In South Africa, there are high prevalence rates, despite increased economic opportunities and the distribution of condoms. The difficulty arises from the complicated cultural and linguistic situation of the country, which makes it inefficient information campaigns, there is also the problem of rape of virgins (the belief that those who have sex with a virgin-the smaller the better, with cases of rapes of babies-cured of AIDS) that has its roots in Victorian England and from there it spread and persist even today in South Africa and Zimbabwe.
