Condoms promote promiscuity and lead to more HIV infections, says African bishop

Vatican City, Oct 15, 2009 / 02:14 pm MT (CNA).- During his remarks at the Synod of Bishops for Africa taking place at the Vatican, Bishop Joseph Shpandeni Shikongo of Capra, Namibia said condoms spread a “secular and relativistic vision of sexuality” and “encourage promiscuity,” thus increasing the spread of AIDS.
 
Speaking about the public health situation in Namibia, the bishop explained that while the Church in that country does everything possible to promote abstinence in the fight against this disease, she cannot compete with the government, “which is much better financed, has international advisors and access to the national media: television, radio and newspapers. So it has a greater influence than we do.”
 
Thus, the bishop continued, “a secular and relativistic vision of sexuality is spread. For the government, the primary concern is the prevention of infection and the main practical means of avoiding it is the condom: thus an unrealistic trust in its efficacy is being promoted.”
 
“The inefficacy of this means,” he explained, “is deliberately ignored and explained in a vague manner. Thus promiscuity is encouraged, which leads to a greater number of infections.”