Priests resist condom use in HIV-hit Tanzania
-23/01/06
A new school science syllabus
Priests resist condom use in HIV-hit Tanzania
-23/01/06
A new school science syllabus in Tanzania that incorporates the teaching of how condoms should be used has been described by Roman Catholic bishops as ìunacceptableî, in spite of the spread of HIV-AIDS, writes Frank Jomo for Ecumenical News International.
ìIntroduction of the [teaching of] use of condoms in schools, apart from being sinful, is indeed justification and opening the door for immoral lifestyles,î Cardinal Polycarp Pengo, the archbishop of Dar es Salaam, said in a statement issued by Tanzania’s Episcopal Conference this month.
It continued: ìTeaching children, some as young as 12 years old, the use of condoms is disastrous.î Development workers vigorously disagree.
The disputed part of the syllabus lists several ways of preventing the spread of HIV/AIDS, including the proper use of condoms. The Ministry of Education released the new primary school science programme in November 2005.
Like some other religious bodies in Africa, Tanzania’s Catholic bishops have remained steadfast in their opposition to condoms as a means of contraception and HIV/AIDS prevention, despite two million Tanzanians being HIV positive.
The bishops said their opposition did not imply the church was ìblind to the magnitude of the loss of life and suffering to millions of people infected by the diseaseî.
Rather, they said it was obliged to defend the human dignity, the Catholic Information Service for Africa has reported.
However an official from the Tanzania Aids Commission, Halima Shariff, accused priests of being unrealistic in their approach to curbing the HIV/AIDS scourge in urging people to abstain from sex.
ìThe clerics say the only way to check further spread of HIV/AIDS is to abstain from sex or to have a single partner. Well, that is indeed good; but what do you do with those who cannot manage to abstain, or stick to a single partner?î asked Shariff.
[Also on Ekklesia: Catholic bishops defend position on condoms; Pope faces controversy on gay priests and HIV/AIDS; Artist protests condom ban with Virgin Mary stunt; Indian Catholic Church unveils new HIV/AIDS policy; Churches sign AIDS code; Churches face up to world AIDS pandemic; Cardinal calls for reduction in price of AIDS medicines; The Body of Christ has AIDS, say Methodists; Church leaders say federal budget remains profoundly unjust particularly in areas like HIV/AIDS and development; Faith-based groups vital in HIV/AIDS work, says report; Cameroon Catholic cardinal backs condom use]
Priests resist condom use in HIV-hit Tanzania
-23/01/06
A new school science syllabus in Tanzania that incorporates the teaching of how condoms should be used has been described by Roman Catholic bishops as ‘unacceptable’, in spite of the spread of HIV-AIDS, writes Frank Jomo for Ecumenical News International.
‘Introduction of the [teaching of] use of condoms in schools, apart from being sinful, is indeed justification and opening the door for immoral lifestyles,’ Cardinal Polycarp Pengo, the archbishop of Dar es Salaam, said in a statement issued by Tanzania’s Episcopal Conference this month.
It continued: ‘Teaching children, some as young as 12 years old, the use of condoms is disastrous.’ Development workers vigorously disagree.
The disputed part of the syllabus lists several ways of preventing the spread of HIV/AIDS, including the proper use of condoms. The Ministry of Education released the new primary school science programme in November 2005.
Like some other religious bodies in Africa, Tanzania’s Catholic bishops have remained steadfast in their opposition to condoms as a means of contraception and HIV/AIDS prevention, despite two million Tanzanians being HIV positive.
The bishops said their opposition did not imply the church was ‘blind to the magnitude of the loss of life and suffering to millions of people infected by the disease’.
Rather, they said it was obliged to defend the human dignity, the Catholic Information Service for Africa has reported.
However an official from the Tanzania Aids Commission, Halima Shariff, accused priests of being unrealistic in their approach to curbing the HIV/AIDS scourge in urging people to abstain from sex.
‘The clerics say the only way to check further spread of HIV/AIDS is to abstain from sex or to have a single partner. Well, that is indeed good; but what do you do with those who cannot manage to abstain, or stick to a single partner?’ asked Shariff.
[Also on Ekklesia: Catholic bishops defend position on condoms; Pope faces controversy on gay priests and HIV/AIDS; Artist protests condom ban with Virgin Mary stunt; Indian Catholic Church unveils new HIV/AIDS policy; Churches sign AIDS code; Churches face up to world AIDS pandemic; Cardinal calls for reduction in price of AIDS medicines; The Body of Christ has AIDS, say Methodists; Church leaders say federal budget remains profoundly unjust particularly in areas like HIV/AIDS and development; Faith-based groups vital in HIV/AIDS work, says report; Cameroon Catholic cardinal backs condom use]