CNN, Faith
Karimi, 28 March 2009
(CNN) --
Critics took to the social networking site Facebook to voice their fury over
Pope Benedict's remark that condoms do not prevent HIV.
 |
| Thousands of Facebook supporters plan to send condoms to the Vatican. |
Thousands
have pledged to send the pontiff millions of condoms to protest the
controversial comment he made to journalists as he flew to Cameroon last week.
"You
can't resolve it with the distribution of condoms," the pope told
reporters. "On the contrary, it increases the problem."
Pope
Benedict XVI has made it clear he intends to uphold the traditional Catholic
teaching on artificial contraception. The Vatican has long opposed the use of
condoms and other forms of birth control and encourages sexual abstinence to
fight the spread of the disease.
About a
dozen Facebook groups have sprang up, mostly from European countries,
criticizing the pontiff.
"The
clergy aren't supposed to have sex at all, but they are free to tell people how
to conduct themselves? That's like a girl who wears no make-up as the CEO of
CoverGirl," one member posted on the page, "Condoms for Pope Benedict
XVI."
"It
frightens me that a man who has devoted his life to moral guidance ... and is
undeniably a learned, intelligent man can be at the same time so narrow-minded,
bigoted and irresponsible," posted another person on a different page.
The online
campaign added another voice to a deluge of criticism, which includes the
governments of France, Germany and Belgium. Aid agencies and other health
organizations have also chimed in.
The Lancet,
a British medical journal, urged the pope Saturday to issue a retraction for
themore "outrageous and wildly inaccurate" statement to journalists
aboard his plane.
"When
any influential person, be it a religious or political leader, makes a false
scientific statement that could be devastating to the health of millions of
people, they should retract or correct the public record," The Lancet said
in an editorial.
"Anything
less from Pope Benedict would be an immense disservice to the public and health
advocates, including many thousands of Catholics, who work tirelessly to try
and prevent the spread of HIV/AIDS worldwide."
Some in the
Catholic Church have rallied to the pontiff's support.
Cardinal
Angelo Bagnasco, head of the Italian Bishops Conference, told Times Online in
Britain that Benedict was simply pointing out that condoms "had not solved
and could not solve the AIDS problem."
Despite the
controversy, the pope's pilgrimage spurred excitement in Africa. An estimated 1
million people turned out to hear him preach a Mass in Angola on Sunday, the
last major event of his trip. He spoke of the need for reconciliation in the
country, which has endured a brutal civil war.
"Look
to the future with hope, trust in God's promises and live in his truth. In this
way you will build something that will stand and endure," he said.
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