pope continues policy of blatant ignorance and cruelty

recently, on a visit to africa, pope benedict spoke out against the use of condoms in the fight against HIV/AIDS, stating that HIV/AIDS is “a tragedy that cannot be overcome by money alone, that cannot be overcome through the distribution of condoms, which can even increase the problem”. 

“You can’t resolve it with the distribution of condoms,” the pope told reporters aboard the Alitalia plane headed to Yaounde, Cameroon, where he will begin a seven-day pilgrimage on the continent. “On the contrary, it increases the problem.”

in the effort to lessen the number of unwanted pregnancies and sexually transmitted diseases, ALL methods should be advocated: abstinence, safe sex (condom use), birth control.  clearly abstinence and monogamy are the safest approach to take; HOWEVER, relying upon them alone is ignorant, unrealistic and cruel:

from Papal Comments Regarding Condoms Angers Aids Activists: Rebecca Hodes, Head of Policy, Communication and Research, at the Treatment Action Campaign (TAC), highlighted the importance of considering gendered power imbalances and the socio-eonomic context which fuels HIV infection rates.

“Preaching abstinence to many communities in Africa is alienating and irrelevant,” Hodes said. “Many, many women in Africa only know co-erced and transactional sex. To instruct these women to abstain from sex or to remain faithful to only one partner demonstrates an alarming and pernicious ignorance of their sexual realities.”

furthermore, people are people.  they may strive for perfection, but they make mistakes.  they make unwise choices.  illness and death should not be the only other alternatives:

Sub-Saharan Africa remains the region most heavily affected by HIV worldwide, accounting for 67% of all people living with HIV and for 75% of AIDS deaths in 2007.  The nine countries in Southern Africa continue to bear a disproportionate share of the global AIDS burden—35% of HIV infections and 38% of AIDS deaths in 2007 happened there.—from unaids.org

it is simply unconscionable that the pope would choose to focus on the use of *condoms* rather than on myths such as the “virgin cure” (the belief that an intact hymen and blood of a virgin will cure a man of aids), which have sparked such an increase in child abuse cases that billboards are now being used in an effort to dispel such myths:

once again, the church proves how out of touch with reality that it is.

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Tagged as: religion,news,aids March 25, 2009 @ 12:09 pm

here be dragons! ;o

Here Be Dragons is a free 40 minute video introduction to critical thinking. It is suitable for general audiences and is licensed for free distribution and public display.

Most people fully accept paranormal and pseudoscientific claims without critique as they are promoted by the mass media. Here Be Dragons offers a toolbox for recognizing and understanding the dangers of pseudoscience, and appreciation for the reality-based benefits offered by real science.

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Tagged as: religion,atheism,science,fallacies,psychology January 06, 2009 @ 05:34 pm

stories that make you go… O.O

sometimes, the only reaction you can have to the news is… 

Fla. woman claims ‘Merry Christmas’ got her fired:

PENSACOLA, Fla. – A Christian woman claims she was fired from her job because she greeted callers with “Merry Christmas,” but the vacation rental company says it’s no Scrooge and the woman is just a disgruntled employee.

Tonia Thomas, 35, said she refused to say “Happy Holidays” and was fired, even after offering to use the company’s non-holiday greeting. The Panama City woman filed a federal complaint that accuses the company of religious discrimination. She is seeking compensation for lost wages.

“I hold my core Christian values to a high standard and I absolutely refuse to give in on the basis of values. All I wanted was to be able to say ‘Merry Christmas’ or to acknowledge no holidays,” she said Tuesday. “As a Christian, I don’t recognize any other holidays.”

Thomas said she is Baptist.

exactly what christian “values” require the use of the words “merry christmas”, rather than “happy holidays”?  “have a merry christmas and a happy new year” is ok, but “happy holidays” is not?  is her god REALLY that shallow?

“as a christian, i don’t recognize any other holidays.”  well, guess what, ms. thomas, regardless of whether you “recognize” them or not, they exist.  they don’t cease to exist by sticking your fingers in your ears and yelling “lalala, i can’t hear you”.  acknowledging reality doesn’t require that you participate in those holidays.

but guess what?  there’s a whole “12 days of christmas”, which apparently some “christians” idiots have forgotten.  it’s more than just a song!  the 12 days count from december 25th clear on through january 6th, the epiphany, which is a ~christian~ holiday, so even if lil ms. thomas’ god is really that shallow, even he should be happy that people would recognize the entire season of holidays.

so can we all get over this “war on christmas” bullshit already?  happy fucking holidays >:|

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Tagged as: holidays,religion,politics,racism,news,elections2008,christmas,democrats January 03, 2009 @ 04:30 am

all dogs go to heaven!

duelling church signs

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Tagged as: humor,religion,photos September 16, 2008 @ 07:44 pm

Evolutionists Flock To Darwin-Shaped Wall Stain

Evolutionists Flock To Darwin-Shaped Wall Stain

“It’s a stain on a wall, and nothing more,” said the Rev. Clement McCoy, a professor at Oral Roberts University and prominent opponent of evolutionary theory. “Anything else is the delusional fantasy of a fanatical evolutionist mindset that sees only what it wishes to see in the hopes of validating a baseless, illogical belief system. I only hope these heretics see the error of their ways before our Most Powerful God smites them all in His vengeance.”

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Tagged as: humor,religion,evolution September 07, 2008 @ 01:56 pm