Pope Egghead Benedict: Condoms won't solve Africa's AIDS crisis, "spiritual and moral" lessons will

[marmar]

Pope: condoms not the answer in AIDS fight


ABOARD THE PAPAL PLANE (AP) - Pope Benedict XVI said Tuesday that the distribution of condoms is not the answer in the fight against AIDS in Africa.

Benedict has never before spoken explicitly on condom use although he has stressed that the Roman Catholic Church is in the forefront of the battle against AIDS. The Vatican encourages sexual abstinence to fight the spread of the disease.

"You can't resolve it with the distribution of condoms," the pope told reporters aboard the Alitalia plane headed to Yaounde, Cameroon. "On the contrary, it increases the problem."

Some priests and nuns working with victims of the AIDS pandemic ravaging Africa question the church's opposition to condoms.

The pope also said that he intends to make an appeal for "international solidarity" for Africa in the face of the global economic downturn. ........(more)

The complete piece is at: http://apnews.myway.com/article/20090317/D96VOF2G0.html