Pope: Condoms no help against AIDS in Africa, condoms might make things worse.

[Sheilbh]

Well, while grumbler may call it a "no true Scotsman fallacy", I personally see catholicism in countries where it is dominant (e.g. Poland, Italy, South America, Ireland) much more representative of what it truly is than catholicism in countries where it is one of the competing religions (like the US or the UK).

But Catholicism's a hugely diverse faith.  The religion in Poland, Italy, South America and Ireland are all very different.

In England the RCC is an establishment Church, though it didn't used to be.  It's broadly speaking quite liberal and middle class.  It's the Church of Newman rather than Manning.  Though it's still activist on many subjects such as immigration rights and life issues.  Now, thanks to the Poles, it's the largest faith in England.

The RCC in Scotland on the other hand is very different.  It's still a bit of a dissident Church in a far less friendly country.  It's not establishment and it's still not middle class.   It tends to have a firebreathing  heirarchy to fairly compete with the CofS, FCofS and HFCofS.  The archetypal Scottish prelate is Cardinal Winning.

I think the success of the Catholic Church has largely been because it isn't Poland everywhere.  It moulds itself very successfully to other countries' traditions and positions, while always remaining uniquely Catholic.  So when you say South America do you mean the Church in Rio with a long-standing outreach program to the LGBT community (homophobic feeling in Rio is on the rise because of the emergence of Evangelical Christianity, not the RCC), or do you mean the Churches in Peru and Bolivia who bless llama fetuses before they're buried for good luck, or do you mean the Churches in Central America committed above all to their social mission and pushing for the canonisation of Romero?

And, of course, the Church's recent strength in the US is largely down to Mexican migrants (in a similar way to the Irish in the 19th century in the US and England) so is that Catholic enough a Church?

[Phillip V]

Free condoms ain't gonna do crap when the moral fiber of society is non-existent. As long as the people keep raping and killing each other amongst corrupt broken governments and economically destitute countries, HIV/AIDS will persist.

Heck, husbands think it is fine to have multiple partners, but he sure as hell is not going to dishonorably wear a condom for his wife. Meanwhile, 1 in 4 girls are raped by the time they are 16? (A guess, but probably some terrible figure.) African armies use rape as a weapon of war. Give the people some jobs, rights, education, government, and peace before bickering over condoms as "the solution".

[garbon]

Free condoms ain't gonna do crap when the moral fiber of society is non-existent. As long as the people keep raping and killing each other amongst corrupt broken governments and economically destitute countries, HIV/AIDS will persist.

Heck, husbands think it is fine to have multiple partners, but he sure as hell is not going to dishonorably wear a condom for his wife. Meanwhile, 1 in 4 girls are raped by the time they are 16? (A guess, but probably some terrible figure.) African armies use rape as a weapon of war. Give the people some jobs, rights, education, government, and peace before bickering over condoms as "the solution".

Yeah, so naturally one should say that condoms would actually worsen the crisis.

[Phillip V]

Yeah, so naturally one should say that condoms would actually worsen the crisis.

Beans. He does talk about the bigger issues, too, including treatment of women and tribal/ethnic rivalry.

[garbon]

Beans. He does talk about the bigger issues, too, including treatment of women and tribal/ethnic rivalry.

Oh so if you say enough nice things you can spout ignorant bullshit?

[grumbler]

Oh so if you say enough nice things you can spout ignorant bullshit?

Wassamatta?  Afraid someone is gonna make you say some nice things before you resume your normal style of discourse? 

[Valmy]

Now, thanks to the Poles, it's the largest faith in England.

In your face Henry VIII

[garbon]

Wassamatta?  Afraid someone is gonna make you say some nice things before you resume your normal style of discourse? 

Hmm?

[Phillip V]

Oh so if you say enough nice things you can spout ignorant bullshit?

My mother says some bullshit from time to time, but I should not harp on the little things, for I love her.

Such is the same with the Pope, our Father. 

[garbon]

My mother says some bullshit from time to time, but I should not harp on the little things, for I love her.

Such is the same with the Pope, our Father. 

My family would not exist if we didn't harp on one another.