Well, Diana - I'd like to see evidence that the Catholic Church does much anywhere nowadays to actively oppose birth control or the use of condoms - or to restrict the access people have to condoms. If that's the case, then that would be a problem. It used to be that way in Ireland, but not any longer. On the other hand, I do think it's a bit much to expect a church to promote condoms or birth control. Churches don't generally approve of sex outside of marriage - and the spread of AIDS would be stopped quite well if extramarital sex were stopped.

Now, we all well know that people often choose to violate church prohibitions against extramarital sex. Why is it that people would ignore that prohibition, and yet heed the less-obvious restriction against birth control? If there's a need for condoms and birth control, let some secular agency take care of it - but don't push a church to do it.

I firmly believe in condoms and birth control - and in premarital or nonmarital sex in some long-term, loving, adult relationships - but that's my personal stand on the matter. But let's be realistic - can we really, honestly, logically say that Catholic opposition to birth control causes AIDS - or is that just propaganda? Is it possible that a church can be so effective in prohibiting birth control, and yet so ineffective in prohibiting extramarital sex? Extramarital sex without condoms causes the spread of AIDS, not religious belief. And if a person can be free to choose to engage in extramarital sex, he or he is certainly also just as free to choose to use a condom.

-Joe Offer-