Kat, would you listen to anybody who told you either to use or not to use condoms? I think the fact of the matter is, you would not follow that person's advice unless you agreed with that advice. Do you think adult "Catholics in South America and other (third world) countries" are so primitive and so stupid and so inferior to you, that they cannot make their own decisions?

There is a direct correlation between poverty, lack of education, and population growth, Joe. To compare someone such as myself, or my Catholic sisters-in-law who live in a fairly liberated and educated society to someone who lives in a third world country in extreme poverty and dominated by a patriarchal society is disingenuous.

Lack of education does not denote "stupidity" nor does it mean "primitive" as you well know, yet you try to put those words in my mouth. Lack of education may mean a woman does not know about contraception OR does not have access to it or know where to find it, esp. if she is dominated by the men in her life: father, husband, brothers, religious leaders and may have little contact with the outside world, i.e. no internet or other media available which may present information and different views on life.

Do the research, Joe. There are plenty of websites which will make the connections for you and, it is not just the RCC, it is also other male-dominated religions...take a look at statistics for countries in the Middle East, for instance.

It has been shown that when women are better educated about birth control, economics, etc. the population growth slows and, yes, they say "no," even if it's just silently to themselves, to the Pope, their priest, whomever, when it comes to their rights over their bodies.

Remember when the shrub was in office and he and the GOP-dominated congress made it illegal for any agency to send aid to another country which included any information on contraception, including condoms to prevent AIDS? The RCC and other leading religions did nothing to oppose that. As a consequence, in Africa, where condoms were hard to come by, both economically and literally, whole generations of people have died of AIDS, leaving orphans in their wake. Yet, the "official" line from the old men who have no fear of getting someone pregnant, no fear of what they will eat and feed the children each day, no fear of a stronger, bigger person dictating to them what they can and cannot do with their bodies, it is a SIN to use a condom.

Yep, members of the RCC like you and my in-laws pick and choose which tenets to follow, but that is a luxury of the country you live in, Joe. I am NOT attacking individuals of the RCC no more than Stephen Fry, except to call you on some of your assertions. BUT, yes, I certainly DO attack and blame the LEADERS of any religion who advocate keeping women in a state of poverty whether it is economic/spiritual/moral/and/or educational. There are no good excuses for such in today's world.