Vanna,

Most people are like sheep...

Whether it's "feminist law" or "Catholic doctrine", the majority of souls seek out a flock to graze amongst.

No Vanna, I don't agree with the above. The church, as any church,
can say whatever it likes to its flock of believers. The world is
full or religions and cults, all claiming to be in touch with the
Almighty, only they knowing the truth.

I have no problem with that, for I believe in freedom of religion.
But I also believe in freedom from religion, as not a single one
of them has ever produced subtantiated evidence to back up their
claims. So believers can believe whatever gets them through
the day and night, I really don't care.

It is when those beliefs intrude on the rights of the rest of us,
sometimes enforced legally by religious lobbying and manipulation
of the political process, that I get cranky.

You clearly have a bee in your bonnet about academics. I know
some brilliant ones, who do great work and benefit society. I also
know others who ride the gravy train. As with all things in life,
its not black and white, but shades of grey.

They are free to criticise religions if they wish, that is up to them.

Personally I tend to ignore religions who stick to their roles of
preaching to their flocks, but if they become political, well then
they are fair game.

Deep Blue, thanks for the link. The situation in the Philipines
is a scandal and the church has much to answer for

Do we listen to and give credibility to every pronouncement from North Korea? No? Good.

Well why does the voice of this old man deserve an ear? He is after all an unelected (in terms of universal suffrage) head of state of a minuscule non-member of the UN whose constitution is that of a theocratic monarchic totalitarian State based on an unproven myth.

If it sounds like North Korea, looks like North Korea, and behaves like North Korea...

Well Yabby,
What is good for the goose is good for the gander, or is it?

I think it important that there are groups who challenge the notion that it is completely safe for someone to have sex with lots of different people, as long as they wear a condom.

And I think it important that there are groups who challenge the notion that if a woman gets pregnant, then all she has to do is wander down to the local abortion clinic.

And I think it important that there are groups who challenge the notion that a woman should be able to move from one man to the next, but always taking the man’s children, and always taking the man’s money.

And I think it important that there are groups who challenge the notion that the most satisfying and spiritualistic experience in life, is to get a new hair style, to match the new set of clothes, to match the new car, to match the new look.

Now if that group is Catholic, then so be it, but I would also support any other group that does challenge the above notions.

And yes, if you look closely at the situation, quite a few of the above notions have originated in universities, or are heavily supported by academics in universities.

Vanna

"Unfortunately condoms are not often used consistently and correctly, and when dealing with STD’s such as HIV or AIDS, having many sexual partners while wearing a condom becomes very similar to Russian roulette."

According to a Cochrane review on HIV reduction with condom use:

http://www2.cochrane.org/reviews/en/ab003255.html

"Overall effectiveness, the proportionate reduction in HIV seroconversion with condom use, is approximately 80%."

and

"Because the studies used in this review did not report on the "correctness" of use, namely whether condoms were used correctly and perfectly for each and every act of intercourse, effectiveness and not efficacy is estimated."

So availability of condoms reduces HIV incidence. That is surely a benefit for people. And your concerns about shelf life in tropical climates would surely warrant the investigation of more durable materials instead of rejecting the use of condoms.

In contrast, studies on the effectiveness of solutions proposed by the Catholic Church show them to give inferior health outcomes.

"And I think it important that there are groups who challenge the notion that a woman should be able to move from one man to the next, but always taking the man’s children, and always taking the man’s money."

As opposed to men who abandaon their wives and children at the thought of any responsibility or for 'greener' pastures. The man's money. Aren't the children also his? (As betrayed by your own words) Is it okay for men to move from one women to the next?

Your depth of prejudice knows no bounds vanna. If you are trying to take the moral high ground at least have the decency to acknowledge that women are also human beings and are not the only gender capable of inflicting pain or of wrongdoing. We are human first, men or women second.

Until you confer the same rights on women as you do men in terms of moral judgement, your moral stance is on shaky ground.

(That goes for women too who do not acknowledge rights for men in many speres like child custody)

The trouble is institutions like the Catholic Church have lost some credibility in making judgements on morality when their own house is in need of some order and cleaning. They are in the process of doing this and are to be commended but condoms are not 'evil' nor do they encourage 'evil' practices.

There is some merit in arguing that abstinence is a great protection against spread of disease but in real life condoms will provide 'real' protection. There are many ways to halt the spread of sexually transmitted diseases and condoms are one of them.