AIDS, Condoms and the Church

In the Dec. 7 edition of the Los Angeles Times a supplemental entitled “The Surgeon General’s Report on AIDS” was printed which recommended the use of condoms by those engaging in extra-marital sex or homosexual activities to reduce the risk of spreading AIDS. In the same edition there was an article stating that the Archdiocese of Los Angeles had canceled church support for an educational programs because it advocated following the advice of the surgeon general. The reason given for the decision to cancel was that the use of condoms as a safeguard against AIDS “implies either heterosexual promiscuity or homosexual activity--and the church approves of neither.”

Does this imply that the Archdiocese is taking over the role of the surgeon general? Does it mean that when parents instruct children not to play with matches that they should also avoid the introduction of smoke detectors and fire extinguishers into the household as this would only encourage the children to play with matches?

Perhaps the Archdiocese might reflect upon the foregoing and adopt the more logical position of “If you fail to obey the church’s prohibition against sexual promiscuity or homosexual activity then at least have the decency to avoid compounding the sin by failure to take safeguards, as recommended by the surgeon general, to reduce the risk of contracting or spreading the dread disease of AIDS.”

CHARLES C. MUNROE III

Simi Valley