Posted on 03/20/2009 8:52:18 AM PDT by Alex Murphy
Faith often gets short shrift in the news - unless a little sex and politics are thrown in.
Unprecedented pontiff bashing has taken hold in the press - prompted by Pope Benedict XVI's criticism of the use of condoms in anti-AIDS programs, made on his arrival Tuesday for a weeklong tour of Africa.
"This is one of the most horrifically ignorant statements made by a world leader since former President George W. Bush's promise to 'smoke 'em out' in reference to terrorist leaders including Osama bin Laden," said Bonnie Erbe, a PBS host and columnist.
A London Times editorial called the pope a "threat to public health" while Times columnist Libby Purves deemed him a "scheming, authoritarian torturer," adding, "I want him dead." The pope "deserves no credence when he distorts scientific findings about the value of condoms in slowing the spread of the AIDS virus," said a New York Times editorial.
"Impeach the pope," said Robert S. McElvaine in The Washington Post's "On Faith" Web site. "While we're at it, let's replace him with a woman."
That observation in particular set off Catholic League President William Donohue, who called the column "hate speech," and criticized Post writer Sally Quinn, who moderates the page.
"Sally Quinn showcases bigotry. This is the kind of rant we would expect to find on the bathroom wall of a summer camp in Martha's Vineyard," Mr. Donohue said.
Only 1 percent of the news is devoted to faith issues, according to the Pew Forum on Religion and Public Life. Not this time, though. In the immediate wake of the pope's condom comment, close to 4,000 news stories appeared on the comment.
"I don't think the Vatican necessarily wanted to generate the coverage they got - which was largely critical and overwhelmed every other message
(Excerpt) Read more at washingtontimes.com ...
...."The mainstream media is also part of the problem, in that you say the word 'Africa' and editors' eyes glaze over - as do those of readers and viewers. For all the enormous issues in play in the pope's visit, this trip was not generating a lot of headlines, and as soon as the pontiff uttered the word 'condom,' it was like manna from media heaven," he said.
Let’s ask Pope Benedict if he cares about facing media backlash. My guess is nein!
The left is VILE and EVIL, and they will pay if they don’t repent.
Stopped reading right there. This type of validation from our enemies only proves that the Pope is correct.
No kidding. He didn't give 2 rats' rear ends when he called out HRH Pelosi for her anti-Catholic beliefs. He's not going to care what a bunch of loser media types think.
“The analysis demonstrates that the consistent use of latex condoms provides a high degree of protection against heterosexual transmission of HIV. It should be noted that condom use cannot provide absolute protection against HIV. The surest way to avoid transmission of HIV is to abstain from sexual intercourse or to be in a long-term mutually monogamous relationship with a partner who has been tested and you know is uninfected”...... from CDC website below..
http://www.cdc.gov/HIV/resources/qa/condom.htm
I watched a bit of O’Reilly with Laura Ingraham last night. When the “Gay Rights Advocate” and the guy from EWTN got into it, Laura quickly lost control of things and I quickly switched to listening to music. It was enough to stimulate a gag reflex in a hyena.
It was a stupid thing to say.
Man also invented dictionaries.
“I want him dead.” Mr. Purvis I challenge you to a duel.
so I guess the next Trojans ad that pops onto my TV screen at two o’clock in the afternoon will feature Sinead O’Connor...
The Pope vs the media
The Pope wins,
with one hand tied behind his back, using 1/2 his brain !
“Only 1 percent of the news is devoted to faith issues...”
Isn’t Africa the continent where Obama was born?
While condoms are effective against the spread of AIDS they are not 100% accurate. Condoms can break, have pinhole defects and can slip off during activity. The Pope is admonishing on that fact plus the license to engage in more
explicit forms of sexual behavior because of over reliance on condom protection. It only takes one condom malfunction to possibly get AIDS.
The Pope is absolutely correct. Condoms only condone the risky behavior.
These people who are being critical of such a view, that abstaining is 100% effective against the spread of aids by sex, always have their little homilies of their own placing inordinate faith in a thin film of latex.
Its very much akin to saying “Murder is wrong but if you do it, use hollow points.”
Not to defend that bitter old leftist shrew Libby Purves in any way, but she did not write this about Pope Benedict. These words are found in a column on the daughter-raper Josef Fritzl, who really does deserve everything Ms. Purves wrote about him. And worse.
I'd like to see Libby Purv go for it - maybe the Swiss Guards would have a chance to field test their halbeards.
According to the wiki bio, Libby Purv is a big homosexual rights supporter.
Isn't the HIV virus much smaller that pores in condoms?
So lets compare the AIDS rate difference between devout Catholics and people who’re given free condoms. That should tell us who’s full of crap once and for all.
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