by Aimee Kligman
While I understand that the Pope is a revered figure in the Christian world, there ought to be limitations to the subjects he touches. I equate his eminence to the Queen of England, a monarch, and for the most part, irrelevant. To be fair, I'll also cite the example of Rabbi Ovadia and members of the Shas Party of Israel, who think that homosexuals are evil and need reform. How about foreign policy and Dick Cheney?
When it comes to questions and matters of sex, drugs and diseases which arise as a result of both, separation of church and state is paramount. Thus, when the Pontiff declares that condoms will worsen the AIDS situation in Africa, it is tantamount to saying let's not vaccinate our children against polio. It is that disconnect between reality and the rigors of the Church that question its authority. It is also testament to the fact that the Church has not recognized the deadly cocktail of imposed celibacy and child molestation.
Even former President George Bush whose periphery of knowledge is rather narrow, understood the devastating effects of AIDS and the ravages it was causing in Africa. He deserves credit for his US$15 billion initiative (Pepfar) that changed the face of healthcare in Africa, and was hailed as nothing short of revolutionary. Now, make no mistake, Mr. Bush was indeed an extremely religious individual who believed he was ordained by God to serve as president. But, by the same token, he understood that AIDS was not subject to a miracles program.
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