CBCP Philippines: True Love Waits, Doesn't Use Condoms

“Napaka-imoral para sa nanunungkulan sa gobyerno na paigtingin ang pamamahagi ng condom na alam naman natin na hindi totoong mababawasan o mapipigilan nito ang pagdami ng HIV-AIDS. Nakakatakot dahil moralidad ng lipunan lalo na ng mga kabataan ang nakataya rito. Sana po magbago na siya [Cabral] dahil ang isang paa niya ay na sa impyerno na. Baka marami pa ang madamay,” quoted the Philippine Star.

(It’s very immoral for someone in a government position to support the distribution of condoms which we know, do not really reduce or stop the spread of HIV-AIDS. It’s scary because it's the morality of our society, especially of our youth, that is at stake. We only wish that Cabral would change because she already has one foot in hell. People might suffer the same fate.)

-Catholic Bishops’ Conference of the Philippines-Episcopal Commission on Family and Life vice chairman and Lipa Archbishop Ramon Arguelles

I was browsing through Spot.PH this afternoon and I came across this piece of, uh...news.

It isn't a new thing for the Catholic Church to condemn government acts but this just rubs me the wrong way. True, the Church should STFU when it comes to state or civic issues but I don't think that the Philippine branch of the Church has received this memo as of yet. I do admit, however, that the Church has played an important social role in the past decade, the biggest (arguably) would be its call to the faithful to stand up against Marcos' dictatorship and flock to EDSA. However, such statements from the Catholic body regarding health and sexuality are, I think, ludicrous. Theoretically run by those who have taken vows of celibacy, how do the priests know what human sexuality is if they have renounced theirs?

The most disturbing part for me here was the part where Archbishop Arguelles says that condoms are not effective deterrents of HIV-AIDS. Of course, his argument here would be if you abstain from sex and wait until marriage, you won't contract the virus. Which kind of reminds me of this:



As far as the Catholic Church is concerned, there are three principles to sex and human sexuality (if ever you choose to recognize it):
1. Don't have sex or you will die.
2. Abstinence is the best policy. Juxtaposed: Marriage is a license to have sex.
3. Don't enjoy sex or you will die.

See, here, bishops, the rate of Filipinos infected by HIV has jumped.over the years with most cases being OFWs. In 2009, there have been 85 reported cases of AIDS in one day. The defilers of morality, the Department of Health has reported that in the past two months, the number of HIV-AIDS cases have doubled since last year.

Table 1

Table 2

The Catholic Church expects its followers to not have sex. After all, we are expected to transcend our desires and basically renounce human frailty and hope that God will save us from ourselves. Rubbish. Part of being human is being a sexual being as well as choosing whether or not to act upon these impulses and desire. And, in case one does act on these dark, dark desires, one should have a sense of responsibility to answer to possible repercussions said actions may carry. Now, with these, let's take a look at the Church's proposed methods of natural contraception:

1. Abstinence.

Bush's abstinence program for teenagers in the U.S. has failed miserably. Teenages + hormones = the secks.

“A long-awaited national study [1997-2007] has concluded that abstinence-only sex education, a cornerstone of the Bush administration's social agenda, does not keep teenagers from having sex. Neither does it increase or decrease the likelihood that if they do have sex, they will use a condom.” (from The Washington Post)

2.  The rhythm method 

Also a fail. Technically, a woman has a non-fertile window BUT this could only work when a woman has a regular period. Then again, periods could be thrown off by stress, diet, and others.

3. Withdrawal

Really, who believes this?

4. Breastfeeding

This option does not work for women who don't want to have a baby before they practice birth control. Besides, how long could you breastfeed an infant?

Notice, also, that none of these methods try to contain sexually transmitted diseases. Basically, these measures address unplanned pregnancy but none address issues of sexual health and responsibility to partner(s). 

Really, Catholic Church? You foam and froth at the mouth at the mere mention of the words 'contraception' and 'reproductive health bill' and banish all its supporters to hell. What then of your followers who contracted a disease, suffer from poor health thanks to a growing brood, or those who struggle to make ends meet because, as you have taught, every child is a blessing?

“Patuloy na ituro ang value true love which is self-disciplined, respectful and does not use people but observe morality. Love should also be seen selfless sacrifice." 

(We continue to advocate the value of true love...)

- Cubao Bishop Honesto Ongtioco

Great, then. Let's create a nation of unaware martyrs who would literally die for love and it's ugly disease.