Religious ignorance and HIV

Again the total ignorance and arrogance of the Catholic church never fails to astound me. . .

Today Pope Benedict XVI arrived in Africa for his first visit as pontiff. He has said that handing out condoms is not the answer in the fight against HIV/Aids. He was Speaking en route to Cameroon, and he has said the Catholic churhes view is that the distribution of condoms "increases the problem" as The Vatican urges abstinence.

I find the Vaticans stance on the HIV epidemic in Africa (and the world) startling, especially in the face of overwhelming evidence that condoms are a vital aid in stemming the upward trend in infections. Being HIV+ myself I know that the use of condoms as well as a wider education program are the two key tools in bringing the HIV epidemic under control all over the World, not just in Africa.

How can the church show such ignorance? I guess in 50 years time, just as we have had with regards to the Holocaust the church will admit it got it wrong but by then millions more will have perished due to this disease. Remember the TV campaign from the mid-eighties? "Don't die of ignorance" Well I think the catholic churches ignorance is causing millions more to die!