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European Parliament Refuses to Denounce Pope's Anti-Condom Remarks

By Matthew Cullinan Hoffman

STRASBOURG, May 7, 2009 (LifeSiteNews.com) - The European Parliament has rejected a measure to condemn Pope Benedict XVI's anti-condom remarks, which he made during a trip to Africa in March.

The vote was 253-199 with 61 abstentions. The measure was intended to "energetically condemn the recent declarations of the Pope, who has prohibited the use of condoms and has warned that condoms can even bring about a greater risk of illness."

On March 17, the Pope told a reporter who asked about AIDS prevention that "one cannot overcome the problem with the distribution of condoms. On the contrary, they risk increasing the problem."

The Pope's statements, which have provoked a firestorm of criticism from UN officials and anti-family politicians such as Tony Blair, are supported by an increasing number of scientists who have observed an increase in the rate of HIV transmission in countries that emphasize the use of condoms as a protective measure.

European countries spend millions of Euros annually on AIDS programs for Africa that include the promotion and distribution of condoms, despite moral objections from the native population and the United Nation's admission that condoms have a 10% failure rate.

The Catholic Church teaches that artificial birth control is a grave sin.  It has repeatedly denounced the use of contraceptives and called on nations to prohibit their sale and distribution.

The Belgian Parliament has already denounced Benedict's comments, and the Spanish Congress is considering a measure to do so.  The authors of the Spanish measure have expressed hope that the Belgian legislation will create momentum in their favor; however, the defeat in the European Parliament is likely to undermine their case.

Related links:

To sign letters of support for Pope Benedict XVI, visit the following sites:

English: http://www.hli.org/papal_visit_support.html

Spanish: http://www.hli.org/apoyemos_al_papa.html

Polish, Latvian, Ukrainian, Lithuanian, Italian, Russian, French, Czech, and Romanian: http://www.yes-for-benedict.eu/

German: http://www.ja-zu-benedikt.net/

Related LifeSiteNews coverage:

Spanish Congress May Condemn Pope's Remarks Denouncing Condom Use
http://www.lifesitenews.com/ldn/2009/may/09050611.html

International Organizations Gather 40,000 Signatures So Far in Support of Pope's Statements on Condoms
http://www.lifesitenews.com/ldn/2009/apr/09041602.html

Harvard AIDS Expert Says Pope is Correct on Condom Distribution Making AIDS Worse
http://www.lifesitenews.com/ldn/2009/mar/09031906.html

Prominent Ugandan AIDS Activist Thanks Pope for Opposition to Condoms
http://www.lifesitenews.com/ldn/2009/mar/09032003.html

Belgian Parliament Votes 95-18 to Declare Pope's Condom Remarks "Unacceptable"
http://www.lifesitenews.com/ldn/2009/apr/09040601.html

World Leaders, Condom-Promoting Forces Attack Pope Over Condom AIDS Remarks
http://www.lifesitenews.com/ldn/2009/mar/09031902.html

Prominent Ugandan AIDS Activist Thanks Pope for Opposition to Condoms
http://www.lifesitenews.com/ldn/2009/mar/09032003.html

Tony and Cherie Blair Attack Pope on Homosexuality and Condoms
http://www.lifesitenews.com/ldn/2009/apr/09040803.html

Pope Says Condoms Not Solution to AIDS
http://www.lifesitenews.com/ldn/2009/mar/09031704.html

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