
Originally Posted by
digitalron
Apologies for the coming long rant but... is it me or, despite all the advances in the past century, is the Philippines still in the age of the friars? Have the struggles of our revolutionary forefathers to free our country from the grip of the Padre Damasos and Padre Silvas all in vain? Why should government policy be dictated by a single religious group? Whatever happened to separation of Church and State?
Here is my stance: All religions ARE free to teach their members their respective stance on issues. Any religion IS free to strongly encourage its members to follow the norms and moral outlook it has established. However, NO religion should be given any quarter in determining government policy. Otherwise, said religion is no different from the Taliban.
Religion is a personal choice, a set of personal values. Religion is not meant to be a State-imposed set of rules; that's the reason we have civil and criminal laws for people to follow in their secular lives.
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Do condoms promote ***ual promiscuity? As far as I know, people have been promiscuous even before the advent of the condom. Do I sanction promiscuity? No. I believe in monogamy and responsible ***, and I believe that every ***ual encounter should be treated seriously. But for those who lack knowledge, and for those who are cavalier in their attitudes to ***, I believe that providing them with information and the devices to protect themselves from diseases and unwanted pregnancies is the responsible thing to do.
I do not subscribe that *** is simply for reproduction. I believe that *** (consensual of course) can be simply for the mutual physiological and emotional benefit of the partners involved (for the ultra-conservative Christians, see the Song of Solomons for how it celebrates *** and sensuality outside of the context of reproduction; and yes, the SoS IS an official part of the Bible).
Is not procreating a sin? I don't think so. In fact, doesn't the RCC support the withdrawal and rhythm methods? Isn't the intent of those methods to prevent pregnancy? Isn't the use of the condom intended to prevent a pregnancy? I see no difference in both intents. I also see no difference that on one hand, you have "natural" methods, and on the other, you have "artificial" methods. In both cases, the intent is to prevent a pregnancy -- i.e. -- both are contraceptive methods.
I AM against abortion and the use of abortifacients, which I consider murder of an already formed human. But I am not against the use of contraceptives as there is no ending of a life involved; life has not yet been created. That is why for me, condoms, IUDs, spermicides, gels, and the rhythm and withdrawal methods are ok. I'm definitely not for the morning after pill or surgical/chemical abortion.
As for the Pill... I still don't know. Based on my readings, The Pill can act as both a contraceptive (prevent sperm and egg from joining) and as an abortifacient (change chemical environ of the womb to prevent implantation of a fertilized egg). I'd personally won't want my mate to use it, but I won't condemn people for using it either.
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Though I am for *** education and informing people about what options they have to protect themselves, I am a bit wary of some condom commercials whose intent is to be hip/clever rather than informative. I wish the condom commercials would be a bit more circumspect to help people make mature decisions. As it is, some condom commercials just make fun of (or gloss over) the issue.
I am NOT for the banning of condom commercials, but I would support reviewing the current ones and for the government to come up with information campaigns that are sober and intelligent in their approach to *** education.
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Final note:
For me, the bigger problems that the RCC should touch on would be the bad traits that people have that cause so much misery in our country: greed, apathy, laziness, mendicancy, selfishness, lawlessness, disrespect, pride, and envy.
Leave condoms to the government and the NGOs.
/flame_suit_on