Catholic Leaders Say Zika Doesn’t Change Ban on Contraception

[WhiteTara]

http://www.nytimes.com/2016/02/14/world/americas/catholic-leaders-say-zika-doesnt-change-ban-on-contraception.html

As the Zika virus spreads in Latin America, Catholic leaders are warning women against using contraceptives or having abortions, even as health officials in some countries are advising women not to get pregnant because of the risk of birth defects.

The challenge posed by Zika for the Roman Catholic Church comes as Pope Francis is making his first trip to Mexico, where the virus appears to be spreading.

After a period of saying little, bishops in Latin America are beginning to speak up and reassert the church’s opposition to birth control and abortion — positions that in Latin America are unpopular and often disregarded, even among Catholics.

“Contraceptives are not a solution,” said Bishop Leonardo Ulrich Steiner, the secretary general of the National Council of Bishops of Brazil, and an auxiliary bishop of Brasília, in an interview. “There is not a single change in the church’s position.”

[SheilaT]

1. At the risk of being Ms. Obvious,

I want to point out that none of these leaders will themselves give birth, ever. Nor will they be responsible for raising a handicapped child.

[WhiteTara]

2. I know. And they claim the

moral high ground without having to face any consequences.

[Hortensis]

27. It's religion, and they are religious leaders.

We may deplore their beliefs, but it's for Catholics to decide whether to accept their leadership to decide. Apparently many already mostly blow them off, planning to take it up with God eventually.

[JFKDem62]

3. When will women have freedom?

Freedom from violence, control and bullying by males?

Forcing women to have these babies against their will is inhumane.

[WhiteTara]

4. Maybe never.

[Liberal_in_LA]

16. ..

[TheMastersNemesis]

5. "F" The Church Leaders And The Horse They Rode In On.

[Liberal_in_LA]

17. exactly

[tblue37]

18. NOT without contraception! nt

Last edited Mon Feb 15, 2016, 03:49 PM - Edit history (1)

[rurallib]

6. Then the church will support and care for these children i trust?

[WhiteTara]

7. That's not the plan! nt

[Crunchy Frog]

10. They'll do ~something~ with those children.

Severely handicapped children tell no tales, so that will be convenient for them.

Maybe maintain them in warehouses for ease of access, and absence of oversite.

[bklyncowgirl]

8. Every time I think it might be safe to go back, the Catholic Church pulls something like this.

A religion so narrowly focused on women's genitalia that it totally missed or even condoned and certainly covered up for the fact that their supposedly celibate priests were busy raping children.

I'll remain an every day agnostic and a Christmas and Easter Lutheran for the time being, thank you.

[mgmaggiemg]

9. I saw something online

about a group of catholics that are in defiance and coming out in support of planned parenthood against the church's stance....

[WhiteTara]

24. good.

[phylny]

11. Well then, it seems the Catholic Church

needs to tell men to stop having sexual relations with women for two years.

[LeftyMom]

15. Nope, that's a sin.

Can't engage in any alternative activities for purposes of contraception, either.

[phylny]

21. It's not a sin to stop having sex. Chastity is holy, after all.

In any event, you and I know none of this is sinful and this is one of the many reasons I'm not Catholic anymore.

[Sam_Fields]

12. As a Catholic I admit that the people that run the Church are evil.

If a woman will die from child birth they demand she die instead of getting an abortion. If a woman would be exposed to HIV by her husband they demand that they not use condoms. That is pure evil.

[Skittles]

13. they are pro-birth, not pro-life

quality of life means NOTHING to them

[Dont call me Shirley]

14. That is sheer backward anti-science anti-woman anti-child stupidity.

[Warren DeMontague]

19. Warren DeMontague says that a Pope from the social justice wing who occasionally says good stuff

Doesnt change his position that the Catholic Church is full of shit and in absolutely no position to be lecturing anyone on questions of sexual morality.

[Orrex]

25. Warren DeMontague is exactly correct

I'm sick of being told what a great revolutionary this pope is. He makes bold, sweeping statements about matters that he has no power to change, but he does nothing at all about issues that entirely under his authority.

He's great at scolding world leaders about economic inequality and climate change, but when it comes to ending the brutal oppression of women & gays, he suddenly has nothing to say.

[Duppers]

20. Damn..

Idiots.

[dembotoz]

22. understand from public radio that family breakups due to zika birth is a growing problem in brazil

having a special needs child in a county like the united states is quite often a big reason for divorce....have seen it over and over.
can not imagine the stress it places in a place like brazil where resources are limited at best

maybe brazil can convert some of the facilities from the olympics and world cup into orphanages

[WhiteTara]

23. I don't know if the children live that long

It's such a tragedy.

[Shadowflash]

26. “Contraceptives are not a solution,”

Well, yeah, they are actually a damn good solution. If you don't let superstition get in your way.