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Blanketing opinions that I'll probably regret soon.
Wednesday, January 03, 2007
American Baptists preach abstinence and "godliness" in Africa. I shit you not.
There isn't a better example of the utter uselessness of religion than this one---raw Christian ignorance causing the needless deaths of millions.
I told this guy I met today that I'm headed for Indonesia, and I asked if he'd ever been to Asia. He replied no, but he'd been to Africa with his church's mission where -- he admitted -- AIDS is a horrible problem. At first, I was enlightened: "Really? So you did AIDS prevention work there? Nice." He corrected me, saying that there's a permanent Baptist mission in South Africa and Botswana to teach the people abstinence and how to be godly to prevent the spread of AIDS. He also mentioned that many people there practice tribal relgions, and they need to be saved.
So that's the important work some American Christians are doing in Africa.
Anyone who has a rational thought in their reasonable mind should be sickened by this. The insidious virus of faith and god belief is exacerbating death, especially in areas of the world where the only information people can get on AIDS prevention is from religious people.
If anyone has any doubts about the impact AIDS is having in southern Africa, please at least read this.
On a side note, I'm reading Carl Sagan's book, Cosmos. My friend Jason said it best: "Sagan's the fuckin' man." May he rest in peace, and may godlessness be forever by his side.
I told this guy I met today that I'm headed for Indonesia, and I asked if he'd ever been to Asia. He replied no, but he'd been to Africa with his church's mission where -- he admitted -- AIDS is a horrible problem. At first, I was enlightened: "Really? So you did AIDS prevention work there? Nice." He corrected me, saying that there's a permanent Baptist mission in South Africa and Botswana to teach the people abstinence and how to be godly to prevent the spread of AIDS. He also mentioned that many people there practice tribal relgions, and they need to be saved.
So that's the important work some American Christians are doing in Africa.
Anyone who has a rational thought in their reasonable mind should be sickened by this. The insidious virus of faith and god belief is exacerbating death, especially in areas of the world where the only information people can get on AIDS prevention is from religious people.
If anyone has any doubts about the impact AIDS is having in southern Africa, please at least read this.
On a side note, I'm reading Carl Sagan's book, Cosmos. My friend Jason said it best: "Sagan's the fuckin' man." May he rest in peace, and may godlessness be forever by his side.
Comments:
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LB,
I have no doubts of the impact of AIDS in Africa but the article to which you link pretty much says that the reason is unprotected promiscuous sex. Now how exactly is teaching abstinance "exacerbating death"? I think you are blurring the lines between the spread of religion and the teaching of abstinance. While the thought of abstinance makes me cringe, it really is the only way to 100% guarantee protection from contraction. That doesn't really make me sick, but what does make me sick is that this guy thinks he has to teach his religion to some people who have different beliefs and that his beliefs are better. This is exactly what I was talking about in my comment on your recent religious themed post. Its almost like the Christian view of God is like some kind of drug and missionaries are dealers who want to get everyone hooked. But don't get down on the guy for teaching abstinance, even though he does it through questionable means.
I have no doubts of the impact of AIDS in Africa but the article to which you link pretty much says that the reason is unprotected promiscuous sex. Now how exactly is teaching abstinance "exacerbating death"? I think you are blurring the lines between the spread of religion and the teaching of abstinance. While the thought of abstinance makes me cringe, it really is the only way to 100% guarantee protection from contraction. That doesn't really make me sick, but what does make me sick is that this guy thinks he has to teach his religion to some people who have different beliefs and that his beliefs are better. This is exactly what I was talking about in my comment on your recent religious themed post. Its almost like the Christian view of God is like some kind of drug and missionaries are dealers who want to get everyone hooked. But don't get down on the guy for teaching abstinance, even though he does it through questionable means.
# posted by 
: 3:20 PM
: 3:20 PM
Shrubs-- The reason abstinence doesn't work is that humans have biological needs, and sex is one of them. Asking adults to abstain from sex is simply not realistic. And unfortunately the abstinence-zealots actively prevent the use of other means of protection, like family planning, STD clinics and condoms. So LB is correct, these people who believe sex is a sin are actually making the problem worse by discouraging condom use.
# posted by : 4:36 PM
: 4:36 PM
Ahh,I see, I didn't see the "no condom use" angle. Yea, that is pretty fucked up. Thanks for the enlightenment.
# posted by : 6:20 PM
: 6:20 PM
The religious zealots actively preach against using condoms and for abstinence. Any study done on abstinence programs show that they don't work. Even those in schools where kids are encouraged to make an "abstinence pledge" show that on average kids abstain for a max of 18 months.
Lonnie,
If you like Sagan, hopefully you've read "The Demon-Haunted World: Science as a Candle in the Dark"
Sorry for the cut and paste, but here is the description from Amazon.com:
"Carl Sagan muses on the current state of scientific thought, which offers him marvelous opportunities to entertain us with his own childhood experiences, the newspaper morgues, UFO stories, and the assorted flotsam and jetsam of pseudoscience. Along the way he debunks alien abduction, faith-healing, and channeling; refutes the arguments that science destroys spirituality, and provides a "baloney detection kit" for thinking through political, social, religious, and other issues."
Good stuff, you'd probably like it.
If you like Sagan, hopefully you've read "The Demon-Haunted World: Science as a Candle in the Dark"
Sorry for the cut and paste, but here is the description from Amazon.com:
"Carl Sagan muses on the current state of scientific thought, which offers him marvelous opportunities to entertain us with his own childhood experiences, the newspaper morgues, UFO stories, and the assorted flotsam and jetsam of pseudoscience. Along the way he debunks alien abduction, faith-healing, and channeling; refutes the arguments that science destroys spirituality, and provides a "baloney detection kit" for thinking through political, social, religious, and other issues."
Good stuff, you'd probably like it.
Me thinks the baptist on a plane may have a hidden agenda - ie getting as many Africans to contract HIV. It amounts to attempted genocide in my opinion. Do you ever wonder how many people are killed by a person through indirect means? This baptist mission is probably hastening the death of more people than they think.
Empiricism vs. Religion I recommend sitting back and watching, but tell me what you said to the guy on the plane?
Empiricism vs. Religion I recommend sitting back and watching, but tell me what you said to the guy on the plane?
Shrubs and AR,
Sorry I haven't been able to answer you. I've been in the middle of nowhere in Indonesia.
The guy that mentioned that he worked on abstinence programs in Africa was someone I was trying to do business with, so I kept my mouth shut. Weird how that happens ...
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Sorry I haven't been able to answer you. I've been in the middle of nowhere in Indonesia.
The guy that mentioned that he worked on abstinence programs in Africa was someone I was trying to do business with, so I kept my mouth shut. Weird how that happens ...
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