(no subject)

[dreamer_easy]

Pope denounces condom use in Africa - in fact, he says condoms "aggravate" the problem of AIDS. I'm sorry to say it, Your Holiness, but you're lying and you know it. Please stop.

While I'm on the subject of inflammatory quotes, former Iranian prez Mohammad Khamati is scheduled to visit Australia, prompting protest:

Mr Searle told the Age that although Mr Khatami, president of Iran from 1997 to 2005, was regarded as a reformist, he was a sponsor of terrorism, a Holocaust denier and leader of a country that had often threatened to "wipe Israel off the map".

"Only last year, this supposed champion of dialogue called Israel 'an old, incurable wound on the body of Islam, a wound that really possesses demonic, stinking, contagious blood'."

What a revolting comment. Did Khatami actually make it? Googling only brings up other people saying that he said it, and searching various relevant sites, such as the ADL and the Central Council of Jews, brings up nothing. Since Khatami is on record as saying the Holocaust is "an absolute fact, a historical fact", that brings into question the rest of the claim.

Obviously (but this is the Intersplat, so I'd better spell it out) this is not to say that Khatami is a saint who has never made any ugly remarks: I'm only questioning whether that particular quote is accurate. Although I do also question the whole "beyond the pale" thing, the whole "we're not talking to him/her" thing, on the grounds that it is better to jaw-jaw etc.

Comments

[hnpcc]

You know what made me laugh about the Pope article?

"Vatican watchers said they had never heard Benedict use the word "condom" before Tuesday."

If you don't say it, it can't get you.

And otherwise, STFU Benedict. It's not like you've any idea what a condom does anyway.

[antikythera.livejournal.com]

At some point it becomes hard to believe that the Catholic Church is not deliberately trying to keep some parts of the world subjugated, by sabotaging attempts to keep people healthy.

[nyssa-p.livejournal.com]

"The solution lies in a "spiritual and human awakening" and "friendship for those who suffer""

Because praying to be rid of AIDS has proven to be so effective as opposed to condoms....

*cough*

[zanda-myrande.livejournal.com]

He's not only lying, he's lying obviously, nonsensically, and without even a gesture in the direction of supporting his lie with some kind of made-up evidence. If he goes on the way he's been going, I can envisage some fairly intense discussion going on in the incense-filled rooms of the Vatican...

[qthewetsprocket.livejournal.com]

it would be much, much easier to applaud the genuine good work the catholic church does in the world - charities; aids hospitals; helping out the poor and the suffering - if it didn't continually, historically contribute to keeping so many people poor and suffering in the first damn place. (hey, jesus did say we'd always have the poor with us...maybe they're just trying to keep his prophecy true?)

[kitzen-kat.livejournal.com]

I thought of going to his (Khatami's) talk here next week but it will clash with another arrangement I've already made.

[hnpcc]

It's been a great week for the Vatican - apparently what really liberated women was not the pill, or education, or the right to vote - it was the washing machine.

Personally I'd argue for plumbing as being a far greater liberator - bugger this carrying water business!