Condoms only partly to blame, says Pell

Condoms alone have not made society more promiscuous, the Anglican Dean of Sydney
says, in comments partly endorsing the views of Catholic church leaders.
On Friday morning, Cardinal Pell, head of the Catholic Church in Australia, said he
agreed with Pope Benedict XVI that condoms were aggravating the African AIDS
epidemic by encouraging promiscuity.
"The idea that you can solve a great spiritual and health crisis like AIDS with a
few mechanical contraptions like condoms is ridiculous," Cardinal Pell told Sky
News.
Dr Phillip Jensen, Anglican Dean of Sydney, told AAP on Friday he sympathised with
Cardinal Pell's views, but did not believe condoms alone had made society more
promiscuous.
"In terms of adultery, in terms of divorce, in terms of grandchildren, yes we are in
big trouble as a society because of the sexual revolution," he said.
"It came out of Virginia Woolf and that crowd (in England in the early 20th century).
"It's a century-long movement that has happened.
"In my view, it's a disaster. It has ruined lives. It is ruining our society."
Cardinal Pell said a non-Catholic health worker in Africa had told him condoms were
not an effective solution to Africa's AIDS problem.
"He made the point that the people in remote areas are too poor to afford condoms
and the ones that are available are often of very poor quality and weren't used
effectively," he said.
The AIDS infection rate in the Philippines, a Catholic country, was much lower than
in nearby Thailand, Cardinal Pell said.
"If you look at the Philippines you'll see the incidence of AIDS is much lower than
it is in Thailand which is awash with condoms," he said.
"There are condoms everywhere and the rate of infection is enormous.
"That's what the Pope is talking about."