Hi Everyone.
Dad has given me the next instalment to pass on. He wrote this yesterday (Tuesday). He had a reasonable day, so much so that he spent the day being angry about a radio program he heard on the weekend (see below).
He had a bad night last night though, they ended up sedating him. And we've just found out that he has developed Deep Vein Thrombosis (DVT) in his left arm where he has had a Pick-Line in for the last two weeks. The doctors don't seem terribly worried (not very reassuring), but they are going to relocate the Pick-Line soon. I will keep you posted. From Zoe.
Last sunday evening, Jon Cleary's religious chat show (ABC local radio 10pm - 1am) discussed Catholics and condoms. What a futile discussion it turned out to be.
Instead of debating the realities of the Aids epidemic, especially in Africa, we were subjected to the naive opinions of "nice middle-class catholic women". One lady in particular, kept repeating that if one partner had a disease, then in the context of loving marriage, it is not unreasonable to expect "abstinence", untill the condition is cured.
Hello? in the context of her life, ok, but....
Jon gently interposed that while there are treatments for Aids, there is as yet no cure.
Reality check - please.
There is no cure for Aids. If there is one developed, the poorest people in the world will not be able to afford it.
Aids is being observed, monitored by the west from a distance. It is actually helping to suppress a population explosion amongst the worlds poorest people. This suits the wealthy nations and the world bank, I.M.F, etc.
In Africa, neither the Christian nor Muslim religious authorities feel comfortable discussing sexual relations. Part of the reason is the status of women, is generally so low that "a man's right" (to have to sex) with whom. and in whatever manner he chooses is beyond questioning.
Condoms? Consensual sex? Abstinence? Aids? Last sunday nights discussion did not even scratch the surface of the topic. Education for women is surely the starting point.
1 comment:
Feel for you, Denis re the DVT - as someone who has had them intrude in her life from time to time. Hope things improve. Have a look at The Relgion Report re the condom situation. Stephen Crittenden seems to think - and has some interesting interviews - that there may be a small fissure in the Catholic Churches attitude to condoms in the fight against AIDS. Such as the marriage situation - what is the loving Christian response. It could be to use a condom but without contraceptive intent. Reminded me of the situation the C/Ch allows where it is OK to use the Pill for hormone treatment but not contraceptive purposes.
Keep on keeping on, Denis
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