A campaign by a pseudo-Catholic group from the United States to promote condoms to Kenyans has been condemned by the country’s Catholic bishops.
The group called Catholics for Choice says its billboard and newspaper advertising campaign gives “an authentically Catholic message”.
The “Good Catholics Use Condoms” advertisements show a smiling couple with the wording: “We believe in God. We believe that sex is sacred. We believe in caring for each other. We believe in using condoms.”
But the chairman of the Kenyan Episcopal Conference, Cardinal John Njue, said the advertisements “deliberately ridicule the Catholic teaching on responsible sexual behaviour across all ages”.
He assured all Catholics and “all who may be misguided by these adverts that the propagators of the message, who are anonymous, are not an authority in the Catholic Church and are therefore speaking for themselves and on their own behalf”.
Catholics for Choice has a long record of opposing Catholic teaching in the US, especially on sexuality and abortion, since it was formed in 1973.
According to Wikipedia, its multi-million dollar budget is largely funded by secular foundations such as the Ford Foundation, Buffett Foundation, John D. and Catherine T. MacArthur Foundation, Rockefeller Foundation and Playboy Foundation.
Its president, Jon O’Brien, said it launched its campaign in Kenya after pressure from religious groups forced the government to drop an advertising campaign promoting condom use in marriage in March.
“The ad was based on good science,” said O’Brien; “more than 1.6 million people are living with HIV in Kenya, and condoms are an evidence-based method for preventing the spread of HIV.
“The aim of the campaign,” he said, “is to ensure that Catholics know that despite what the bishops say, Catholics can in good conscience use condoms. Catholics in Kenya are no different. They can take the steps to protect themselves and their partners against HIV.”
Sources:
Image: Capital FM
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