Half truths don't help. Sure the bit about some conservatives simply objecting to sexual self-determination. But many simply don't think or care about contraception or see it as the basis for reducing abortions.Is that stupid? Sure. But so are many unwanted pregnancies.
The proposal is a sound and useful one. It is not a panacea but neither is anything else.
Half truths don't help. Sure the bit about some conservatives simply objecting to sexual self-determination has some truth to it. But many simply don't think or care about contraception or see it as the basis for reducing abortions.Is that stupid? Sure. But so are many unwanted pregnancies.
The proposal is a sound and useful one. It is not a panacea but neither is anything else.
As an ex-Catholic, I would tend to dispute your criticism of the pope's anti-contraception ban as being a patriarchal suppression of women. Sexuality, in and of itself, is their enemy of the church. The church is equally, and violently, opposed to homosexuality.
The Catholic hierarchy is actually sexually repressed and is endeavoring to foster that repression on the faithful, both men and women. They look upon healthy sex as hedonism, and believe that men and women are basically supposed to be baby-makers for Jesus. Their paptriarchal attitudes are present, no doubt. This is especially seen in the second class citizenship of women in the clergy. I don't think, though, that the use of condoms is a sign of that same attitude toward women.
Posted by candideinnc at February 22, 2009 06:10 AMAs an ex-Catholic, I would tend to dispute your criticism of the pope's anti-contraception ban as being a patriarchal suppression of women. Sexuality, in and of itself, is their enemy of the church. The church is equally, and violently, opposed to homosexuality.
The Catholic hierarchy is actually sexually repressed and is endeavoring to foster that repression on the faithful, both men and women. They look upon healthy sex as hedonism, and believe that men and women are basically supposed to be baby-makers for Jesus. Their patriarchal attitudes are present, no doubt. This is especially seen in the second class citizenship of women in the clergy. I don't think, though, that the use of condoms is a sign of that same attitude toward women.
Posted by candideinnc at February 22, 2009 06:10 AMActually Catholic women have MORE power than men as anyone who has ever watched "The Flying Nun" on TV knows.
Posted by TIKI AL at February 22, 2009 08:34 AMIt looks like my characterization of conservatives' view of children as "punishment for sex" is still accurate.
Posted by bartcopfan at February 23, 2009 08:19 AMThere are millions of people who oppose abortion who do not oppose contraception. I'm not sure what your point is in focusing on the fringes (the Taliban!), but it has nothing to do with whether Saletin is correct in identifying grounds for compromise.
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