The Vatican is insisting now that condoms do not in fact stop the AIDS virus, so there’s no reason for people in AIDS-ravaged countries to use them.

The Catholic Church is telling people in countries stricken by Aids not to use condoms because they have tiny holes in them through which the HIV virus can pass – potentially exposing thousands of people to risk. The church is making the claims across four continents despite a widespread scientific consensus that condoms are impermeable to the HIV virus. A senior Vatican spokesman backs the claims about permeable condoms, despite assurances by the World Health Organisation that they are untrue.

Do we really need further proof how absurdly out of touch this Church is? It’s a political organization with a right-wing agenda. Given the AIDS rate and horrifying life-expectancy statistics in many African countries, it’s hard to see claims like this as anything but pure, unadulterated evil.