Dear Mr. Kristof,


This letter is in response to your story that appeared on May 8, 2005 in the New York Times entitled The Pope and AIDS.

First and foremost I find your article to be less than accurate in your portrayal of the facts. Your claim is that it is problematic that the Vatican is hostile towards condoms – indeed they are and rightly so.

Mr. Kristof, are you aware of the actual facts regarding condoms and their ability to prevent AIDS? Let’s get away from the biased studies and look at the scientific facts for a moment.

1. The average size of holes that naturally exist in latex is 5 microns, or 5 millionths of a meter.
2. The average size of sperm cells are 2.5 microns
3. The average size of an HIV/AIDS cell is 0.1 microns

Looking simply at the facts, how can you claim that the condom prevents against AIDS? How can you even dare to claim that the AIDS virus, which is 50 times smaller than the average naturally occurring holes found in latex? To even suggest that the condom can prevent against AIDS or pregnancy is not only preposterous, but ludicrous. Are you even aware of the fact that some studies show that 1/3 of latex condoms leaked sperm sized particles? When doctors work on someone with AIDS they put on two pairs of gloves, wear masks and goggles and most of those physicians will tell you they still don’t feel completely protected.

Mr. Kristof, would you suggest to your readers that in order to stop gun violence in schools that parents should send their children to schools with bullet proof vests? Would you ever say to your own child “It’s ok to play with guns, but make sure you’re wearing your bullet proof vest?” I hardly think that this would be something any parent would say to their child. Why then do we tell people its ok to have promiscuous sex, but wear a condom? The results are just as deadly.

I ask you to rethink your position on condoms, and I don’t want you to take my word for it. Look at the sources for yourself. I have included them here for your convenience.


Sincerely,

Joshua R. LeBlanc
Director, cyberCatholics.com



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