Catholic Church Blasts Government for making condoms cheaper

mike65

Brian Cowen has cut the VAT rate on condoms and the response from the director of the Catholic Communication Office, Martin Long

"wrong, regrettable and contrary to the common good"

"the Catholic Church utterly rejects the use and promotion of condomns".

"cutting VAT is effectively promoting their widespread use"

"The Church's teaching is clear: within the sacrament of marriage, the use of condoms as contraceptives is wrong, though there may be mitigating circumstances,"

"Outside of marriage, the use of condoms encourages sexual activity, which is always gravely sinful. This decision sends the wrong signal to our young people as the promotion of condoms promotes promiscuity."

Bizarrely I wasn't expecting a statement at all. I forgot where I was
for a moment.

Mike.

Nevyn

Funny how they forget that Brian Cowan is the minster for everyone not just the catholics.
So they don't want catholics to use them fine, but they can feck off telling everyone else not to.

Sleepy

Wow.

The arrogance of the delusional twats.

aidan24326

This statement only underlines how spectacularly out of touch with reality these morons are.

The_Minister

This is against Catholic teaching, ergo the Church is unhappy.

Seems fine to me, its against their beliefs, they are allowed to say that they don't like it.

They aren't "twats" or "morons" because they disagree with something against their religious beliefs.


If the government starts subsidising sausages that are sold to schools for lunches, I expect that Muslims would be unhappy. Doesn't make them retards though.

bartholomewbinn

What’s the problem here? The Catholic Church is against the use of condoms, so they are entitled to express their views to that effect. We live in an open democracy; no one is being forced to agree with what the Catholic Church believes. No need to be outraged, just ignore them if you disagree.

aidan24326

edit:

kizzyr

To be honest I'd have been surprised if they hadn't issued a statement to that effect as they have been vocal about their stance on this in South America and the African continent where they have been distributed to help curb the spread of HIV. The Catholic Church being against the use of contraception I have no problem with as each religion is pro and anti something. I do however, have an issue with the lies they are spreading in Africa when they say that using condoms doesn't prevent the spread of HIV. People are dropping like flies in sub Saharan Africa with this disease and all that can be done to prevent the spread of it further should be done.
When Matt Cooper was on yesterday the representative from the Crisis Pregnancy Agency was saying that the lower price would increase the use and it made me think, how can people who can't afford to buy a packet of condoms hope to pay for the baby that resulted from the unprotected sex? I know many people get State aid for this but that money only goes so far. Talk about penny wise and pound foolish.

togster

Like others have said they are entitled to say what they like. Doesn't make it right though. The catholic church has a messed up opinion on many things. Thank God no one actually listens or gives a crap what they say anymore.

The_Minister

It probably won't even lower the price though, which is the funny thing. Since there is no competition in the condom market in Ireland (when did you last see 2-4-1 condoms?), the VAT decrease will simply be absorbed by the retailers.

Nerin

Funny how they forget that Brian Cowan is the minster for everyone not just the catholics.
So they don't want catholics to use them fine, but they can feck off telling everyone else not to.

i LOLed +1

"Outside of marriage, the use of condoms encourages sexual activity, which is always gravely sinful. This decision sends the wrong signal to our young people as the promotion of condoms promotes promiscuity."

em,but isnt tv and the internet making them horndogs too,safer to have the condoms around until the catholic church takes over the tv and internet.

Nerin

(Ducks down and giggles)
you'll get in trouble for such talk surely

dresden8

So, now that the vat on condoms has been lowered we can be assured that from now on the rate of infection of STIs and lone parenthood will fall through the floor because the one euro extra was the only thing stopping young people from getting up the duff. And stuff.

Oh happy day!

moe_sizlak

the catholic church like all religons is not a democrocy and does not have to evolve with the times
it follows teachings like other religons written long before johnnys were invented
i dont go to mass but ive no problem with this statement
in saudi arabia or sudan were something similar to happen , mobs would be roaming the streets burning down vending machines in every pub

wait , there are no pubs over there

The_Minister

snyper wrote: »

And as the International spokesbody for child molesters , i would imagine this would be their natural responce.

Just like the Muslim faith is the International spokesbody for terrorists?.....ooops, is that not as funny?

Nerin

oh lawd

AckwelFoley

The_Minister wrote: »

Just like the Muslim faith is the International spokesbody for terrorists?.....ooops, is that not as funny?

No, because not all muslims are Terrorists.

Zaph

The_Minister wrote: »

It probably won't even lower the price though, which is the funny thing. Since there is no competition in the condom market in Ireland (when did you last see 2-4-1 condoms?), the VAT decrease will simply be absorbed by the retailers.

Whatever about retail outlets being able to reduce the price, the guys who operate pub condom machines must be delighted. Most packs machines seem to be either €4 or €5. The reduction in VAT drops the retail price to €3.75 or €4.69. They're not going to change the prices to such odd amounts, so there's an additional 7.5% profit to the operators.

IMO, if the government was serious about this they would have abolished VAT on condoms entirely.

kizzyr

Zaph wrote: »

Whatever about retail outlets being able to reduce the price, the guys who operate pub condom machines must be delighted. Most packs machines seem to be either €4 or €5. The reduction in VAT drops the retail price to €3.75 or €4.69. They're not going to change the prices to such odd amounts, so there's an additional 7.5% profit to the operators.

IMO, if the government was serious about this they would have abolished VAT on condoms entirely.

I was thinking this too but then the woman on the Last Word from the Crisis Pregnancy Agency said that they can't. Silly Matt Cooper didn't ask her why, do any of you know? In fact is there anything that is sold in this wonderful country that is VAT exempt?

The_Minister

snyper wrote: »

No, because not all muslims are Terrorists.

All Catholics/priests are not paedophiles.


Zaph, IIRC there are legal issues regarding EU competition regulations. (In order to stop some countries screwing some industries over by charging 30% VAT, and then 0% on domestic industries). Britain got an exception that let them reduce their VAT on condoms sown to 5%, but I think this decrease is the lowest Ireland can go at the minute.

tbh, when was the last time anyone saw cheap condoms/sale on condoms?
No competition, no reduction in prices.

Blisterman

Just buy them online much cheaper.
In fact, if you go to family planning clinics you can get them free I believe.

djpbarry

kizzyr wrote: »

In fact is there anything that is sold in this wonderful country that is VAT exempt?

Fresh food.

moe_sizlak wrote: »

in saudi arabia or sudan were something similar to happen , mobs would be roaming the streets burning down vending machines in every pub

:rolleyes:
You know, I think Godwin's Law should be rewritten to include Islam.

Blisterman wrote: »

Just buy them online much cheaper.

Absolutely. There are websites selling condoms for as little as 16c each (if you buy in bulk).

azezil

Is it any surprise that Africa, where Catholicism is making its biggest impact right now is currently gripped in the middle of an AIDS epidemic? Are these people insane or just plain stupid? :rolleyes:

LaVidaLoca

a book written 2000 years ago, in a primitive time before mankind knew what bacteria or viruses were, mediated by men who have never had or will have an adult sexual relationship with another human being.

Why anybody takes anything they say about anything seriously is beyond me.

Tha Gopher

azezil wrote: »

Is it any surprise that Africa, where Catholicism is making its biggest impact right now is currently gripped in the middle of an AIDS epidemic? Are these people insane or just plain stupid? :rolleyes:

Ah yes. Its all thedevout Catholics there who listen to the no johnnys rule but disregard the general promiscuity one.

ffs, the only thing more retarded than old fashioned Catholics are people who fear their minimal influence in Ireland today.

The catholic church has forcefully told the general public or the government how to behave since the 80s, and even that is stretching it.

Rev Hellfire

Tha Gopher wrote: »

ffs, the only thing more retarded than old fashioned Catholics are people who fear their minimal influence in Ireland today.

QTF

Lets face it the availability of condoms isn't the issue, its educating people to use them. If you can afford to go out and get drunk you can easily afford the price of a condom.