Johannesburg -- The General Secretary of the South African Council of Churches, the Rev. Dr. Molefe Tsele, today expressed concern that religious beliefs are used to distort and cloud the scientific evidence on condoms.

"While it is not morally prudent to preach the use of condoms as if they are the saviour from the pandemic, we should not fall victim to the conservative dogma that condoms are inferior. What we know so far is that scientific knowledge says that, used correctly and consistently, no pathogen or spermatozoa can penetrate intact latex condoms," Dr Tsele stated.

The General Secretary's comments were prompted by a recent meeting of the Religious Leaders' Forum with Health Minister Manto Tshabalala-Msimanga at which some Christian officials attacked government condom distribution schemes on the grounds that condoms were not a safe mechanism to prevent spread of the virus.

"We recognise that some religious bodies have moral concerns about the appropriateness of condom distribution in the context of a transmission prevention strategy that also stresses the values of abstinence and faithfulness within human relationships," Dr. Tsele remarked.

"It is entirely appropriate for religious leaders to express their moral and strategic concerns as part of the national debate on HIV and AIDS. However, they should not pretend that their ethical misgivings are validated by scientific evidence."

Bishop Ivan Abrahams, Presiding Bishop of the Methodist Church and Chair of the National Church Leaders' Forum, noted that disagreements persist within and among Christian denominations on the role of condoms in the HIV prevention programmes.

"For most churches," Bishop Abrahams said, "the primary message of AIDS prevention campaigns will be abstinence and faithfulness. However, there is also broad acceptance that condoms are an appropriate and effective means of preventing infection in at least some circumstances."

Dr. Tsele agreed, noting that the SACC's 26 member denominations recently reaffirmed the resolution adopted by the Council's 2001 National Conference which called on churches to "encourage the use of measures necessary to prevent infection" in addition to promoting sexual abstinence and faithfulness in marriage.

"Condoms remain an essential pillar of the 'ABC' (Abstain, Be faithful, Condomise) approach. This was the formula that proved successful in Uganda, despite Washington's recent efforts to downplay the role of condoms."

The General Secretary said that Churches should recognise that the government's HIV prevention strategy was based on the best scientific and medical data available.

For more information, contact Rev. Teboho Klaas, 011 241 7812 or 082 412 2960