Woe Betide Catholics in Singapore Wishing to Teach Biology in the Future

Woo! The Archbishop of Singapore has requested that the students in Singapore not be taught how to use a condom as part of sexuality education.

http://www.straitstimes.com/Singapore/Story/STIStory_628317.html

His reasons?

He said that the Church's teaching 'concerns marital acts, since marital acts are the only ethical sexual acts in the eyes of the Church'.

He added: 'If we present to our young people how to use the condom outside marriage, just in case you need it, it would be as though the Church is teaching us how to sin less grievously which makes no sense.'

His viewpoint is, of course, supported by Ms Wendy Louis, executive director of the Archdiocesan Commission for Catholic Schools.

Elaborating on his note, Ms Wendy Louis, executive director of the Archdiocesan Commission for Catholic Schools, said teaching students how to use condoms was an instance of a 'compromised message'.

Hmmz.... I suppose then, students could be taught about condom usage simply so that they could gain more knowledge? You know, to get a complete picture of human sexuality? And to know more about the world around them?

Oh ya, I forgot, youngsters of this age are extremely curious; they might decide to carry out a practical based on their new found knowledge and we couldn't have that happening, could we?

If only I could believe those students I taught to be so curious and so in search of knowledge. This is Singapore and the average student in the average school are so squirmish about the topic that he/she is unlike to even read up on it by him/herself, let alone carry out an experiment. -.-"

We're taught so many things in school "just in case we need it". Like how to calculate the overall resistance of resistors in parallel and what protons, neutrons and electrons are. Knowledge which till this day I only use to pass on to the next generation. This is, of course, discounting nearly everything I've learnt in History, which I have blithely forgotten (and been recently forced to revisit grrrrrr).

Well, yes it's against the Catholic teachings to use a condom. But what if someone asks why? Won't you want Catholic students to be able to give an informed answer?

"Er, it prevents conception, which sex is all about, so it is not right."

"And how is this conception prevented?"

"Hmm. Wear condom already cannot have baby."

"How come? Baby cannot come out? The condom block it?"

"Eh, actually I don't know leh."

"I heard sometimes wear condom still can have baby, you know. Why har?"

"Oooohh! This one I vaguely know! Teacher got say, is because use wrongly!"

"Can use wrongly meh. Put on girl instead of guy ah?"

"Er... er... er..."

Tell me, Archbishop Nicholas Chia, what is wrong with giving Catholic students the knowledge (and pride) to say this: "Condoms are a form of barrier contraceptive. They prevent conception during sex by preventing the sperm from meeting the egg (ovum, if you prefer to be more scientific). Life is sacred because God bestows it on us, thus any act that prevents this is not right."?

And why need the students be taught HOW the condom is used? So they know why condoms fail sometimes, and why it is the USE of the condom, not the actual prevention of conception that is against Catholic believes (that is, as long as you use a condom, you are sinning whether or not conception occurs).

Oh well, I am but one voice. Thankfully my mother didn't prohibit me from learning this topic in school, though, or I'd never be able to be a Science teacher.

Who, by the way, advocates no sex before marriage, and no sex with anyone other than your spouse. (At least during such lessons =P)