Vatican Cautions on Sex Education

Important note: Information in this article was accurate in 1995. The state of the art may have changed since the publication date.

Vatican Cautions on Sex Education

Washington Post (12/22/95) P. A23
Williams, Daniel

A new handbook from the Vatican urges parents to take their children out of sex-education classes that teach "safe sex" or deal with sex only as a health issue not-related to Christian values. The guidelines were issued by the Pontifical Council for the Family in a report called "Human Sexuality: Truth and Significance." The recommendations conform to the Roman Catholic Church's teachings, and therefore favors abstinence outside of marriage, opposes contraception and abortion, and terms homosexual activities and masturbation as "disorders." The book advises containing sex within marriage to control the spread of AIDS. Furthermore, the book advises parents to "refuse the promotion of so-called 'safe sex,' or 'safer sex,' a dangerous and immoral policy based on the illusory theory that a condom can provide sufficient protection against AIDS."

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