The face of evil

[substitute]

There's a new vaccine for cervical cancer caused by human papilloma virus (HPV). In its latest trials, it is 100% effective in preventing precancers and noninvasive cancers. Since 70% of cervical cancers result from high-risk strains of HPV, this is incredibly good news. Currently there are about 10,000 cases of cervical cancer in the U.S. alone each year, and roughly 3700 deaths. The amount of death and suffering that could be saved if this vaccine was universally available is amazing. One estimate is that a quarter of a million lives could be saved a year worldwide if this was widely distributed.

Does anyone think this is a bad idea?

Yes, someone does. Organizations like the Family Research Council, the Abstinence & Marriage Education Partnership, and other sexual conservatives think that vaccinating minors against a sexually transmitted disease will encourage promiscuous sex. From their point of view, HPV infection only affects sexually active women with multiple partners and gay men. HPV is also their great example of why condoms "don't work", because it can be spread by skin contact other than the penis itself. So, no HPV problem means that condoms are 100% effective; can't have that.

Some pretty rich quotes from the FRC are in this article from New Scientist.

So, here we have a disease that kills thousands upon thousands of people a year, and causes incredible amounts of fear and pain even when it doesn't kill. It's spread by a virus. We have a vaccine that wipes it out. And these people don't like it because it might encourage extramarital sex among teenagers. Because to their mind their sky god has told them that sex outside of marriage is worse than death.

This why I am no longer a Christian. And why I am not the agnostic I was before Christianity, but a thoroughgoing atheist. This kind of behavior outweighs any good that may result from spirituality. Look, you can do what you want for your religion: wear 17th century clothing, refuse military service, eat a restricted diet, carry a little knife everywhere, wear magic underwear. But if you tell me that a quarter of a million people a year need to die for your abstraction you are my mortal enemy. I'm really uninterested in your arguments.

Comments

[so-gracefully.livejournal.com]

it's also wrong to give condoms to africans who are spreading HIV at an alarmingly high rate, because they are contraceptives and it would prevent god's will of making more (HIV-infected) babies.

[halfjack.livejournal.com]

Hey I carry a little knife anywhere -- do I need a god to do that though? Which one? I don't want to get in the shit on this one.

[33mhz.livejournal.com]

Francine, the goddess of cutlery.

sikh sikh sputnik

[substitute.livejournal.com]

don't forget the Sikh leader, GURU DALEK

[djproctology.livejournal.com]

Magic underwear

[torgo-x.livejournal.com]

Magic
underwear!

Ow, my soul. Also: chafing.

[nosrialleon.livejournal.com]

sack-free underwear. SACK FREE UNDERWEAR!

Re: Ow, my soul. Also: chafing.

[torgo-x.livejournal.com]

WHANG!

Re: Magic underwear

[srl.livejournal.com]

It's good to know that someone finally made the obvious connection about Nice Mormon Boys With Nametags.

[miss-geek.livejournal.com]

i heard about that vaccine the other day and my very first thought was "i wonder which religious morons are going to try and keep this from saving lives?"

it's sad to me that people can't be happy for new life saving medical breakthroughs.

Welcome to Pakistan

[substitute.livejournal.com]

I guess if their daughters get raped they deserve cervical cancer.

C'mon

[citizenx.livejournal.com]

That's what the girl gets for dressing like that. She was asking for it.

Re: C'mon

[mcpino.livejournal.com]

That's what she gets for dancing to that "race" music.

re

[alienhand.livejournal.com]

Jesus made Human Papilloma Virus, it must be for a good reason. God works in mysterious ways. Who's to say that there aren't some important lessons to be learned dying slowly from the inside.

[frobisher.livejournal.com]

Whew. And for a second there, I thought I might have to retire my "People Suck" t-shirt!

[spacemummy.livejournal.com]

Wow, now that's utterly evil.

[ch.livejournal.com]

sigh. sadly, one need not be smart to be devout.

I kill babies so God can kill babies

[piratepirate.livejournal.com]

Ah, now I understand why I feel good about fighting in a land war in Asia. So we can have religious freedom, and that said freedom can be used to influence the dissemination of medicines that might save hundreds pf thousands of lives.