ELCT says ‘NO’ to condom use

By Thomas Ratsim

The Evangelical Lutheran Church in Tanzania (ELCT) has reiterated that promoting the use of condoms in the fight against HIV/AIDS is immoral.

This remark was made at the Karatu Lutheran Town Church on Sunday, September 8 by Reverend Martin Shao, Assistant to the Bishop of Northern Diocese of ELCT when addressing a ceremony to mark 25 years of partnership between the Altdorf Lutheran District of Bavaria, Germany and the Karatu Lutheran District.

Reverend Shao said that ELCT would not change its stand by distributing condoms. He insisted that prevention to AIDS/HIV lies in upholding morality and ethics.

" We can prevent AIDS by abiding with the Word of God," he emphasized.

Earlier Reverend Gabriel Bayda in his keynote speech said that the partnership with Bavaria that started at the congregational level has spanned to the District level.

Reverend Bayda, who is also the Karatu District Pastor, pointed out that through the Partnership, many community projects and spiritual co-operation had been realised. He mentioned one of the projects as the construction of a Youth and Women Centre at Karatu.

He said the centre, which started in early 1999, is being used for vocation training, guests accommodation and meetings.

During the ceremony, which was, attended by eight delegates from the German sister district, the group leader Pastor Rosch said that to mark the signing of the Altdorf and Karatu Districts Partnership pact which was held in 1978, delegates from Karatu would be invited to Bavaria to celebrate with sister parishes in May next year.

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Last modified: September 13, 2002.
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