Chris McLaughlin is wrong to claim that Catholic Truth financed the trip for Michael Voris, the American "televangelist" who addressed an audience in Carfin recently.
(Letters, May 25)
I attended the event but Catholic Truth did not invite Mr Voris here nor did we pay for his trip.
Indeed, having been disappointed by his failure to adequately address the crisis in the Catholic Church in Scotland, my personal contribution to the collection bucket was designed to minimally cover my refreshments.
Patricia McKeever, Editor,
Catholic Truth,
10 Sandyford Place, Glasgow.
In response to Chris McLaughlin and John Deighan, (Letters, May 25), I was present at Pam Stenzel's presentation, and have verified my recollection by viewing her performances online.
They are much the same. My letter was written while researching a forthcoming article on the growing militancy within religious organisations.
To conflate that to an attack on Catholic schools was unhelpful.
Mr Deighan praises the "fact- filled and entertaining presentation from Pam Stenzel on sexual health" to schoolchildren.
She did indeed say "condoms could not ensure protection from genital warts as they are spread by skin-to-skin contact".
But she also said, regarding STDs in general, "Condoms aren't safe. Never have been, never will be", a dangerous distortion of reality.
Ms Stenzel has been rebuked by Sexuality Information and Education Council of the United States (SIECUS), for misinforming her audiences, attributing serious consequences to infections that are minor and self-limiting, and for misattributing an alleged rise in infertility to STDs, when it is merely the result of more women delaying pregnancy
She sees herself as answering to God, and said so in as many words at the 2003 conference "Reclaiming America for Christ".
No doubt she is completely sincere, but what she says does not match reality and we are doing our children no service by misinforming them, even for the godliest of motives.
Garry Otton.
Secretary,
Secular Scotland,
58a Broughton Street,
Edinburgh.
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