Non-Condom Use is Murder - Rev. Byamugisha

THOSE who do not use condoms and contract AIDS commit murder which is punishable by God, the Rev. Can. Gideon Byamugisha has said, reports Raymond Baguma.

Byamugisha said people who never use condoms should stop opposing their use.

He attacked the Church for criticising condom use and stigmatising Christians affected by the disease by preaching that AIDS is a result of immoral behaviour.

Byamugisha contracted the HIV virus in 1998 and publicly declared his status. He was addressing church leaders and pastors at a conference organised by Compassion International at Colline Hotel, Mukono, on Tuesday.

"God says 'you shall not kill' but does not specify that killing is only by the sword. If you are in position to use a condom and you do not use it, then you contract AIDS, you have committed murder," Byamugisha said.

"Why are we fixated and blame condoms for immorality?" Byamugisha asked.

He said condoms should be promoted in marriages where there is extra-marital sex affairs because such couples were at risk of getting infected by AIDS.

He said, "AIDS will wipe out believers if they do not practice safe sex by using condoms."

He said 95% of Britons do not care about God's existence yet there were no significant statistics of HIV prevalence because of the practices of safe sex.