Condoms are not demons

Condoms must be used even if they are not prayed for says Pastor Paul Sanyangore at the CONDOMIZE zone during the 18th edition of the International Conference on Aids and STIs (ICASA) 2015.

Sanyangore's words of wisdom came barely a month after he prayed for condoms during a church service which left many questioning the moral element of having condoms in church.

"I encourage people to play it safe. Condoms are there to help you. They must be used even if they are not prayed for but if someone comes and says I should pray for them - I will. Condoms are not from the devil," said Sanyangore.

Although he said HIV is from the devil, he highlighted that condoms only protect people from HIV the physically.

 “With condoms, they are made to address the physical side of HIV but we need to also understand that HIV has a spiritual side. HIV is also a demon, from the devil. With my spiritual expertise, I can only address what I can, what I am able to address. So when I pray for them (condoms) I will be addressing the demon of HIV. The anointing and the power of God protects spiritual.

“Condoms are just a physical side of HIV, the anointing or the power of God addresses the spiritual side. If u came to me and they say pastor pray for it, I will pray for it,” said the man of God.

Sanyangore further explored the spiritual angle of HIV which has not been talked about by most spiritual leaders in the country.

“Condoms are not demons, condoms are not bad. You need to understand that if you put HIV, and put a condom there and if I tell you to pick from the two which one is from the devil?” he said.

The man of God also mentioned the role that churches can play in the fight against HIV and reaching the 90:90:90 target by UNAIDS.

“We are a church we believe in families, infact we are a product of families. The more people talk about these things in the families the more they are addressed,” Sanyangore said.

However, there were other members of the public that did not go well with Sanyangore’s sentiments.

“The issue of anointed condoms is not an issue. Condoms should not be anointed because they go through quality assurance test… There is no use to take condoms to church and have them anointed,” said a participant during the dialogue.

The remarks by Sanyangore come at a time when there seems to be a gap in churches as far as condom education is concerned and the methods that congregates can use to protect themselves from HIV.

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