A priest has blasted Government's anti-AIDS advertising, claiming it is luring youngsters into having sex.

The Rev. Frank-X Reitzel, from St. Patrick's Roman Catholic Church in Smith's, tagged the safe sex ads "vicious''.

"They are inviting kids to have a sexual experience,'' he said.

His outburst comes amid fears of a loosening morality among today's youngsters.

According to a survey, more than 25 percent of secondary school students are atheists.

But Health Minister the Hon. Quinton Edness has strongly defended the "Use Your Condom Sense'' ads.

It was crucial for Government to educate youngsters about safe sex, he said.

Statistics in America, Britain and Canada showed that such education did not lead to promiscuity, he added.

Mr. Edness went on to accuse the Rev. Reitzel of taking the "ostrich position'', and blinding himself to the reality of teenage sex.

The full-page ads have been running in The Royal Gazette .

They show a woman's manicured, outstretched hand on a black man's bare chest, which is tattooed with the message: "Be Cool, Be Safe''.

At the bottom is a logo for the Advertising and Publicity Association of Bermuda, which is carrying out Government's campaign.

There is also a plea for people with questions to call the 295-0002 AIDS helpline.

The Rev. Reitzel was unaware who was responsible to the ads.

"Whoever is doing it, it is vicious,'' he said.

The Rev. Reitzel said he understood newspapers needing revenue from such advertisements.

But he stressed the media, as well as schools and parents had a responsibility in showing a lead to children.

"I accept the church too has a responsibility,'' he added.

His comments come amid concern that today's youngsters are turning their backs on religion, and getting a "high'' through drugs.

According to a Bermuda Secondary School drug survey, 25.1 percent of children aged 10-19 are atheists.

Percentages for other denominations are: African Methodist Episcopal (14); Roman Catholic (13.7); Anglican (10.5); Evangelical-Pentecostal (8.1); Seventh Day Adventists (6.7); and Moslem (1.6).

About 20 percent of the students did not hold a religion on the questionnaires which they were given.

The survey was carried out for the National Drug Commission by Mr. Walton Brown, Jr., from the Research Innovations Ltd.

Mr. Edness said he found the statistics on young atheists worrying.

"I would be disturbed that 25 percent of children don't go to church.'' The Rev. Reitzel accepted there was a perception the church and priests were dull, and some youngsters sought excitement elsewhere.

But he suspected many people aged 10-30 described themselves as atheists when they meant agnostics -- those who did not know whether God existed.

"Atheists are those who say `I am convinced there is no God, and I have definite proof of this'.'' Former drug and alcohol counsellor the Rev. Anthony Hollis, of St. Peter's Church in St. George's, was not surprised by the 25 percent figure.

He also believed there could be indirect links between atheism and an increase in crime.

"Probably in Bermuda there is a loosening of whatever potential influence religion can have.

"This means there is potentially a greater risk of such things as drug abuse.'' The Anglican clergyman, however, said he had not witnessed in his own ministries an exodus of young people.

"Quite the opposite,'' he said.

Bright Temple's AME minister the Rev. Virginia Sanders believed young people were returning to churches of her denomination in search of spiritual fulfilment.

This was because of the "pressures and stress'' of life.

The Rev. Sanders said she had been in Bermuda about two months after serving in the United States.

Most young AME churchgoers had been raised in religious families, she said.

"Generally speaking, Bright Temple is a good example of what is happening both here and in the United States. We have a lot of young people,'' she said.