Pope: condoms can be justified in some cases

[aduidarnenye]

A very safe, politically correct about-face:

http://enews.earthlink.net/article/t...5-4ff37cfda404

VATICAN CITY (AP) — Pope Benedict XVI says in a new book that condoms can be justified for male prostitutes seeking to stop HIV, a stunning turnaround for a church that has long opposed condoms and a pontiff who has blamed them for making the AIDS crisis worse.

The pontiff made the comments in a book-length interview with a German journalist, "Light of the World: The Pope, the Church and the Signs of the Times," which is being released Tuesday. The Vatican newspaper ran excerpts on Saturday.

Church teaching has opposed condoms because they're a form of artificial contraception although it has never released an explicit policy about condoms and HIV. The Vatican has been harshly criticized in light of the AIDS crisis.

Benedict said that for male prostitutes — for whom contraception isn't the central issue — condoms are not a moral solution. But he said they could be justified "in the intention of reducing the risk of infection."

He called it "a first step in a movement toward a different way, a more human way of living sexuality."

Benedict drew the wrath of the United Nations, European governments and AIDS activisits when he told reporters en route to Africa in 2009 that the AIDS problem on the continent couldn't be resolved by distributing condoms.

"On the contrary, it increases the problem," he said then.

Journalist Peter Seewald, who interviewed Benedict over the course of six days this ummer, revisited those comments and asked Benedict if it wasn't "madness" for the Vatican to forbid a high risk population to use condoms.

"There may be a basis in the case of some individuals, as perhaps when a male prostitute uses a condom, where this can be a first step in the direction of a moralization, a first assumption of responsibility," Benedict said.

But he stressed that it wasn't the way to deal with the evil of HIV, noting the church's position that abstinence and marital fidelity is the only sure way.

Christian Weisner, of the pro-reform group We Are Church in the pope's native Germany, said it was "surprising, and if that's the case one can be happy about the pope's ability to learn.

In other comments, Benedict said:

— If a pope is no longer physically, psychologically or spiritually capable of doing his job, then he has the "right, and under some circumstances, also an obligation to resign."

— On Islam, in Europe, he declined to endorse such moves as France's banning the burqa or Switzerland's citizen referendum to forbid topping mosques with minarets.

"Christians are tolerant, and in that respect they also allow others to have their self-image," Benedict replied when asked if Christians should be "glad" about such initiatives. "As for the burqa, I can see no reason for a general ban."

— He was surprised by the scale of clerical sex abuse in his native Germany and acknowledged that the Vatican could have better communicated its response. "One can always wonder whether the pope should not speak more often."

A man of deep personal faith, the former Cardinal Joseph Ratzinger has alienated some Roman Catholics with his zeal in enforcing church orthodoxy.

He grew up in the conservative Alpine foothills of Bavaria and 78, he has become the 265th pope of the Catholic Church and the first Germanic pope since the 11th century.

Many in Germany blamed Ratzinger for decrees from Rome barring Catholic priests from counseling pregnant teens on their options and blocking German Catholics from sharing communion with their Lutheran brethren at a joint gathering in 2003.

He also clashed with prominent liberal and moderate theologians.

In his autobiography, Ratzinger said he sensed he was out of step with his fellow Germans as early as the 1960s, when he was a young assistant at the Second Vatican Council in Rome.

Ratzinger wrote that he was enrolled in the Nazi youth movement against his will when he was 14 in 1941. He deserted the German army in April 1945, re-entered the seminary and was ordained, along with his brother, in 1951. He then spent several years teaching theology. In 1977, he was appointed bishop of Munich and elevated to cardinal three months later by Pope Paul VI.

John Paul II named him leader of the Congregation for the Doctrine of the Faith in 1981, where he was responsible for enforcing Catholic orthodoxy and was one of the key men in the drive to shore up the faith of the world's Roman Catholics.

Ratzinger who speaks Italian, English as well as his native language German, has been called a subtle thinker with a deep understanding of Catholic tradition and a personal touch he's not often given credit for.

[Dimmauk]

I kinda understand, the church doesn't want their gay priests to get AIDS.

[Niiro]

Church says Condoms are OK Sometimes!

"The modern Church is so progressive!"

"Are you fucking kidding me?"

[Alleya]

Only male prostitutes, of course. Female prostitutes, you're out of luck. Not even intention to reduce infection can save your sinning asses.

Glad to see they found a way to balance out their grudging acceptance of a sliver of common sense with a healthy dose of classic religious sexism.

[Tristam]

How wonderful that the church finally partially acknowledged the usefulness of a device already found useful by anyone with a brain and set of genitals centuries ago. Perhaps next they'll inform us that sterilizing surgical instruments is also a good idea.

[Cyn]

If you're a gay prostitute aren't you going to hell anyways? How is this changing their position in any way?

[aduidarnenye]

If you're a gay prostitute aren't you going to hell anyways? How is this changing their position in any way?

I guess they wanted to be seen as progressive and open-minded in light of all the bad publicity and were hoping that no one would notice that they've not actually changed their view on anything.

[Correction]

Next up, it may be okay under some circumstances to use a condom. If you intend to rape your biological daughter.

Baby steps, Catholic Church, baby steps. You'll have caught up to 1960's medicine sometime next century.

[Ohemgee]

Ok: Having sex with a boy

Not Ok: Having sex with your wife / sock puppets

[SephYuyX]

Ive never met one Catcholic, and my family is as Catholic as the come, who thinks that some random guy picked as a leader represents God, the Church, etc.

[Ohemgee]

Then I guess you're not ROMAN catholic

Hohohoho


Ugh this pope reminds me of the guy in Assassins creed 2

[Cyn]

my family is as Catholic as the come

That's funny, you don't really look Mexican.

[Hyan]

This is a move to the wrong direction. They are moving further and further away from the Holy Bible.

If they want to be Christians, they should fucking do it right. The Book says something, you don't go against it. You don't pick and choose. If the book is outdated in modern society, then too fucking bad.

[Cyn]

This is a move to the wrong direction. They are moving further and further away from the Holy Bible.

If they want to be Christians, they should fucking do it right. The Book says something, you don't go against it. You don't pick and choose. If the book is outdated in modern society, then too fucking bad.

Hear hear, Brother Hyan.

[Callisto]

"Christians are tolerant, and in that respect they also allow others to have their self-image,"

ahahahahahaha, ahahahah, ah-ha, haaaaaa, oh man that pope's got some good ones

[SephYuyX]

ahahahahahaha, ahahahah, ah-ha, haaaaaa, oh man that pope's got some good ones

http://www.mbohbot.com/Empire%20Crusader.jpg

[Sqwunk]

ahahahahahaha, ahahahah, ah-ha, haaaaaa, oh man that pope's got some good ones

Hmm that kinda describes the kind of Christian I am, but I agree with you, that statement is so far from the truth about so many Christians lol.

[Stumblingdrunk]

This just in, Catholicism is a joke...

[Rhinox]

My second major goal in life, after serving as President, is to become the first Jewish pope.

Been there done that. Peter was and in fact considered himself jewish til his death. Historically speaking it wasn't til revisionists in later centuries that stripped him of his Jewish faith.


You were only late by..... 2000 years

[ZarakiKujata]

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=UMx6X26iJ_c

how hasnt this been posted yet?

edit: and how do you embed utoobz now?