Vatican takes 2 steps forward one step back in condoms issue

[CptStern]

The Vatican is expected to permit the use of condoms for Aids patients, according to an interview with a high-ranking cardinal published Sunday.

The Roman Catholic Church has up till now strictly prohibited the use of condoms even in marriage for AIDS patients and HIV-infected people.

In an interview published on Friday by the Italian weekly L'Espresso, 79-year-old Cardinal Carlo Maria Martini said "certainly the use of the prophylactic can constitute, in certain situations, the lesser evil."

"As far as the special case in which one of the spouses is affected by Aids, they are obliged to protect the other partner," Martini said.

http://www.int.iol.co.za/index.php?set_id=1&click_id=24&art_id=qw1145797022358B213

this only affects married couples where one partner is infected

so married couple with aids condom use is ok

everyone else is still forbidden from using them ...which isnt really doing a heck of a lot because over 80% of the cases of hiv positive cases in africa the infected person doesnt know they have aids ...but it's a good start as something is better than nothing


just recently the vatican issued a press release saying condoms dont stop aids ..so I guess this is a policy reversal:

The Catholic Church is telling people in countries stricken by Aids not to use condoms because they have tiny holes in them through which the HIV virus can pass - potentially exposing thousands of people to risk.

 

[VictimOfScience]

Anyone who listens to this garbage isn't worth keeping around on this planet anyway. BAG IT EVERY TIME PEOPLE!!!

Africa: AIDS, genocide, Apartheid, suicide bombings. Not high on the list of world priorities I don't think...;( Shows you the power of ignorance and intolerance. We could potentially learn a lot if it weren't for that darned blind eye of ours....

 

[Ome_Vince]

uhm, does anybody actually ever listen to the Vatican? I think even most katholics are like: "yeah yeah whatever" when they hear Vatican crap
Imo the Vatican is a nice Museum around stuff thats 2k years old, no more than that

 

[JellyWorld]

This seems more like 0.1 steps forward rather than two steps forward one step back. Where's the step back here?

 

[CptStern]

the step forward is allowing the use of condoms for people infected with aids ...the step backward is that it's only allowed in certain cases: ie: when one partner in a marriage is HIV positive ..all others still cant use condoms

ome-Vince: be that as it may the vatican still has considerable sway for the faithful. People do live by their edicts ..especially when it's coming from the head of the organization

 

[kirovman]

How do they enforce the prohibition? (Other than brain-washing)

As Stalin said, when he was told that Pope Pius XII opposed his policies: "How many divisions has the pope?"

 

[Gray Fox]

AIDS can be transmitted in a number of way, the most common is sexual transmission. Now the thing that strikes me most is that the people in africe obey the church when it tells them not to use condoms whne having sex but they do not obey them when the church says not to cheat on your spouse.
In short, it's very very easy to put a lot of blame on the chruch and on the west of what is happening in africe, but that does not only not fix the problem it also makes it worse. Since your ignoring the fact that majority of their pain is caused by themselves.

 

[Ome_Vince]

Interesting point Greyfox.
China and India have enormous AIDS problems, hardly Katholic nations i think ...
I think the problem is poor people cant afford condoms, and are not educated enough. Sad but true, you also cant expect these people to buy condoms costing half their weeks salary (if they even have any).
Their economical situation and lack of education is to blame for the AIDS problem.

 

[Gray Fox]

Interesting point Greyfox.
China and India have enormous AIDS problems, hardly Katholic nations i think ...
I think the problem is poor people cant afford condoms, and are not educated enough. Sad but true, you also cant expect these people to buy condoms costing half their weeks salary (if they even have any).
Their economical situation and lack of education is to blame for the AIDS problem.

Very very good point.

 

[Angry Lawyer]

D: Stern pointed out a Churst step-forward

*explodes*

-Angry Lawyer