Pope Benedict XVI says in a new book that condoms can be justified for male prostitutes seeking to s

(20 Nov 2010) HEADLINE: Pope: condoms can be justified in some cases
CAPTION: Pope Benedict XVI says in a new book that condoms can be justified for male prostitutes seeking to stop the spread of HIV, a stunning comment for a church criticized for its opposition to condoms. (Nov. 20)

A NEW BOOK REVEALS A SURPRISING COMMENT FROM POPE BENEDICT ON THE USE OF CONDOMS. THE OFFICIAL VATICAN NEWSPAPER PRINTED EXCERPTS OF THE BOOK SATURDAY. IN IT, THE POPE SAYS CONDOMS CAN BE JUSTIFIED FOR MALE PROSTITUTES SEEKING TO STOP THE SPREAD OF HIV.
THE CATHOLIC CHURCH HAS CRITICIZED FOR ITS OPPOSITION TO CONDOMS. THE PONTIFF HIMSELF HAS BLAMED THEM FOR MAKING THE AIDS CRISIS WORSE.
THE BOOK, "LIGHT OF THE WORLD: THE POPE, THE CHURCH AND THE SIGNS OF THE TIMES," IS THE RESULT OF SIX DAYS OF INTERVIEWS BY A JOURNALIST.
CHURCH TEACHING HAS LONG OPPOSED CONDOMS BECAUSE THEY ARE A FORM OF ARTIFICIAL CONTRACEPTION, ALTHOUGH IT HAS NEVER RELEASED AN EXPLICIT POLICY ABOUT CONDOMS AND HIV.
BENEDICT TOLD AUTHOR PETER SWEEWALD THAT CONDOMS ARE NOT A MORAL SOLUTION. BUT HE SAID IN SOME CASES, SUCH AS FOR MALE PROSTITUTES, THEY COULD BE JUSTIFIED "IN THE INTENTION OF REDUCING THE RISK OF INFECTION."
(Italian/ Giovanni Maria Vian, Editor of Vatican newspaper L'Osservatore Romano:
"The pope looks with great affection and trust to the future of humanity, he doesn't shy away from problems. He obviously speaks of the problem of injustice, of ecology, of the problem of drugs, of sexual tourism, but all this with great optimism.")
THE EDITOR OF THE VATICAN NEWSPAPER SAYS THE POPE HAS TRUST IN THE FUTURE OF HUMANITY AND DOESN'T DOESN'T SHY AWAY FROM PROBLEMS.
BENEDICT DREW THE WRATH OF THE UNITED NATIONS, EUROPEAN GOVERNMENTS AND AIDS ACTIVISITS WHEN HE TOLD REPORTERS IN 2009 THAT THE AIDS PROBLEM IN AFRICA COULDN'T BE RESOLVED BY DISTRIBUTING CONDOMS--SAYING IT ACTUALLY INCREASES THE PROBLEM.
THE VATICAN'S LONGTIME TOP OFFICIAL ON BIOETHICS AND SEXUALITY, ELABORATED ON THE PONTIFF'S COMMENTS, STRESSING THAT IT WAS IMPERATIVE TO "MAKE CERTAIN THAT THIS IS THE ONLY WAY TO SAVE A LIFE."

APTN STORY NUMBER: 665844

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