Vatican 'may relax condom rules'

[Janus]

Originally posted by BBC
The Vatican is preparing to publish a statement on the use of condoms by people who have Aids, a senior Roman Catholic official has said.
Cardinal Javier Lozano Barragan told La Repubblica newspaper that Pope Benedict XVI asked the Vatican's council for health care to study the issue.

The Vatican says abstinence is the best way to tackle HIV/Aids.

But last week, a retired archbishop backed the use of condoms for married couples to prevent Aids transmission.

Cardinal Carlo Maria Martini, who used to be Archbishop of Milan, said that in couples where one partner had HIV/Aids, the use of condoms was "a lesser evil".

'Delicate subject'

There are signs that the document could be a major revision of Vatican policy, says the BBC's Robert Pigott.

The issue is one of the most controversial among Catholics, and the Church has been strongly criticised for its current position, especially in African countries stricken by HIV/Aids, our correspondent says.

In his interview with the newspaper, Cardinal Barragan said: "Soon the Vatican will issue a document about the use of condoms by persons who have grave diseases, starting with Aids."

He said his department was studying the document, along with the scientists and theologians who wrote it.

"It is Benedict XVI who asked us for a study on this particular aspect of using a condom by those afflicted with Aids, and by those with infectious diseases," he added.

Asked whether he agreed with Cardinal Martini's views, Cardinal Barragan said: "It is a very difficult and delicate subject which warrants prudence."

He said he preferred not to comment on Cardinal Martini's remarks, so as "to not anticipate the study".

It is not clear when the document will be published.

The Vatican has made no official comment.
They're finally thinking about relaxing their rules, huh? Well, I think it may be a little too late for that.

[RevMARKSman]

They aren't going to do it. Trust me.
I was once a Catholic and it was too dogmatic. I'm still a kid, and wouldn't tell my dad about leaving the Catholic church unless I really wanted to be ripped limb from limb, so I still have to go to Catholic religious classes.
They kicked someone out for defending a woman's right to abortion--so now if we contradict Catholic doctrine, we're kicked out, even if we have great logical support for our argument. :angry: I have a bone to pick with the administrator there.

[Janus]

They aren't going to do it.
Maybe and maybe not. This new pope is supposedly even more conservative than the last one so I doubt that anything will occur as well.

[LSD]

Oh, so the Vatican is about to "realize" that contraception is nescessary to stop a sexually tansmitted disease??

I guess their stubourness has finally caught up with them.

What, are African parishoners starting to wonder why their local priest is trying to get them killed? :lol:

That's the way the Church works, though. It refuses for years, maybe even decades, to budge an inch on a subject, but the moment that it looks like it might hurt attendance levels, it not only budges, it leaps.

That's what it did when it "acknowldged" that the earth orbits the sun, that's what it did when it "acknowledged" (limited) women's rights, or when it co-opted enlightenment values as "Christian".

Accordingly, I have absolutely no doubt that as time passes and society evolves, the Church will undergo more such changes and will, eventually, "acknowledge" gay and women's rights.

I&#39;m not equally certain, though, that I&#39;ll be alive to see it. <_<

[Black Dagger]

This is so silly/hypocritical, it&#39;s a fucking game to the catholic church. They say they may &#39;allow&#39; people with AIDS to use condoms to prevent transmission, but only as long as there is no intention to prevent conception (which of course is a direct product of using a condom) - so it&#39;s still &#39;bad&#39; to use condoms to prevent contraception, but you can use condoms if you have AIDS even though this will prevent contraception - why not just drop the prohibition on contraception all together? Idiots.

[AnnieAngel]

Will this counter the lies they spread all over Africa that AIDS is too small to be held back by a condom? Or that condoms are infected with AIDS by the makers too kill off poor people?

And anyway, married couples?? I fucking hate the RC Church. It&#39;s an EVIL institution.

Annie :ph34r:

[Hegemonicretribution]

I agree with LSD, eveolution applies to religion as well. If a religion can&#39;t maintain itself for a certain reason, it changes or reduces in number/vanishes.

It is not (as some suggest) the very idea of some kind super being that causes such ridiculous notions, rather they mirror an aspect of the society that they exist (have previously existed, or think they will exist) in. Of course some have feudal values, but there is still a "market" if you will for this. Some people think that this adds more credibility to their belief, more modern beliefs often see this as stupid. There are churches that simply harbour the prejudices of the day, and find support this way. Of course some try to be progressive movements, and even engineer their own change, but the problem is that the doctrines often get confused, and despite good intentions, something with little backing in reality is not a good basis for action.

They are resistant to change though, and it is easy to see why. When you require an absolute claim to truth and righteousness for your following, it is not easy to admit you could have been wrong as this knocks the standing of the belief. This will only occur to the majority of a particular religion when not changing views will jeopordise it more than allowing change.

It s good that the church is started to change a little here, I just hope that for them it is too little too late. Religion is not necessarily as bad as some see it, but it is an unnecessary risk that has caused and "justified" attrocity in the past, and is something that we should distance ourselves from.