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Kil
Evil Skeptic
USA
13476 Posts |
 Posted - 08/09/2012 : 20:02:41
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The Pope drops Catholic ban on condoms in historic shift
After decades of fierce opposition to the use of all contraception, the Pontiff has ended the Church’s absolute ban on the use of condoms.
He said it was acceptable to use a prophylactic when the sole intention was to “reduce the risk of infection” from Aids.
While he restated the Catholic Church’s staunch objections to contraception because it believes that it interferes with the creation of life, he argued that using a condom to preserve life and avoid death could be a responsible act – even outside marriage.
Asked whether “the Catholic Church is not fundamentally against the use of condoms,” he replied: “It of course does not see it as a real and moral solution. In certain cases, where the intention is to reduce the risk of infection, it can nevertheless be a first step on the way to another, more humane sexuality.”
He stressed that abstinence was the best policy in fighting the disease but in some circumstances it was better for a condom to be used if it protected human life. |
Who'd have thought that it would be Darth Pope?
I wasn't sure whether to put this in health or here in religion. I'm still not sure.
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Uncertainty may make you uncomfortable. Certainty makes you ridiculous.
Why not question something for a change?
Genetic Literacy Project |
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H. Humbert
SFN Die Hard
USA
4574 Posts |
Posted - 08/09/2012 : 21:22:14 [Permalink]
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I'll just more or less repeat here what I said on your Facebook page. I don't think this is really a shift at all.
The church still firmly opposes family planning. This pope has fought Melinda Gate's efforts to distribute birth control in 3rd world countries tooth and nail. A recent article in the Vatican newspaper accused Mrs. Gates of being "misinformed" and guilty of spreading "disinformation" about birth control.
This latest announcement not really a shift in policy, just damage control from all the bad press they've been getting on the issue. Most Catholics ignore the dogma on contraception anyway. The Pope knows this and he doesn't care. The church quite purposely holds people to the impossible standard of abstinence. Much easier to act pious and superior when people inevitably fail to maintain it. The AIDS issue was making the church look like uncaring monsters, though. Faithful wives were contracting the disease from unfaithful husbands. (But neither can the wives refuse their husbands' advances--it's a Christian wife's obligation to submit to her husband.) Presumably these will be the type of relationships where special exemptions might be granted, since it's still sex within marriage. The rules haven't changed for anyone else, though. Nor should you expect them to.
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"A man is his own easiest dupe, for what he wishes to be true he generally believes to be true." --Demosthenes
"The first principle is that you must not fool yourself - and you are the easiest person to fool." --Richard P. Feynman
"Face facts with dignity." --found inside a fortune cookie |
| Edited by - H. Humbert on 08/09/2012 21:58:15 |
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HalfMooner
Dingaling
Philippines
15831 Posts |
Posted - 08/09/2012 : 22:23:05 [Permalink]
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| I am doubtful, too. I'd like to see a more definite statement, along with instructions to the clergy to lay off opposition to condoms. Lacking those statements, I assume Pope Benny will simply say he was misquoted and continue the ban. |
“Biology is just physics that has begun to smell bad.” —HalfMooner
Here's a link to Moonscape News, and one to its Archive. |
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H. Humbert
SFN Die Hard
USA
4574 Posts |
Posted - 08/09/2012 : 23:14:29 [Permalink]
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Ah, as someone else pointed out, that article is from 2 years ago. "Historic shift" my ass. It's been business as usual for the last 2 years.
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"A man is his own easiest dupe, for what he wishes to be true he generally believes to be true." --Demosthenes
"The first principle is that you must not fool yourself - and you are the easiest person to fool." --Richard P. Feynman
"Face facts with dignity." --found inside a fortune cookie |
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gurealB
New Member
6 Posts |
Posted - 08/09/2012 : 23:15:56 [Permalink]
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| No wonder they ban use of condoms. |
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HalfMooner
Dingaling
Philippines
15831 Posts |
Posted - 08/09/2012 : 23:19:25 [Permalink]
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Yeah, as I suspected, the back-peddling and legalistic details are already coming from the Church. Condoms used for prevention of infection alone may be okay, but for birth control (or for any use that includes birth control), they are still verboten.
So this is a partial lifting of the ban on condoms, and only condoms. All other means of birth control are still completely forbidden by the Church, and Catholics must not use condoms except to prevent disease transmission.
Better than nothing, I guess, but not much better. The good thing is, now that condoms themselves are not totally anathema to the Church, people will find it easier to find them and use them for both disease control and (on the sly) family planning. In the short- to mid-term, for Catholic laity to deceive their priesthood is probably a good habit to acquire. |
“Biology is just physics that has begun to smell bad.” —HalfMooner
Here's a link to Moonscape News, and one to its Archive. |
| Edited by - HalfMooner on 08/09/2012 23:31:40 |
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On fire for Christ
SFN Regular
Norway
1273 Posts |
Posted - 08/10/2012 : 05:50:27 [Permalink]
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| how do you use a condom to prevent infection without the side effect of preventing conception? Or are they strictly for anal use? |
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HalfMooner
Dingaling
Philippines
15831 Posts |
Posted - 08/10/2012 : 06:08:17 [Permalink]
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Originally posted by On fire for Christ
how do you use a condom to prevent infection without the side effect of preventing conception? Or are they strictly for anal use?
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Good questions. Better ask the Church. They seem to be the experts on such things. |
“Biology is just physics that has begun to smell bad.” —HalfMooner
Here's a link to Moonscape News, and one to its Archive. |
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On fire for Christ
SFN Regular
Norway
1273 Posts |
Posted - 08/10/2012 : 06:11:47 [Permalink]
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| I think I am excommunicated. |
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HalfMooner
Dingaling
Philippines
15831 Posts |
Posted - 08/10/2012 : 07:13:38 [Permalink]
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Originally posted by On fire for Christ
I think I am excommunicated. |
Tell 'em, "You can't fire me -- I quit!" |
“Biology is just physics that has begun to smell bad.” —HalfMooner
Here's a link to Moonscape News, and one to its Archive. |
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Kil
Evil Skeptic
USA
13476 Posts |
Posted - 08/10/2012 : 08:21:33 [Permalink]
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Originally posted by H. Humbert
Ah, as someone else pointed out, that article is from 2 years ago. "Historic shift" my ass. It's been business as usual for the last 2 years.
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Yup. |
Uncertainty may make you uncomfortable. Certainty makes you ridiculous.
Why not question something for a change?
Genetic Literacy Project |
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Dr. Mabuse
Septic Fiend
Sweden
9687 Posts |
Posted - 08/10/2012 : 12:03:28 [Permalink]
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Originally posted by On fire for Christ
I think I am excommunicated.
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Dr. Mabuse - "When the going gets tough, the tough get Duct-tape..."
Dr. Mabuse whisper.mp3
"Equivocation is not just a job, for a creationist it's a way of life..." Dr. Mabuse
Support American Troops in Iraq:
Send them unarmed civilians for target practice..
Collateralmurder. |
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Pope lifts ban on condoms
