Community | November 20, 2010 | 117 comments

Pope OK's Condom use only for Male Prostitutes

http://www.politicsdaily.com/2010/11/20/pope-oks-condoms-in-some-cases-cites-use-by-male-prostitutes-av/

Pope Benedict XVI has said that in special cases, such as that of prostitutes trying to prevent HIV infection, condoms could be justified under Catholic ethical thinking, especially if their use leads to an awareness that engaging in such a "banalization of sexuality" is morally harmful. More at the link.

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Current.com staff update by sbacker:

In a new book Pope Benedict says that the use of condoms to stop the spread of AIDS may be justified in certain cases, a statement that could start of sea change in the Vatican's attitude to condoms.

In excerpts published in the Vatican newspaper the pope cites the example of the use of condoms by prostitutes as "a first step toward moralisation" even though condoms are "not really the way to deal with the evil of HIV infection."

While some Roman Catholic leaders have spoken in the past about the limited use of condoms in specific cases to stop the spread of HIV/AIDS as a lesser of two evils, this is the first time the pope has mentioned the possibility himself in public.

To justify his change on the matter Pope Benedict caused surprise by taking as his example a male prostitute who used a condom to protect his client. But in so doing he avoided breaching the Catholic church's opposition to artificial contraception as birth control is not an issue in male homosexual relations.

But what remained unclear was whether the pope was starting to relax the chur's policy on the use of condoms in heterosexual relations, if only by couples in which one partner was HIV-positive.

Last year, the pope caused an international uproar when he told journalists taking him to Africa that condoms should not be used because they could worsen the spread of AIDS.

The new book, called Light of the World, is made up of Benedict's responses to questions by German Catholic journalist Peter Seewald over a month of meetings at the papal summer residence.

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117 comments // Pope OK's Condom use only for Male Prostitutes

  • cantucwearebrothers
  • JuliusBC
    • 0
      JuliusBC  
    • cantucwearebrothers:

      Cantuc, long time no show. How are things going?

      Religion is the apple peddled by the serpent! Religion is not God and God is not religion, never was and most likely never will be. Religion can and is almost always found at the base of all forms of hate, greed, bigotry, prejudice and almost every war or atrocity can be traced back to some twist promoted by religion.

      All of this is contrary to a kind and loving God, thus, Religion must be the apple peddled by the serpent that is consumed by so many resulting in the demise and/or suffering of so many. History is not religions friend but rather the tool used to skin the snake...

    • 1 year ago
  • mitekillem
    • 0
      mitekillem  

    • So...If I understand this correctly. Being Gay is a sin. Wearing Condoms is a sin.
      But since you're going to sell your body illegally for gay sex, you might as well wear a condom, to keep aids from spreading.
      -Makes sense.

      So...why can't everyone else use them?

      And if one Pope contradicts another, does that mean that "God" has changed his mind/policy on things?

    • 1 year ago
  • Stever_B
  • panichead
    • +1
      panichead  

    • The Pope is the biggest pimp at the largest gay brothel in the world where the age of consent is 12 years old. Just trying to protect the churches investment!

    • 1 year ago
  • GavinTheMother
    • 0
      GavinTheMother  

    • So it is now morally acceptable for a male prostitute (damned to hell for eternity based on this behavior alone) to use a condom? Am I missing something? Love the comment Jeremy: "Grow the Fuck up". Your clear voice for mature commentary has been heard!!

      Thanks for the fucking progress Pope B!

    • 1 year ago
  • Dejan_Croatia
  • Ihatethemall
  • Jeremy_Benson
    • -3
      Jeremy_Benson  

    • This is the first pope to actually advocate condom use - albeit only in certain situations, but still a big step forward in catholic ideology. And yet below me is nothing but people bashing the pope for this and that. Yes there is controversy and yes he has made some morally questionable decisions, but must everything he says subject him to a new round of insults, even if it moves the church progressively ahead? Do you people have no shame, or must we continue beating this herd of dead horses? Grow the fuck up.

    • 1 year ago
  • jahbini
  • Stever_B
    • +2
      Stever_B  
    • Jeremy_Benson:

      Do you honestly think that this step moves the church in any way forward? Sorry, I don't see it, unless you think that the church serves its flock by bringing them forward to 1930 or so.

      And yes, as far as I'm concerned, everything he says, everything he does and every bullshit encyclical that comes out of Rome is cause for a new round of insults. Ratzinger is a false pope and has no business being in the exalted church position he's in.

      I have absolutely NO shame about my feelings either. And as much as some would like this herd of horses to be dead, they are very much alive and well. And I expect that they will remain alive and well until every last one of the child molester catholic priests is brought to justice and this "pope" that tried his best to get the statute of limitations shortened to protect the child molesters from prosecution is dead.

    • 1 year ago
  • dariusvons
    • -1
      dariusvons  

    • wait... does this mean does that mean the prostitute wears it when ass f^cking the priest, or that the priest wear it when ass f^cking the prostitute?

    • 1 year ago
  • JuliusBC
    • 0
      JuliusBC  
    • Image
    • dariusvons:

      You assume much here. How do we know that it isn't in a poorer sector of the church and that there are only two participants. As shown, here is the poor man's economy version for a party of five. I'm just saying when you add up the cost of a male prostitute there maybe a shortage of cash.

    • 1 year ago
  • dariusvons
  • s_peak
    • +2
      s_peak  

    • Maybe it's "morally harmful" for some guy who helps hide child molesters to be telling us what's right and wrong? Yeah.

      Also... the pope was already served papers to appear in court for crimes against church and state, so hopefully we can stop hearing bullshit like this until the day he writes his memoirs from prison.

    • 1 year ago
  • StandaboveUnderstand
  • MotherForTruth
  • dreamsenvoy
  • Johnny_Los_Angeles
  • killingjoke
  • craigsaid
  • mik661
    • +3
      mik661  

    • So when condoms are being used to prevent pregnancy the churches stance is that they do not prevent the spread of disease. When they are being used by male prostitutes they are acceptable because they prevent the spread of disease.

    • 1 year ago
  • chief_longhair
  • beautifulmiddlefinger
  • common_sense_please
    • 0
      common_sense_please  

    • you gotta love irony, sexism, hypocriticalness, cluelessness, and denial all rolled into one statement.

      And sadly I've grown so cynical over the last year or so I am wondering if when Glenn Beck and Fox News cover this story they mention the current Pope actually was/is a Nazi.

    • 1 year ago
  • Incredulous
  • DogBoy
    • +2
      DogBoy  

    • I guess the priests can use condoms when they are buggering little boys.
      The Vatican needs to get a grip.Catholic priests need to be able to get married. Then they can better lead the flocks by example plus they will have more insight into all the marital problems. HIV infections are the least of the Popes worries at this point in time. He is just trying to take the attention off the degradation of the priesthood.

    • 1 year ago
  • jahbini
  • jubal
  • MotherForTruth
  • jubal
  • MotherForTruth
  • ayipis
  • jubal
  • Stever_B
  • ayipis
    • -2
      ayipis  
    • Image

    • http://us.cnn.com/2010/WORLD/europe/11/21/vatican.pope.condoms/index.html?hpt=T2

      AIDS activists praise pope's condom comments

      Rome, Italy (CNN) -- Pope Benedict XVI's possible shift on condom use is a "significant and positive step forward," the head of the United Nations anti-AIDS campaign said, welcoming the potentially historic remark.

      "This move recognizes that responsible sexual behavior and the use of condoms have important roles in HIV prevention," UNAIDS executive director Michel Sidibe said in a statement.

    • 1 year ago
  • jubal
    • +1
      jubal  
    • ayipis:

      Yes it is a good thing...but the point is that the church should not simply isolate prostitution as the only circumstance that a condom is acceptable.

      Using a condom is not against god's plan...that is the BS part of the whole stance.

    • 1 year ago
  • Jeremy_Benson
  • antiutopia
  • Stever_B
    • +1
      Stever_B  
    • antiutopia:

      As crazy as it may sound, male prostitutes in Rome just might be devout enough not to wear condoms because of church teaching, while at the same time hustling in St. Peter's Square. It's a wacky world!

    • 1 year ago
  • Relevations
    • +5
      Relevations  

    • Another item for the Vatican store.....
      Let the Pope and the Queen of England get jobs
      as Wal Mart greeters.....this insanity has gone on for way too long.....
      There is so much on this Planet similar to this....but not much that
      shows so much wealth at the expense of the Poor ...does any God want someone to dress in diamonds and gold while within a stones throw....there are starving people.....I think not.....if your God likes this might be time for a new one.....be a Golden Ruler...

    • 1 year ago
  • jubal
  • bike10
  • Varex_Sythe
    • +7
      Varex_Sythe  

    • I can't help it... every time I see a picture of him I think I'm seeing a flamboyantly homosexual Darth Sidious. I mean no offense to people who are homosexual.

    • 1 year ago
  • ayipis
    • -5
      ayipis  
    • Varex_Sythe:

      LOL...its actually scary to think that people can cook up a mental picture of a "flamboyant homosexual DArth Sidious" but i guess every sicko has its own dark fetish..

      no offense to all people who are sicko LOL

    • 1 year ago
  • Nephwrack
  • Varex_Sythe
    • +3
      Varex_Sythe  
    • ayipis:

      Right, because it takes a sicko with a dark fetish to be able to see the physical similarities between a fictional character that was conceptualized years before the current pope became pope, and the current pope. I also find it humorous that you consistently put up pictures of flamboyantly homosexual men, most of which were taken during gay pride rally's and/or parades, but you either don't or can't draw the parallel from the flamboyant clothes that the pope, as well as some other religious leaders, wears.

      By the way, what is it that you do for employment?

    • 1 year ago
  • JuliusBC
  • Varex_Sythe
    • 0
      Varex_Sythe  
    • JuliusBC:

      I'm guessing that he is anywhere between 15 and 45 years old, lives in his mothers basement, and his only source of income is an allowance he receives for doing chores that he probably does in a half assed manner.

    • 1 year ago
  • JuliusBC
  • Varex_Sythe
  • EthicalVegan
  • Varex_Sythe
  • ozoneocean
    • +2
      ozoneocean  

    • Think about it- the church is a cultural institution that has been around for well over 1500 years, it wasn't invented in the 20th century- in order to last that long it has always had to adapt to changes in wider society. It's extremely slow and crusty, but it does adapt.

      Churches are by nature very conservative and slow to change, but thank goodness they do!

    • 1 year ago
  • pjacobs51
  • Thargor19
  • ozoneocean
    • +1
      ozoneocean  
    • pjacobs51:

      With the current speed of information transfer and the way culture changes so much these days, slow and conservative institutions like the church have less relevance and because of that are gradually receding in importance- simply because by their very nature they can't keep up.

      And that's not a bad thing. It's cultural evolution at work :D

    • 1 year ago
  • kennymotown
  • Stoneyroad
  • Thargor19
  • pjacobs51
  • jubal
  • randallr01
  • Nephwrack
  • Dmerza1989
  • fun_size
  • Thargor19
  • fun_size
  • pjacobs51
  • KSirys
    • +6
      KSirys  

    • The pope needs to go away already.. he's ok with this, but hides his own people after they sexually abuse kids??? fuck him and the vatican... child molesters!!!

    • 1 year ago
  • Varex_Sythe
  • EthicalVegan
  • Dmerza1989
  • UtopianSky
    • +13
      UtopianSky  

    • Well that is a turn around-

      Before they stuck to their guns and said no sex outside marriage at all, period, so no condoms are ever necessary.

      Now they are at least admitting that male prostitutes exist, and it's best if they use condoms.

      I guess they had to, since the Vatican got caught ordering all of those male prostitutes.

      I can see the planning for this proclamation now:

      A hustler arrives to the Vatican to service a Cardinal. The hustler did not want to wear a condom when doing the Cardinal, since it would be a sin.

      The Cardinal wanted him to wear a condom, because God knows where this guy has been.

      So, the Cardinal had to tell him in this instance, it's OK.

      And then it became law.

      Now, hustlers wear condoms when doing Cardinals all the time!

      Amen!

    • 1 year ago
  • jubal
  • Nephwrack
  • treewolf39
    • +5
      treewolf39  

    • I heard this on NPR coming home tonight. Baby steps. He won't be around for that long and people are shedding the chains of religion slowly... It does not matter what he has to say. Clowns in robes.

    • 1 year ago
  • EthicalVegan
  • unimatrix0
    • +16
      unimatrix0  

    • The Pope is a man who collaborated with the Nazis, and protected child molesters from prosecution. He has no moral authority or credibility.

    • 1 year ago
  • randallr01
  • Thargor19
  • Thargor19
  • Stever_B
  • jahbini
  • antiutopia
  • timetide
    • 0
      timetide  
    • antiutopia:

      you seem to forget that the last pope was imprissioned for refusing forced enlistment. If the last pope had that kind of moral fiber and faith why should we give this one a slide?

    • 1 year ago
  • Stever_B
    • 0
      Stever_B  
    • antiutopia:

      Slam wikipedia all you want -- it is a convenient source of information and is vetted by many people. Where does your information come from? I seem to be missing the link in your pontificating post. I don't understand your question about what kind of evil I'm risking my life to stop. Are you implying Ratzinger risked his life to stop some evil? According to you, he defected from the Nazi Party when he could. His defection, although probably dangerous, did not stop or even HELP to stop any evil -- it just freed him from the Nazis.

    • 1 year ago
  • JuliusBC
    • 0
      JuliusBC  
    • Image
    • antiutopia:

      What he did or didn't do then is one thing but what he has done recently with regards to protecting the innocent from the molesting priests is hardly life threatening and is a piece of evil that is well with in his scope of authority to take some form of control rather than just lifting the proverbial carpet and sweeping it under or alternately sweeping the shit to some other location.

      Since he is the person that is supposedly in charge, then he should do the right thing, no life threatening risk is currently eminent by doing so as far as I know. I think this is the point of all of the "smack talk" aimed at the Pope. Highly justified and warranted!

      Where is Christ with his whip when you need him? This is far more grievous and offensive than any lot of money changers. If he were here he would most likely start with the Pope and whip his ass first and perhaps the hardest!

      ONE LIETLE ALTER BOY, TWO LIETLE ALTER BOYS, THREE LIETLE ALTER BOYS, AH, AH, AH, AHHHH!
      FOUR LIETLE ALTER B........................ When and where does it stop and by whom?!

    • 1 year ago
  • eden49
  • ayipis
    • -14
      ayipis  

    • this pope should just let these atheists fuck themselves to death.......they have the right to have unprotected sex with male prostitutes.................I mean who really cares..they dont..

      what a silly man

    • 1 year ago
  • Varex_Sythe
    • +1
      Varex_Sythe  
    • ayipis:

      Wow, the irony here is that a lot of people who "fuck themselves to death" by having any kind of sex with male prostitutes belong to one religion or another as opposed to being atheist.

      By the way, what do you do for employment.

    • 1 year ago
  • Thargor19
    • +1
      Thargor19  
    • ayipis:

      yeah! because atheism and catholic "law" go hand in hand. and all atheists fuck w/out jimmy hats...i dig your stoic ability to not care, neither do i, but don't lie, if you didn't care you wouldn't say stupid shit like let them "fuck themselves to death". stay classy

    • 1 year ago
  • Progresshiv
    • +8
      Progresshiv  

    • The contemporary Christian Church (Catholic and Protestant) is the Antichrist named in the New Testament. Organized Christianity masquerades as the body of Christ when, in fact, it is the essence of false prophecy, perversion of Christ's message, and utter hopelessness. Catholics and Protestants wear the mark of The Beast every Sunday as they kneel before a facsimile of The Word, espouse militarism in Christ's name, impoverish the helpless, and condemn others who refuse to bow before their false god. The seemingly limitless corruption of organized Christianity has shackled millions to ignorance, hatred, and greed. Ratzinger's Rubber Encyclical is just the latest offense against the Lamb of God.

    • 1 year ago
  • jubal
  • EthicalVegan
  • Progresshiv
  • EthicalVegan
  • randallr01
  • JuliusBC
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