Pope says condoms are OK

Not really, he hastily back-tracked when pressed. But he did say they could be used on a case by case basis in exceptional circumstances - male prostitution, for instance. Just as long as its not used as a contraceptive for women!

His comments were welcomed by some, but  played down by the Vatican. Is he warming to the use of condoms as a way to decrease suffering, or is he showing the Catholic church's feelings as to the activities, health and welfare of male prostitutes?

He is ok with male prostitution? :?

Perhaps it has escaped him, but male prostitutes will have sex with women in which case the condom will be a contraceptive for women.

He also refers to the church as a "she"?

EDIT: After reading the link, RationalAtheist can you quote which part he mentions male prostitution, because I cannot find it.

He is ok with male prostitution? :?

 

Perhaps it has escaped him, but male prostitutes will have sex with women in which case the condom will be a contraceptive for women.

 

He also refers to the church as a "she"?

 

EDIT: After reading the link, RationalAtheist can you quote which part he mentions male prostitution, because I cannot find it.

Teenaged

Of course!

Here's a quote from the main article - 11 paragraphs down:

"There may be a basis in the case of some individuals, as perhaps when a male prostitute uses a condom, where this can be a first step in the direction of a moralization, a first assumption of responsibility, on the way toward recovering an awareness that not everything is allowed and that one cannot do whatever one wants. But it is not really the way to deal with the evil of HIV infection." 

I think the Pope was referring to male homosexual prostitution, rather than male heterosexual prostitution!

God I completely missed that even though I read it all. >__>

Anyway the whole answer he gave is full of vague labels: sometimes he uses negative labels for condom usage based on vague reasons and at other times he supports them with equally vague reasons.

It seems to me that both politicians and religious leaders usually are incapable of speaking to the point and not whatever comes to their head that might sound relevant.

God I completely missed that even though I read it all. >__>

Teenaged

God I completely missed that even though I read it all. >__>

 

Anyway the whole answer he gave is full of vague labels: sometimes he uses negative labels for condom usage based on vague reasons and at other times he supports them with equally vague reasons.

It seems to me that both politicians and religious leaders usually are incapable of speaking to the point and not whatever comes to their head that might sound relevant.

Teenaged

Quite right. I resent him for applying moral relativism to AIDS and homosexuality - it seems quite out of character for such a harbinger of absolutism. But I resent him more for his muddled words raising - then dashing hope for the huge number of people who are looking for a change of view from the Catholic church on condoms.

The Vatican may not want to admit it, but this is the first time that any Pope has ever even considered the use of contraceptives in any situation, which is radical (and ironic, as the current Pope is very traditionalist). Although the Pope essentially still holds the same views on contraceptives, he has perhaps sparked the beginning of the Catholic Church's transition towards public opinion on the use of contraceptives.michaelP4

Let's hope! 

@Teenaged:

This might interest you (from a linguistics angle):

"The Pope's meaning was questioned because the Italian translation of the book used the feminine form of the word for prostitute, whereas the original German used the masculine.

Vatican spokesman Father Federico Lombardi said he had personally asked the Pope if there was a serious, important problem in the choice of the masculine over the feminine.

"He told me 'No'," Fr Lombardi said. "The problem is this... It's the first step of taking responsibility, of taking into consideration the risk of the life of another with whom you have a relationship."

"This is if you're a woman, a man, or a transsexual," he added."

(from here) 

It sounds like another change of mind, but for the better, I think.