The liberal media and progressive blogs are drooling over an interestingly selected excerpt printed in L’Osservatore Romano from Pope Benedict’s upcoming book, Light of the World. As a result of this excerpt where the Holy Father speaks about condoms, the progressives are jumping up and down thinking that the Pope has somehow permitted birth control, or that the Church is going to change its teaching on the matter. Don’t run for the condom store just yet, folks. Jimmy Akin and Catholic World Report have both written very good clarifications about the Pope’s comments, including putting them into context. This is something the liberal media has failed to do… again.
Tags: Sex
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NPR has been reporting this morning that the pope said that in some circumstances, the use of condoms may be justified. “may be justified” appears nowhere in JA’s article or in the catholic world report text. Someone in the comments in both sections claims that’s what he did say. I’m confused – is it a german->italian->english translation problem?
His comments were that in the instance of a prostitute who would otherwise infect a person with HIV because of a lack of concern for the other person, if the prostitute were to use a condom with the idea that by doing so they are trying to protect the other person represents moral progress and a developing concern for others (though still not perfect). He isn’t at all saying that condoms or birth control are now morally appropriate, as the liberal media is making this out to be.
As Akin stated so clearly, these are merely the personal thoughts about the Pope on this matter, and do not represent any sort of change in Church teaching.
This story threw me for a loop, that’s for sure. But, as always, the media is apt to misrepresent or simply not understand what the pope has said. See Fr. Z’s site for commentary and good comments in the combox here:
http://wdtprs.com/blog/2010/11/the-pope-did-not-endorse-the-use-of-condoms/#comments
Amy Welborn also has a good post:
http://amywelborn.wordpress.com/2010/11/20/well-that-went-well/
It’s like saying, “Shooting a person in the right kidney is better than shooting someone in the heart.” They’re both really atrocious, but one shows an ounce of consideration while the other doesn’t.
but where-o-where did the phrase “may be justified” come from? Is it a complete fabrication? a mistranslation?