大象传媒

Is the Pope right about condoms?

| Monday, 11 Nov. 2010 | 18:06 - 19:00 GMT

In a new book out this week the Pope talks about the use of condoms:

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 moralisation
When asked if the Church is not, in principle, opposed to the use of condoms he says:

She of course does not regard it as a real or moral solution, but, in this or that case, there can be nonetheless, in the intention of reducing the risk of infection, a first step in a movement toward a different way, a more human way, of living sexuality.
This has sparked a debate about whether this means the Church is relaxing its ban on contraception. And whether that is a a good idea or not, especially in the fight against HIV.

Christina Odone thinks the Pope's ruling is a 'liberation'

Your comments

  1. Comment sent via host

    That''s all for WHYS today. We''re going to be keeping an eye on this breaking story in Phnom Penh, where 180 people are reported dead in a stampede at a water festival. More on this tomorrow - follow the breaking news here:

  2. Comment sent via Facebook

    Samuel - for Ireland to come out to request for the loans was the best thing to do. The current government might not have been perfect, but should they have pretended that things were okay?

  3. Comment sent via YOURSAY

    Niall emailed the 大象传媒 - Ireland is now paying for years of profligacy, and with our government clearly incapable of sorting out this mess, maybe its no harm that we are getting the IMF in.

  4. Comment sent via YOURSAY

    Mark in Manchester emailed the 大象传媒 - Ireland has not lost its economic independence his week, we lost it the moment we forfeited our ability to set our own interest rates and print out own currency by joining the euro.

  5. Comment sent via SMS

    In all sincerity,I think seeing what is happening in the Eurozone Europe made a mistake adopting one currency.Britain was right not 2 join.Why should the economic problems of one country run differently from others,be the problm of all .Europe should go bck 2 their individual currencies until there is one political govt.One country calld Europe wit one govt is the answer. UwalakaVAL, Porthacot. Nigeria.

  6. Comment sent via YOURSAY

    Tom in Mayo emailed the 大象传媒 - The Irish government are a complete disgrace. they should go now and let the opposition take over the running of the country without a majority and back any proposals they bring forward.

  7. Comment sent via YOURSAY

    Naoise in Dublin emailed the 大象传媒 - Delighted that people with some ability are now making economic decisions for the country. Our government have shamed the country and its citizens.

  8. Comment sent via YOURSAY

    Antony emailed the 大象传媒 from Dublin - The corporation tax will not be an issue as it serves the EU no favors if it is increased as it will be more difficult for the Republic to trade out of it's difficulties. We will get out of this mess.

  9. Comment sent via YOURSAY

    Mike in Palmerstown emailed the 大象传媒 - I am glad that our political masters are being shown up for what they are self-deluding idiots. I have worked for a semi-state quango most of my life and have never seen waste like it anywhere

  10. Comment sent via Facebook

    KaMan in Kampala on Facebook - How does Ireland's bailout help improve my situation down here? I too, need a bailout,i'm stuck in seemingly endless financial woes!

  11. Comment sent via SMS

    IRISH MINISTERS SHOULD BE VERY SHAME OF THEMSELVES FOR FALLING PUPPET TO ANOTHER EU-LED BAIL-OUT !! PANTO CLEVELAND, OHIO

  12. Comment sent via Facebook

    Clive in Kitwe, Zambia - Trust me, Ireland and Greece are just a tip of the iceberg. This is just the beginning of a more devastating global melt down even than the credit crunch we've just witnessed

  13. Comment sent via YOURSAY

    Ger in Dublin emailed the 大象传媒 - If I ran a company the way the bankers and ministers are running Ireland, I'd be locked up for "misappropriated funds"

  14. Comment sent via Facebook

    Sam in Nairobi - Ireland should not have accepted the loan, its is like adding gasoline to the fire. Problems are likely to arise in the future during the payment of the loan

  15. Comment sent via Facebook

    Bashir - Ireland needs fresh elections and new leaders. For the bail-out to produce results, there must be regime change.

  16. Comment sent via Facebook

    Khynxly in Nigeria - Yes,it's a welcome development despite the fake resistance that the leaders tried... at the end of the day, it's the taxpayers that will suffer for it. My pity goes to them.

  17. Comment sent via BLOG

    Miche Norman on the blog - There are a number of fundamental flaws that affect the whole of Europe - the export of jobs on a catostrophic scale, unsupportable social benefits that have become a career option - and massive overspending - those require root canal surgery. The money for Ireland is more like a splash of whitener - it makes things look good in the short term but does not solve the real problem.

  18. Comment sent via Facebook

    Tuweni - I feel despondent. Those who caused the this situation around the world have not been brought to task.

  19. Comment sent via BLOG

    Martin in the UK on the blog - What I find hard to understand is that the same people (government, regulators, bankers etc) who got Ireland into this mess are the right people to get Ireland out of the mess!

  20. Comment sent via Facebook

    Lianne - The banks were facing bankruptcy and the Irish government took over their debt and now the Irish government is facing bankruptcy and the EU is taking over the debt. What will happen when the EU faces bankruptcy?

  21. Comment sent via Facebook

    Basala - Ireland had no choice but to accept the loan. In recent times we have seen struggling economies improve after being bailed out by others!

  22. Comment sent via Facebook

    Annastacia - I am so sad we or should I say the Government excepted this bail out when he swore he wouldn't. If it was done properly instead of going straight into the banks who were the ones who crippled this economy and put us into this depression and managed by another body maybe.

  23. Comment sent via SMS

    I support baptist christianity where everyone are brothers and sisters and preachers. The Pope Benedict XVI replace discussion between religious scientists is

  24. Comment sent via Facebook

    Joseph - whatever help a struggling economy gets is always welcome..& ireland is no exception

  25. Comment sent via Facebook

    Carruthers - Ireland accepted the lesser of two evils. Not accepting the loan would have led to a total collapse of Ireland and caused serious contagion in the EU which could have led to the failure of the single currency.

  26. Comment sent via host

    That''s all for our discussion on the Pope''s comments about condom use. We''re now going to look at the Irish bail-out and the political crisis there; and the collapse of a mine in New Zealand.

  27. Comment sent via Facebook

    Raymond - We welcome the Pope's statement on condoms but it should not be a misconception for one to engage promiscuous behaviour!

  28. Comment sent via SMS

    The use of condoms as disease prevention WILL become the rationale for use by everyone. To limit that use to gay prostitutes is at best sexist, at worst immoral and unchristian

  29. Comment sent via Facebook

    Felix - Here in malawi more than 97% of catholics use condoms and contraceptives.