About Condoms

The silliness continues on the so called condom controversy with a Facebook group claiming 60,000 people will send a condom to the pope as a sign of protest over his earlier comments suggesting that merely increasing condom distribution to Africa would not solve the problem of AIDS, but may risk aggravating the problem. The pope said:

I would say that this problem of AIDS cannot be overcome with advertising slogans. If the soul is lacking, if Africans do not help one another, the scourge cannot be resolved by distributing condoms; quite the contrary, we risk worsening the problem. The solution can only come through a twofold commitment: firstly, the humanization of sexuality, in other words a spiritual and human renewal bringing a new way of behaving towards one another; and secondly, true friendship, above all with those who are suffering, a readiness - even through personal sacrifice - to be present with those who suffer. And these are the factors that help and bring visible progress.

This whole kerfuffle seems overblown. For one thing a lot gets lost in translation. If you follow the link to the Pope's comments you can see the original question was in French, but the Pope responded in Italian, more than likely because he thought that nuance and clarity were important. However, in the English speaking media I've seen many various paraphrases of his remarks in quotations. Many of these paraphrases are significantly more blunt than His Holiness' actual comments.

Second, strictly speaking the pope is correct. The World Health Organization claims that used properly (a pretty open ended caveat) condoms are 90% effective at preventing HIV transmission. Abstinence or being faithful to an uninfected partner are 100% effective. So the question of which method of preventing the spread of disease cannot be in doubt.

Of course, if someone is going to have sex with an infected partner their best to use a condom. Pope Benedict never said anything contrary to this. It's useful to take a look at Church teaching. The church teaches that married couples should give themselves fully to one another and accept children lovingly from God. Condoms are viewed as contrary to this teaching because you are placing the couples are not 'giving themselves fully' or being open to children. The Church also teaches that sex outside of marriage is sinful, extramarital sex isn't any more or less sinful with a condom it's just sinful.

Then there's the question of whether condoms promote promiscuity. I think this is an open question that people should recognize is debatable. When I think of the question, I remember frosh week at university. There were condoms in the frosh kits and they were handed out at every concert or pub event. Back then their heavy promotion and distribution definitely seemed to send the message that we were expected to be having (a lot) of sex. So I'd say there are situations where condom distribution can encourage promiscuity and therefore 'risk worsening the problem' of disease.

The sharp criticism of the pope in the mainstream media is inaccurate and misplaced.