CONDOMS

CONDOMS

The Pope is about to release a document concerning the use of condoms. The Catholic Church has had a ban on their use for as long as it has existed. The basis for their prohibition is solid according to their basic doctrine. Sexual intercourse is forbidden outside of marriage. Sexual intercourse in marriage is for the purpose of procreation and pleasure and fostering a closeness of the two parties. Condoms would defeat the purpose of procreation. The mentality here is the same as in lying. God gave us the gift of speech to say what is in our mind. If you say something other than what is in your mind, you are misusing a gift from God. We call it lying and it is a sin. God gave us the gift of our sexuality. If we misuse it, we have sinned.

Those who promote condoms as the best way to inhibit the spread of the aids virus have been talking to a deaf ear. The Church says that if every person only had sexual intercourse with their spouse, the spread of aids would be stopped. Its true. That leaves us with the knotty problem: ie. if sexual relations outside of marriage is a sin would using a condom make it a worse sin?. I don't think so. So how can the Church not allow the use of condoms in this instance? Would allowing the use of condoms in sexual relations outside of marriage give some sort of approval to this relationship? Maybe. The Church never wants to be in a position to say "don't do this but if you do...."

There is strong pressure from Cardinals and Bishops in Africa to promote the use of condoms to stem the spread of aids. Its killing a huge number of people on that continent and some think the Catholic Church may be partially responsible. It will be interesting to see what comes out of this.