Why does the pope discourage condom use?

It seems that the pope and indeed, the entire Catholic Church, is not concerned with the consequences of Sex, they are only concerned with sex itself. The pope recently condemned the HPV vaccine and any future HIV vaccine. Does he wish for people to suffer? He gave his reason as "If I condoned the HIV vaccine, it would present one less obstacle to pre-marital intercourse." This means he is only concerned with sex itself. His teachings are abstinence only. This has been proven to be ineffectual and impractical. Could someone please explain the logic to me?

I've never understood this teaching of the Catholic Church; it always seems insane.

I think part of it is that the Church is in a demographic war against Islam, especially in Africa, with members of each religion trying to outbreed the other in order to win religious & political supremacy. If Catholics were allowed to use condoms, and their birth rate fell, the Muslims might win the demographic war.

We also need to take the Pope at his word, partly. The Catholic Church also clearly opposes contraception partly out of a fear that freedom from unwanted pregnancy and the fear of STDs will enable young women to engage in illicit sexual behavior. Which the Church believes would be immoral, destructive to family life, destructive of human souls.

Finally, it's pretty clear that the Church's all-male hierarchy leaves decisions about the morality/immorality of condoms in the hands of an all-male priesthood that -- in theory, anyway -- is celibate.

IOW, the structure of religious authority in the Church leaves questions of sexual morality in the hands of men who in theory have no practical knowledge of sexual passion and sexual behavior.

One hopes that all of those gay priests engaging in sex with other men are careful enough to use condoms -- but if they do, they obviously can't talk about it openly. Hence the organized stupidity of Catholic teaching on condoms, AIDS and birth control overall.

1.He's promoting sex within marriage
2.He's promoting abstinence
3.He's going by the Catholic doctrine (no to contraceptives, yes to monthly calculations)
4.Condoms aren't 100% effective

You may not agree (and neither do I) however, you can't expect a leader of a religion to go against ALL that it believes.

Apparently Harvard experts agree with the Pope (on his comment regarding condoms not being the answer)

It's always easy for people to just come out and condemn this and that if they are not the one who will suffer the consequences. The pope is not a saint. The catholic churches did a lot of wrong too. There's no absolute right in whatever people say (pope, or priest, etc.) because no one is perfect and pure and knows the absolute truth.

because if birth control is outlawed, more children are born. more children mean more butts in the pews, which leads to more money in the coffers

it's also encouraged that you wait until the marriage bed to give up your virginity. abstinence means there would be no need for the hiv vaccine

The pope has his head up his... on this one.

To say that condom use goes against your religious beliefs is fine. To deliberately mislead a continent suffering from an AIDS epidemic by saying that condoms actually cause AIDS is not. And this is what the Catholic missionaries in Africa have been telling the people there.

They actually think that AIDS and cervical cancer SHOULD be preserved so they can be used as an incentive to avoid pre-marital sex. They'll try to deny it, but that's the absolute truth. It's depraved thinking, but that IS how they think. Look at the Pope's own quote. They're beyond sick. It's inexcusable. To them, if ten million women die of cervical cancer, it'll be worth it if it keeps one woman from having pre-marital sex.

the Magisterium of the Catholic Church has paited itself into a corner on the policy of declaring that artificial means of birth control are sinful.

"Could someone please explain the logic to me?"

Logic? There is none. Only ignorance and superstition.

He, an 80 year old virgin, seems to believe that if you take protection and birth control away, that will stop people from having sex.

Clearly he is delusional.

Denying African women infected with AIDS condoms, thus creating more sick and starving children doesn't sound very pro life does it?

The Catholic stance on this issue is appallingly disgusting.

Because religion is irrational

Why the hell would he be against a vaccine? What if a person is raped by someone who has HPV?

Hello,

1) All Christian faiths say that sex outside of traditional marriage is wrong. I'm RC but when I have been coaxed into bed by a voluptuous hot wench, the last bloody thing on my mind was the Pope's opinion on condom use. The sin I committed technically with or without the rubber.

2) Based on her teachings the church would be contradicting herself handing out condoms like candy and promoting illicit sex. It is logical that if you stay loyal to your wife or partner, keep your pecker in your pants you likely as not prevent yourself from getting STD's

3) Finally if you have been paying attention to AIDS and Africa, you will note that there are many non religious agencies handing out condoms but the attitude of many African men is to not use them as they are unmanly and feel like you are taking a hot shower in a raincoat. Look at their wives, women and whores who come on camera looking like ravaged, beat up alley cats who cry, this is what happens when we inasist our men use condoms. Africa may one day become a white man's continent again should these attitudes persist.

Similarily I know some people who have no religion and have shagged everything from a red a ssed dog to a bull elephant but were stoned drunk or hated condoms and got AIDS anway which had nothing to do with the Pope.

Cheers,

Michael Kelly

In the Catholic church, sex is only supposed to be between two married people for the purpose of procreating. If you only ever have sex with your wife/husband, (excluding being born with, or a bad blood transfusion) you shouldn't have an std. Therefore the disease is stopped cold.