The devil's in the details
Following reports that Pope Benedict XVI stated that condoms increase the problem of HIV/AIDS, many government and public health officials condemned the Pope’s comments. The Development Minister in the Netherlands, for one, called them “extremely harmful”. In Paris, the Pope's comments spurred a clash between those who agree with and those who oppose his view on condoms. And yesterday, about a dozen different pro-condom groups waited in St. Peter’s square for the Pope’s return to the Vatican.
While the responses to the Pope’s comment covered by the mainstream media were overwhelmingly negative, some government officials, including two deputies from France, defended the Pope. According to Jacques Remiller, deputy-mayor of Vienne, France, the media only partially reported the Pope’s words, which made the words lose their meaning. Remiller argued that while condoms are effective when used properly, they will not solve behavioral problems such as rape that can lead to the spread of HIV.
So what did the Pope really mean?
We might not find out, as it seems as though the Vatican might have retroactively softened the Pope’s words. News sources such as the Catholic News Service had reported the quote as follows: “One cannot overcome the problem with the distribution of condoms. On the contrary, they increase the problem.” However, according to the Catholic News Service, the version of the sentence published later by the Vatican translated as follows: “One cannot resolve the problem with the distribution of condoms. On the contrary, there is a risk of increasing the problem.”
Photo by Trec Lit
Comments
Religion, politics, and sex do make for some awkward events like this. On the one hand, the Pope is facing centuries of tradition that is or would be staunchly anti-condoms though primarily with regards to reproduction. The traditional view is that trying to control when a life is conceived or not conceived is treading on God's territory. On the other hand, proper use of condoms can decrease the transmission of STDs. While STDs have their own mess of problems with some very conservative Christian perspectives, the duel purpose of condoms is problematic. This is why in the early 1900s condoms were sold for the purpose of preventing disease, not preventing pregnancies.
Thus the Pope is in a bind. While there is the behavioral issue that could make things worse, it should be more explicitly said. For example, condoms are not 100% effective. However, if they are presented as 100% effective, this could lead to miss use or a false sense of invulnerability that could lead to more risky behavior than usual. However, as you point out, that is not what the Pope specifically said. What was said was ambiguous.
Again, interesting articles, including your previous one about the book on the various tests. The book looks interesting and if I ever find I have time I might read it.
Posted by: Josh Wright | March 25, 2009 05:52 PM
Unfortunately, during last days all around the world people have been discussing almost erroneously on Pope Benedict XVI and condoms, i.e., on HIV epidemics, overlooking, once again suspiciously, other more common, serious epidemics, as diabetes, cancer and alcoholism, not to speak of other drugs (cocaine, eroine, a.s.o.) that kill more individuals than AIDS. Mala Tempora Currunt, also in Information!
Posted by: Sergio Stagnaro | March 25, 2009 12:34 PM