No, The Pope Did Not Say It Is Ok To Use Condoms, Not Even Sometimes

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A two paragraph excerpt of a recent interview with Pope Benedict XVI, found in a new book called The Light of The World,  is causing a significant stir.  The excerpt is about the use of condoms with respect to the AIDS epidemic.  It was prematurely released.  As a result, lots of articles are saying that the Pope approves the use of condoms for male prostitutes. 

He doesn't. 

He said a condom could be the sign of moral progress for a male prostitute, in that the condom could be an indication that the male prostitute is thinking beyond himself and taking steps to protect the health and well-being of himself and others, rather than doing nothing about the AIDS issue. 

Alan Holdren gives the bigger picture here, and Professor Janet E. Smith discusses more details here.

Kathleen

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