What an odd bit of phrasing in the lead of The Times story about the Vatican considering condoms:
Even at the Vatican, not all sacred beliefs are absolute: Thou shalt not kill, but war can be just. Now, behind the quiet walls, a clash is shaping up involving two poles of near certainty: the church’s long-held ban on condoms and its advocacy of human life.
Don’t we all advocate human life?
Jeff - You answered your own question recently (United 93)… Sadly, no, we don’t ALL advocate human life. Some in degrees. Others in absolutes.
And some not at all.
I know “thou shalt not kill” is most common, but I understand that “thou shalt not commit murder” is more accurate, and I think more moral.
The Condom issue is more about sex in marriage between an HIV positive and negative partner — sex, with condoms, and maintenance of the marriage in health is better than sex w/o condoms and spreading HIV; or splitting up the marriage.
This is already the most common advice by priests in Kenya and Sudan, at least.
THE PARADOX IN YOUR WRITE-UP IS THOUGHT PROVOKING. IT’S TRUE , THAT HUMAN LIFE IS SACRED , BUT , POPULATION CONTROL IS AMATTER OF PRACTICAL SENSE. AGAIN , KILLING IN WAR IS HELD TO BE AN ANTI -CHRISTIAN VALUE , DEPENDING ON THE NATURE AND THE PURPOSE OF THOSE WAGING WAR.