Brazuca,

What would you describe as an objective standard? One based on a person's life I hope.

The Pope dies and, naturally, goes to heaven. He's met by the reception committee and, after a whirlwind tour is told that he can enjoy any of the myriad recreations available.

He decides that he wants to read all of the ancient original text of the Holy Scriptures, and spends the next eon or so learning the languages. After becoming a linguistics master, he sits down in the library and begins to pore over every version of the Bible, working back from the most recent "Easy Reading" to the original script.

All of a sudden there is a scream in the library. The angels come running to him, only to find the Pope huddled in a chair, crying to himself, and muttering, "An 'R'! They left out the 'R'”.

God takes him aside, offering comfort and asks him what the problem is. After collecting his wits, the Pope sobs again, "It's the letter 'R'... the word was supposed to be CELEBRATE."

On the contrary, slumlord, I think this discussion is moving along quite nicely.

You say that "Ratzinger's believes [sic] are that contraception is wrong. Fixing up a bad situation by doing wrong is not permitted by a moral absolutist."

This is the nub of the "should we have a more caring Pope?" argument. The hardliners say - as you yourself did - "While most of the 'enlightened and informed' world hoped for a low church Anglican as pope, the caridinals [sic] thought otherwise and elected a catholic."

But policy, it would appear, is at the whim of whoever happens to be sitting in the chair at the time.

So it is quite possible that a future Pope might think that the moral absolute of causing death by neglect outweighs the moral absolute of wearing a condom. And everyone will say, how wise, God has guided him truly. Because he is Pope.

Just for the sake of my education, which Pope was it who decided that wearing a condom is a mortal sin?

jesus, what a reaction Greg. This is a timely and refreshing piece of writing from greg barns. it is not often that i find myself in agreeance with barns, though i have always admired his humanitarian activism. The papalcy has become increasingly irrelevant and all too often a stumbling block to good works. well done greg
rick pilkington

Dear Pericles,
The ban on contraception has existed since ancient times and all Christian faiths until modern times supported it. It's all based on a bit of scripture about "Onan spilling his seed and the Lord slew him" or something to that effect. The early Church fathers repeatedly condemmed contraception, though its condemnation has been less emphasised throughout the centuries. In the 1930's, Pius X(I could be wrong) issued an encyclical against contraception in response to the Anglicans allowing its use at their Lambeth conference.

The Anglicans were the first Christian denomination to approve of it, in "grave circumstances" only.

Its most famous condemnation was by Paul VI in Humanae Vitae in 1968.
Is it an infallible dogma? Well some say it is and some say it isn't. In my reading of the matter it would be pretty close to being infallible teaching.

According to surveys 97% of Catholics in the west honour the teaching in its breach. Personally I'm not a big fan of the teaching. My personal belief is with that of the majority opinion which advised Paul VI of allowing non abortofacient contraception within the confines of marriage.
In the west according to surveys 97% of Catholics honour the teaching in its breach.
I reckon Ratzinger may make some more statements on the matter. I would not be suprised if his view on the matter may be more liberal than most people think.
By the way this is not a theoretical discussion for me as I work at the "coalface" of the contraceptive debate. Prior to my work in the Health care profession I though contraceptive premarital sex harmless to all involved, however all contraceptives fail. Unfortunately rather frequently usually through user error, stupidity, apathy and culpable ignorance.

Pope John Paul the 2nd asked for OUR forgiveness for terrible wrongs committed by the Colonising Catholic Church in the past. this took many years to come . we have seen some positive and good changes of late.

He wisely told Aboriginal people to value and keep their culture and language in 1986 at alice springs . [john howard please take note .!]

However, alas we will see much more avoidable pain and suffering in the world under this new Pope . At sometime in the future there will be another sincere apology for it,s inaction on AIDS and other reversible social problems that blight us .

Rest assured Greg that the ALMIGHTY wll sort us ALL out at the slip-rails , but i agree in the meantime we must keep pressure on our church and government leaders to make them change their insensitive and often apathetic, archaic mindsets .