If the choice is between using a condom or abstaining, the latter is the safest choice. On the other hand, if the choice is between using a condom or not using a condom, the former is the safest choice.
I don't disagree with your statement.
Of course, in the second instance we are playing the percentages. The medical profession does that all the time. They will recommend a course of treatment based on the probability of success. The greatest good for the population as a whole, knowing that some individuals will fall outside of the group that has successful results.
If the Vatican is looking at it from a different perspective of morals and ethics, I am guessing they would say for the indivdual who happens to be statistically unlucky and has the device fail on the first incident of use, in practical terms the device did not offer any protection. They are infected with a potentially fatal disease. For that individual, there is no "lesser evil". It appeared to be an alternative, in fact, it wasn't.
And, given enough incidents of use, the device will eventually fail for all individual users. From the moral/ethical perspective, I doubt the Vatican is going to say 'pretty close' to 100% protection is good enough and the devil take the hindmost.
Although not a recommended hobby, if one insists on playing "Russian Roulette" chances of survival are dramatically increased if one uses a revolver rather than an automatic.
Well, of course not. But then what IS the solution to the spread of AIDS in marriage? Though most spouses have the choice to forego sexual relations with their infected partners, and IMO would avoid it like the plague that it is, Post 50 tells us that some women have no choice.
I would be interested in hearing the views of those who have studied some of the many cultures all over the world.
Obviously some live in a backward world. Whether they can be, or want to be, advanced beyond the only lifestyles they know, is an unanswered question, to me, anyway.
Rather than toy with the idea of okaying condoms to help solve the problem of spreading AIDS, more to the point, IMO, the concerned Church should deal with the destructiive behavior which causes the terrible problem in the first place.