HIV: Not a punishment, not justice, just a disease
Tuesday, November 2, 2010
By Bryan Cones
Comments (10)
Sometimes bishops say the stupidest things. Of course so do journalists and presidents and moms and teachers and everyone else, but jeez. What on earth possessed the primate of Belgium, Archbishop Andre-Joseph Leonard of Bruges, to suggest once again, 30 years into the HIV/AIDS epidemic, that this disease is somehow nature's retribution against sinners?
In his own words, as published in a recent book and reported by the Associated Press: "When you mistreat the environment it ends up mistreating us in turn. And when you mistreat human love, perhaps it winds up taking vengeance." And later: "All I'm saying is that sometimes there are consequences linked to our actions," the archbishop said, saying of AIDS, "this epidemic is a sort of intrinsic justice."
It's not that I'm against talking about the possible consequences of sexual behavior--and HIV infection is one of them. But to suggest that a terrible disease that is ravaging the women and children of Africa especially is a kind of "intrinsic justice" is to speak blasphemously by suggesting that God is somehow the author of this nightmare. It is an exceedingly cruel thing to say to those with the disease, and shows great ignorance about who HIV/AIDS affects and how it is transmitted.
I argued in my December 2008 column that the church needs to rethink it's HIV prevention strategy, deploying good science to complement good teaching about the meaning and purpose of human sexuality. I'm not sure I have the right answers either, but I for one do not serve a God who punishes people with insidious retroviral bioweapons. Enough with this clumsy theological nonsense.
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The agency also estimates
By Anonymous (not verified) on Thursday, November 4, 2010The agency also estimates there about 56,000 new cases of HIV each year. the free community site www.STDchats.com strictly for poz singles and friends. We founded the site after an immediate family member, who is HIV positive, explained to us how difficult it was to find love and friendship because of the stigmas attached to her condition. We want to help.
the agency etc
By Anonymous (not verified) on Thursday, November 4, 2010Would you be kind enough to name your source .Thank you
Is God Punishing Heterosexuals???
By Anonymous (not verified) on Wednesday, November 3, 2010With nearly 80% of all HIV/AIDS cases worldwide stemming from HETEROSEXUALS, I guess Archbishop Andre-Joseph Leonard is stating that God is punishing heterosexuals for their immorality???
A South African pastor is
By Anonymous (not verified) on Wednesday, November 3, 2010A South African pastor is taking a novel approach to reducing the stigma around HIV/AIDS, The Advocate reports.
“Today I will start with a three-part sermon on: Jesus was HIV-positive,” Xola Skosana said in a recent sermon in Cape Town.
The claim has some outraged by the implication that Jesus Christ was sexually promiscuous, but Skosana told his congregation that Jesus “frequently put himself in the position of the poor or sick population,” according to HIVPlusMag.
“Of course, there’s no scientific evidence that Jesus had the HI virus in his bloodstream,” the pastor said according to the BBC. “The best gift we can give to people who are HIV-positive is to help de-stigmatise Aids and create an environment where they know God is not against them, he’s not ashamed of them.”
God somehow the author
By Anonymous (not verified) on Tuesday, November 2, 2010"But to suggest that a terrible disease that is ravaging the women and children of Africa especially is a kind of "intrinsic justice" is to speak blasphemously by suggesting that God is somehow the author of this nightmare."
It is not inconsistent with the Old Testament God (God the Father) who slew his children repeatedly for their sins and instructed them how and when to kill their neighbors and families for the same. We don't hear those passages in mass because they don't feel right and seem inconsistent with the message of Jesus. They are. The Old Testament God is a father stretched to His limit ready to kill the children he loves. By comparison His Son is a peace and love hippie.
God the Father
By Anonymous (not verified) on Tuesday, November 2, 2010When I was a kid I could never understand why the Old Testament God loved his children one minute and wanted to kill them the next. After I became a father, especially during the teenage years, it all became clear. In old churches God the Father is pictured as a stern old man holding up His Son on the cross. I've always wondered why He isn't crying his eyes out like I would. He's above that. He's not human. He's depicted that way because of His role. God the Father is the disciplinarian. Jesus is the cool big brother and the indulgent grandfather who doesn't need to discipline anymore. Conservative Catholics see Jesus' divine personhood as more similar to the Father, less touchy-feely, more kick a$$. Wimpier Catholics see Him as a gentle guy who wouldn't hurt anyone. Put me in the second camp but I can't really know. My 85 year-old mother thinks she does. She says she pays attention to Jesus' words and disregards the rest. I'm the last Catholic in my family. Holding on. Trying to be a better father.
Jesus has some pretty harsh words
By Jerry D (not verified) on Thursday, November 4, 2010I like your post. I can't pretend to comprehend God. Jesus expresses a lot of compassion and also a lot of sternness (and the harsh words are not all directed to the Pharisees).
harsh words
By Anonymous (not verified) on Thursday, November 4, 2010J,D. and ANON you are right on .God the father did not request that we follow his laws :he demanded that we do or we would "suffer eternal damnation ".He certainly does not sound willy-nilly.We sometimes forget his Commandments but we do so at our own peril.Keep up the good fight ,Gentlemen.
Who, me?
By Anonymous (not verified) on Thursday, November 4, 2010If you are talking to this Anon I actually don't beleive God the Father said all the things He is supposed to in the Old Testament. When people react in horror to the things the Taliban and other fundamentalist Muslims do to women and others, stonings and other draconian penalties, most fail to realize that they are following the commands of God in the same part of the Bible Christians, Muslims and Jews share, what we call the Old Testament. It's not from the Koran. It's from the Bible. It's the Word of God - supposedly. The difference between us, the Jews and the "radical" Muslims is that they still take it seriously as God's commandments. As such in their minds there is no disobeying them. Modern Christians and Jews have all kinds of reasons why they don't stone people to death anymore but the unspoken truth is that we have moved on and realized consciounsly or not that those supposed pronouncements from God in the OT are something from a primitive tribal era we have advanced beyond. If we did everything God told us to do in the OT we would be arrested, prosecuted and sent to prison, rightfully so. I personally don't beleive that the supposed direct quotes from God in the OT are real. If I'm wrong then maybe Tom Waits is right, "There ain't no devil, that's just God when he's drunk" because he seems like bad drunk dad, friendly one minute, ready to beat you the next. If I'm really wrong and God really did say that stuff then why aren't we obeying him despite the penalties of imprisonment? If God said it He meant it, right? Jesus changed stuff, got it, but it's never been made clear to me exactly what He nulified in the OT. It seems to be made up over the centuries as we move farther away from prehistoric times and practices. One of the greatest proofs to me that Jesus was who He said He was is how completely different He was from all who came before Him. His message of love and turn the other cheek was unprecidented. He seems completely unlike His father.
Amen!
By Jennifer (not verified) on Tuesday, November 2, 2010I couldn't agree with you more, Bryan.
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