abelungu bayasho bathi selidumela emansumpeni. laleli selidumela khona. but on a more serious note, is your church prepared at leadership level for AIDS? Any growing church may find people with HIV as members as a result of previous lifestyles. For example, in Central and Eastern Europe, many churches are involved in drug rehabilitation eg Ukraine and Russia, and some churches have several hundred former drug-users in their congregations, of which up to 70% have HIV.
People with AIDS can be very sensitive to reactions, whether they will be aaccepted or rejected. A person can swing rapidly from anger, to denial, sadness, despair, hope, optimism, questioning, resignation, fighting, giving up, wanting active treatment, or even wanting to die.
What is needed is sensitivity to where the person is today, helping the person understand that in the midst of great uncertainties about the future, your own constant support and friendship is not in doubt, just as God's faithfulness and love is not in doubt.
With love bazwalane bami, we can conquer even the highest mountains. Together we can do it. The peace of God be with you.
Friday, July 31, 2009
condoms are not the answer
It would be such a shame to talk about AIDS and sex without addressing the issue of condoms. Sure, I talked about them earlier, but now I am serious. It is a fact that if everyone kept to just one partner for life, and ceased injecting drugs, HIV would be wiped off the face of this earth. It is also true that continuing without restraint over the same period could cost countless lives. Condoms are an incomplete answer other than reducing the risk in the short term.
Are governments honestly expecting a couple where one or other may have been at risk to go on using condoms for the next 50 years ? What happens when they want to have children or when the condom breaks, leaks, falls off or fails in some other way? Pregnancy rates are notoriously high with condoms. So bazwalane bami, abstinence and faithfulness is the only way forward, just as God ordained in His word. Let’s choose life and live.
Are governments honestly expecting a couple where one or other may have been at risk to go on using condoms for the next 50 years ? What happens when they want to have children or when the condom breaks, leaks, falls off or fails in some other way? Pregnancy rates are notoriously high with condoms. So bazwalane bami, abstinence and faithfulness is the only way forward, just as God ordained in His word. Let’s choose life and live.
What next?
I often think of people with AIDS today, many dying without hope and without God, and I imagine our heavenly father, with tears pouring down his face, not wanting any to perish.
Those with AIDS are the lepers of today. When Jesus touched the leper he made history - still talked about 2000 years later. It was a powerful demo of the love of God bazalwane. Jesus has no body of his own, we the church are his body. We are his hands, his feet, his smile, his voice, his heart, his touch and we should be unto the sick as Jesus was unto the leper.
The only part of God that people see could be the life of Jesus in you or me. As we go into the home, and give someone a hug, or take someone's hand we too are making a little bit of history in our own way. And that is matters to God if we can bring his love into the lives of real people like you and me.
Those with AIDS are the lepers of today. When Jesus touched the leper he made history - still talked about 2000 years later. It was a powerful demo of the love of God bazalwane. Jesus has no body of his own, we the church are his body. We are his hands, his feet, his smile, his voice, his heart, his touch and we should be unto the sick as Jesus was unto the leper.
The only part of God that people see could be the life of Jesus in you or me. As we go into the home, and give someone a hug, or take someone's hand we too are making a little bit of history in our own way. And that is matters to God if we can bring his love into the lives of real people like you and me.
so how do we live with AIDS
The way of Jesus is clear: a Christian AIDS response means we are called to express the unconditional love of God to all in need regardless of how they come to be so. Yikho esikubizelweyo bazwalane. This is the practical aspect to Christianity.
If one is seriously hurt in a car crash rush to help. We don’t walk away just because the person was drunk and that is why there was an accident. Nor do we start preaching an anti-drunkenness sermon in the ambulance or on the ward..
With those affected by HIV/AIDS we are called to be helpful, to care and express love. The church has to act, seeking always to serve others. We are there as servants of the Most High, yena ophakemeyo.
If one is seriously hurt in a car crash rush to help. We don’t walk away just because the person was drunk and that is why there was an accident. Nor do we start preaching an anti-drunkenness sermon in the ambulance or on the ward..
With those affected by HIV/AIDS we are called to be helpful, to care and express love. The church has to act, seeking always to serve others. We are there as servants of the Most High, yena ophakemeyo.
THE RIGHTFUL PLACE OF SEXXXXXXXXXXX
SURE AM TALKING ABOUT SEX!!! Its surprising the way we can be confused at times when the bible is clear about sex. The teaching of scripture from Genesis to Revelation is constant regarding the wonderful gift of sex union, as a celebration of love and friendship between a man and woman committed together for life. God loves sex, it's the waste of sex outside marriage that God hates. The bible is far more daring and explicit than our sermons on sex, making clear that all sex union outside marriage is wrong.
Sex is shown to be a mystery, a spiritual event when two become "one flesh". We see the physical side of this whenever a sperm fuses with an egg. Half a cell from a woman fuses with half a cell from a man to form literally one flesh: a new unique individual full of future personality and identity.
So bazwalane, its not me, and this is very Godly stuff, its time the church spoke openly about sex if we are to be real about addressing AIDS.
Sex is shown to be a mystery, a spiritual event when two become "one flesh". We see the physical side of this whenever a sperm fuses with an egg. Half a cell from a woman fuses with half a cell from a man to form literally one flesh: a new unique individual full of future personality and identity.
So bazwalane, its not me, and this is very Godly stuff, its time the church spoke openly about sex if we are to be real about addressing AIDS.
THE RIGHTFUL PLACE OF SEXXXXXXXXXXX
SURE AM TALKING ABOUT SEX!!! Its surprising the way we can be confused at times when the bible is clear about sex. The teaching of scripture from Genesis to Revelation is constant regarding the wonderful gift of sex union, as a celebration of love and friendship between a man and woman committed together for life. God loves sex, it's the waste of sex outside marriage that God hates. The bible is far more daring and explicit than our sermons on sex, making clear that all sex union outside marriage is wrong.
Sex is shown to be a mystery, a spiritual event when two become "one flesh". We see the physical side of this whenever a sperm fuses with an egg. Half a cell from a woman fuses with half a cell from a man to form literally one flesh: a new unique individual full of future personality and identity.
So bazwalane, its not me, and this is very Godly stuff, its time the church spoke openly about sex if we are to be real about addressing AIDS.
Sex is shown to be a mystery, a spiritual event when two become "one flesh". We see the physical side of this whenever a sperm fuses with an egg. Half a cell from a woman fuses with half a cell from a man to form literally one flesh: a new unique individual full of future personality and identity.
So bazwalane, its not me, and this is very Godly stuff, its time the church spoke openly about sex if we are to be real about addressing AIDS.
what would Jrsus do?
Take the example of Jesus with the woman caught in the act of adultery - really the story of the missing man . This bunch of angry men was looking for an excuse to stone the poor confused woman, yet it takes two to tango and the man was nowhere to be seen. In Jesus' day there were levels of sin: woman sex sin punished by death, other sin was more or less acceptable, while man sex sin was hardly worth fussing about.
Jesus hated their double standards and hypocrisy. He dismissed them with just one sentence: "If any one of you is without sin let him be the first to throw a stone at her" This calls for you as an individual mzwalane ukuba uzinuke amakhwapha. All of us have sinned and fallen short of God's glory all are utterly dead outside of God's grace Jesus was the only person on this earth who had the right to condemn yet he says to the woman "neither do I condemn you". He also adds "go now and leave your life of sin".
Jesus hated their double standards and hypocrisy. He dismissed them with just one sentence: "If any one of you is without sin let him be the first to throw a stone at her" This calls for you as an individual mzwalane ukuba uzinuke amakhwapha. All of us have sinned and fallen short of God's glory all are utterly dead outside of God's grace Jesus was the only person on this earth who had the right to condemn yet he says to the woman "neither do I condemn you". He also adds "go now and leave your life of sin".
lets be human and real makholwa
Brethren, I shall end my blogs on a more sober and practical tone as I close this subject of HIV/AIDS and the church. I will never forget the first person I met with AIDS: a young person desperately ill in a side-room. He was anxious, sweaty panting for breath, and gripped with fear. He was alone and about to die. From that moment on I found I was involved. Here was a human being made in God's image, in great need. How could I respond other than to care and help, laying aside any personal feelings I might have had about lifestyles, and the means by which he had become infected?
So often as abantwana bakaMlimu reacting to umkhuhlane we do nothing or find ourselves rushing to open our bibles, to declare to ourselves and to others that something is wrong. Yet in our sudden response we can loose sight of God's mercy, love and forgiveness - and the reality that many have been infected through the actions of others rather than through their own behaviour. It’s so possible to be technically correct in interpreting God's standards for human behaviour yet terribly wrong and un Christian in our own attitudes.
So often as abantwana bakaMlimu reacting to umkhuhlane we do nothing or find ourselves rushing to open our bibles, to declare to ourselves and to others that something is wrong. Yet in our sudden response we can loose sight of God's mercy, love and forgiveness - and the reality that many have been infected through the actions of others rather than through their own behaviour. It’s so possible to be technically correct in interpreting God's standards for human behaviour yet terribly wrong and un Christian in our own attitudes.
Friday, July 3, 2009
what would you do?
if you accidentally discovered that your brother was positive, what would you do? would you go on and pretend that you don't know anything about it? or would you approach them and hint that you know.
take it a bit further and say that you discover that he now has a new girlfriend. would you ask him whether the new grilfriend knows about his status? would you tell your parents; or prehaps, would you confide in your pastor and ask him for advice. what is the right attitude to have as a christian in these trying circumstances?
take it a bit further and say that you discover that he now has a new girlfriend. would you ask him whether the new grilfriend knows about his status? would you tell your parents; or prehaps, would you confide in your pastor and ask him for advice. what is the right attitude to have as a christian in these trying circumstances?
stand up and be counted!
i admire so much the lady from Harvest House, Senzelwe Mutero. inspite of all the fear and sitgma surrounding HIV/AIDS in the church, this woman has been able to stand up and speak out.
surprisingly, out of all these numerous churches that i know of, she is the only Christian around that i know who has actually stood up and spoken out, not only to her family and friends but even strangers and the whole nation.
i truly admire the tenacity and determination of this lady. we need more people like her to speak out. the more people speak out, the more AIDS will beocme accepted as a normal condition and the easier it will be to address these issues. in the secular world, when people speak out and crusade a certain cause, they are celebrated. it is time for the church to celebrate its own unsung heroes and heroines who have had the courage to step out. and most importantly, it is time for the church to step out with them and also embrace them with love .
surprisingly, out of all these numerous churches that i know of, she is the only Christian around that i know who has actually stood up and spoken out, not only to her family and friends but even strangers and the whole nation.
i truly admire the tenacity and determination of this lady. we need more people like her to speak out. the more people speak out, the more AIDS will beocme accepted as a normal condition and the easier it will be to address these issues. in the secular world, when people speak out and crusade a certain cause, they are celebrated. it is time for the church to celebrate its own unsung heroes and heroines who have had the courage to step out. and most importantly, it is time for the church to step out with them and also embrace them with love .
the church must rise up to the challenge
isn't it ironic how silent the church is, especially at acritical time than ever when the very values and foundations of the Christian world are being buffeted and attcked from every possible angle.
the world is greatly in need of true leadership, a moral compass in the face of a redefinition of the basic fundamentals of the Christian faith. for example, according to the United Nations, a family can be defined as two men, two women, a man and a woman, or a man or a woman.
and what is the response of the church? we are looking the other way, we are busy chasing after money, wealth and success while the very foundation of any system, the family, is under sustained attack.
and how can we effectively deal with the AIDS scourge if we don't have strong families. the key to any strong healthy nation, an effective response to the AIDS pandemic begins with strong families. the church should rise up and begin to respond with the same passion as the proponents of this new moral order. it is time for the church to stand up for and speak up with one voice and defend the family institution. we don' t need men and women, we need mothers and fathers, not love for power but the power of love.
the world is greatly in need of true leadership, a moral compass in the face of a redefinition of the basic fundamentals of the Christian faith. for example, according to the United Nations, a family can be defined as two men, two women, a man and a woman, or a man or a woman.
and what is the response of the church? we are looking the other way, we are busy chasing after money, wealth and success while the very foundation of any system, the family, is under sustained attack.
and how can we effectively deal with the AIDS scourge if we don't have strong families. the key to any strong healthy nation, an effective response to the AIDS pandemic begins with strong families. the church should rise up and begin to respond with the same passion as the proponents of this new moral order. it is time for the church to stand up for and speak up with one voice and defend the family institution. we don' t need men and women, we need mothers and fathers, not love for power but the power of love.
Wednesday, July 1, 2009
fear nothing but fear itself
the other day a friend threw a challenge to us just after the church service. ten of us. she first asked us whether each of us knew our HIV status. everybody said yes. surprisingly, when she asked when we had gone for testing, 7 of us had not tested. shocked, she asks how we know we are positive then.
those of us who haven't done the testing bit are like, we know ourselves, haven't done anything' we clean. ok, she says, if you clean, then come with me to the new start and confirm it. nobody budged. 'i know i am clean so i don't need to prove anything to anyone was the general response.
shocked, she did the same to another group nearby. same response. i began to wonder and i am still wondering up to today. seems like the world is full of 'clean' ppeople who won't test. but testing is a crucial step in maintaining that status. knowing your status and actually having it confirmed empowers you more than just knowing it in your heart coz you know yourself. it gives u the kind of self-assertiveness that u can't really have without being tested even if you know yourself.
so guys, even if you know yourself, you still need to go for testing. it doesn't mean you are afraid or guilty, it means you are being responsible and involved in your own life and future, you are not letting events shape you but you are shaping events, you are not leaving your life to chance but u in charge
those of us who haven't done the testing bit are like, we know ourselves, haven't done anything' we clean. ok, she says, if you clean, then come with me to the new start and confirm it. nobody budged. 'i know i am clean so i don't need to prove anything to anyone was the general response.
shocked, she did the same to another group nearby. same response. i began to wonder and i am still wondering up to today. seems like the world is full of 'clean' ppeople who won't test. but testing is a crucial step in maintaining that status. knowing your status and actually having it confirmed empowers you more than just knowing it in your heart coz you know yourself. it gives u the kind of self-assertiveness that u can't really have without being tested even if you know yourself.
so guys, even if you know yourself, you still need to go for testing. it doesn't mean you are afraid or guilty, it means you are being responsible and involved in your own life and future, you are not letting events shape you but you are shaping events, you are not leaving your life to chance but u in charge
do not be deceived
overhead something very interesting the other day. someone says that it doesn't matter if your partner is HIV positive, you don't need to protect yourself. God will protect you.
incredulous, i force myself into the conversation. i tell this lady that i think she is giving other people dangerous advice. not that i do not believe in the power of God to heal, i do and have experienced it myself. but if you know that your partner is positive and you know the steps that you can take to protect yourself then why not protect yourself. you can't protect yourself 100%, ultimately God is the protector.
but i think it's foolishness to know the protective measures and say that God will protect you. that's why God also gave you common sense, intelligence as well as wisdom. take the necessary steps and God will do the rest. to me, what the lady says sounds like going to sleep without locking your doors coz u believe God will protect. God is the ultimate protector but u still have to lock the door. to me that kind of reasoning sounds more like self-deciet. you gotta do what you gotta do
incredulous, i force myself into the conversation. i tell this lady that i think she is giving other people dangerous advice. not that i do not believe in the power of God to heal, i do and have experienced it myself. but if you know that your partner is positive and you know the steps that you can take to protect yourself then why not protect yourself. you can't protect yourself 100%, ultimately God is the protector.
but i think it's foolishness to know the protective measures and say that God will protect you. that's why God also gave you common sense, intelligence as well as wisdom. take the necessary steps and God will do the rest. to me, what the lady says sounds like going to sleep without locking your doors coz u believe God will protect. God is the ultimate protector but u still have to lock the door. to me that kind of reasoning sounds more like self-deciet. you gotta do what you gotta do
faith or foolishness?
where do we draw the line between faith and foolishness and being practical. what is the church's stance on AIDS -healing-medication? that's if there is any stance at all.
some friends of mine argue that if you are HIV positive and you really trust God, then you should not start ARVs. they believe that starting this medication is proof that you do not trust God to bring you through. so in order to prove your faith, don't take anything in the form of medication.
however, i wonder whether in God's eyes taking medication amounts to a lack of faith. does taking medication mean that you have blocked God's healing power. i don't think so. i beleive that whether you are taking medication or not God is concerned about the condition of your heart. if you have faith, whether you are taking medication or not, God heals. what matters is your faith, if u don't have faith u just don't have it whether u are on medication or not
some friends of mine argue that if you are HIV positive and you really trust God, then you should not start ARVs. they believe that starting this medication is proof that you do not trust God to bring you through. so in order to prove your faith, don't take anything in the form of medication.
however, i wonder whether in God's eyes taking medication amounts to a lack of faith. does taking medication mean that you have blocked God's healing power. i don't think so. i beleive that whether you are taking medication or not God is concerned about the condition of your heart. if you have faith, whether you are taking medication or not, God heals. what matters is your faith, if u don't have faith u just don't have it whether u are on medication or not
fiddling while Rome burns
been going around Christian book shops in town. pretty inspiring stuff. i am truly revived. if i had money i would actually start building my own library right now. generally, we often over look and underestimate the power of a good book.
but shockingly and surprisingly, i did not even find, not even one book on HIV/AIDS. is it only in my imagination that we have so many widows, widowers and orphans in the church and the nation precisely because of AIDS. does this lack of material in the church about AIDS mean that the disease does not warrant that much attention, or the church already has addressed it and i missed it! whoa, seems to me we are fiddling while Rome burns
but shockingly and surprisingly, i did not even find, not even one book on HIV/AIDS. is it only in my imagination that we have so many widows, widowers and orphans in the church and the nation precisely because of AIDS. does this lack of material in the church about AIDS mean that the disease does not warrant that much attention, or the church already has addressed it and i missed it! whoa, seems to me we are fiddling while Rome burns
catch them young!
in Ndebele we say "isgogo sigoqwa sisemanzi". in English they neatly say "catch them young". i think that this is a very simple but befitting message for the church today. if we are going to beat this AIDS thing then we better 'catch them young'
i am talking about introducing and sex education to our sunday schoolers. yeah, i can almost sense the shock and perhaps the outrage; or maybe you agree with me. but my point is : there is no point in not talking to our kids during sunday school about sex and AIDS. coz you know what - they will hear it from their friends at school, in the neighbourhood, practically everywhere.
so by not addressing this issue with our kids, we not protecting them as we think but instead we are ensuring that they are fed poison. there is no way that they won't come across these issues so let's not pretend they are safe from such 'adult' topics'. we actually do ourselves a favour because when we talk to our sunday schoolers about AIDS and sex - we are not shocking them or introducing them to something new. we just giving them the right perspective on something they have heard about countless times before ... in the street, in the playground, egodini, around the neighbourhood....
i am talking about introducing and sex education to our sunday schoolers. yeah, i can almost sense the shock and perhaps the outrage; or maybe you agree with me. but my point is : there is no point in not talking to our kids during sunday school about sex and AIDS. coz you know what - they will hear it from their friends at school, in the neighbourhood, practically everywhere.
so by not addressing this issue with our kids, we not protecting them as we think but instead we are ensuring that they are fed poison. there is no way that they won't come across these issues so let's not pretend they are safe from such 'adult' topics'. we actually do ourselves a favour because when we talk to our sunday schoolers about AIDS and sex - we are not shocking them or introducing them to something new. we just giving them the right perspective on something they have heard about countless times before ... in the street, in the playground, egodini, around the neighbourhood....
the gloves are off!
Still on the theme of action, it’s not enough for our pastors to lead, we have to follow as church members and brothers and sisters in Christ. We have to march to the same beat. And that beat is action. HIV/AIDS has been very aggressive towards us; this is no time for gentlemanly strategies. It’s time to take the gloves off and fight back!
One sure way of doing this is making sure we address this monster head on. Making it church policy that all couples who intend to marry go for HIV/AIDS testing is not a bad starting point. No testing, no marriage! I am sure this will raise complaints from some people but this is necessary pain. Look at Cuba, they have close to the lowest rate on HIV/AIDS in the world, no mystery there. Look at their policy; it’s normal to go for routine HIV testing there. If you are positive, you are quarantined until the state is sure you can be responsible then they release you into society.
Ladies and gentleman, democracy does not work with HIV/AIDS. Sometimes I am tempted to think that the major reason why America has been so silent on the successes of these Arab countries as well as Cuba is because AIDS is big business worldwide but especially in America. The status quo is in the interest of those big pharmaceutical companies who will keep churning out remedies that manage but do not eradicate the disease. And of course there is the army of scientists, pouring billions of dollars into research but nothing so far. You might not agree with me but don’t underestimate the power and influence of business especially in America.
What I am saying is that the solution to HIV/AIDS will not come from people with vested interests but it will come from people like you and me. Why do we continue to look to a system that is not working? We have to make some revolutionary, and painful sacrifices. This calls for brave and bold leaders to convince the church that the democracy is not winning the war against HIV/AIDS. It has to be mandatory: New start or no marriage. And by the way, I am still a Christian, 200%. It’s time for frank talk and the gloves are off!
One sure way of doing this is making sure we address this monster head on. Making it church policy that all couples who intend to marry go for HIV/AIDS testing is not a bad starting point. No testing, no marriage! I am sure this will raise complaints from some people but this is necessary pain. Look at Cuba, they have close to the lowest rate on HIV/AIDS in the world, no mystery there. Look at their policy; it’s normal to go for routine HIV testing there. If you are positive, you are quarantined until the state is sure you can be responsible then they release you into society.
Ladies and gentleman, democracy does not work with HIV/AIDS. Sometimes I am tempted to think that the major reason why America has been so silent on the successes of these Arab countries as well as Cuba is because AIDS is big business worldwide but especially in America. The status quo is in the interest of those big pharmaceutical companies who will keep churning out remedies that manage but do not eradicate the disease. And of course there is the army of scientists, pouring billions of dollars into research but nothing so far. You might not agree with me but don’t underestimate the power and influence of business especially in America.
What I am saying is that the solution to HIV/AIDS will not come from people with vested interests but it will come from people like you and me. Why do we continue to look to a system that is not working? We have to make some revolutionary, and painful sacrifices. This calls for brave and bold leaders to convince the church that the democracy is not winning the war against HIV/AIDS. It has to be mandatory: New start or no marriage. And by the way, I am still a Christian, 200%. It’s time for frank talk and the gloves are off!
1,2,3... Action!
HIV doesn’t make a grand, loud, entrance. Instead, it enters, (invades feels more like it) one’s system humbly, privately, silently, without notice or warning. And unlike a computer, once in the system, you can’t undo.
By contrast, its results are very loud, very public. It comes like a raindrop but devastates like a tsunami. Sometimes I muse whether it is not a disease with a mind of its own, bent on conquest and outwitting human kind. Human kind has conquered almost everything on planet earth, but isn’t it ironic how a small, tiny virus has left geniuses dumbfounded and the best among us in a helpless state. Sometimes when someone dies, it feels like HIV is looking down at them their casket, laughing away like that clown in Batman.
Anyway, that part of the emotional baggage that comes with the condition, whether we like it or not. And it’s no joke, I am very much sober. Don’t you think then, that pastors should lead in the fight against AIDS by disclosing their own statuses? Given the fact that HIV continues to mow down people, in and out of church, I think its time to take the bull by the horns, beginning with our leaders and in the church these are pastors.
Come to think of it, those Islamic countries have very low rates of AIDS, why do you think this is so? It’s because they are action oriented! You fornicate, you die! (Yeah, there are needles and all but sex is the danger skelemu). It’s very simple but it’s working. Look at us civilised, democratic nations, how much money have we spent on expensive conferences, food and awareness campaigns. Yet we continue to waste away.
I think its time to take a leaf from our Islamic brothers and sisters. Action is the way forward. No more conferences. No more nice food and pity parties where we try to come up with complex solutions to simple problems. And you know why these NGOs and governments will not tell you that I AIDS yiteam encane? It’s because AIDS is big business, give people the solution and donor funds will dry up. So, ladies and gentleman, there you have it, AIDS DEMYSTIFIED. Drastic situations call for drastic measures. Action now! Beginning with our pastors!
By contrast, its results are very loud, very public. It comes like a raindrop but devastates like a tsunami. Sometimes I muse whether it is not a disease with a mind of its own, bent on conquest and outwitting human kind. Human kind has conquered almost everything on planet earth, but isn’t it ironic how a small, tiny virus has left geniuses dumbfounded and the best among us in a helpless state. Sometimes when someone dies, it feels like HIV is looking down at them their casket, laughing away like that clown in Batman.
Anyway, that part of the emotional baggage that comes with the condition, whether we like it or not. And it’s no joke, I am very much sober. Don’t you think then, that pastors should lead in the fight against AIDS by disclosing their own statuses? Given the fact that HIV continues to mow down people, in and out of church, I think its time to take the bull by the horns, beginning with our leaders and in the church these are pastors.
Come to think of it, those Islamic countries have very low rates of AIDS, why do you think this is so? It’s because they are action oriented! You fornicate, you die! (Yeah, there are needles and all but sex is the danger skelemu). It’s very simple but it’s working. Look at us civilised, democratic nations, how much money have we spent on expensive conferences, food and awareness campaigns. Yet we continue to waste away.
I think its time to take a leaf from our Islamic brothers and sisters. Action is the way forward. No more conferences. No more nice food and pity parties where we try to come up with complex solutions to simple problems. And you know why these NGOs and governments will not tell you that I AIDS yiteam encane? It’s because AIDS is big business, give people the solution and donor funds will dry up. So, ladies and gentleman, there you have it, AIDS DEMYSTIFIED. Drastic situations call for drastic measures. Action now! Beginning with our pastors!
would you tell
The debate about the role of the church in addressing HIV/AIDS rages on.
In case you discover that you are HIV positive, what should you do? Would you disclose to anyone at church, and most importantly, would you confide in your pastor? Is it even necessary that the church should have anything to do with your health at a personal level?
There are both good and equally unsettling reasons for or against disclosure. On the positive side, sharing with someone lightens the load. This is especially so with a man or woman of God who can offer you both moral and spiritual support. They become a reliable, constant source of support?
On the other hand, how easy is it to approach your pastor and tell him/her you are positive? Where do you begin? Are we close enough to our pastors to even tell them some thing so personal? My friend from a bigger church says that it’s not possible to be close to her pastor considering the numbers. That said, whether it’s a big or small church, are our pastors approachable enough. My friend continues to argue that you can’t predict your pastor’s response because of the stereotypes about HIV/AIDS. If the pastor says it’s fine and it’s gonna be alright, the uncomfortable feeling can be whether he really means what he is saying; or, awfully, he’s just as shocked as you were when you found out. I guess, if you are a prominent and respectable member of your church, you would wonder whether he still regards you as highly.
This is what other real men and real women like you and me go through sometimes. Would you disclose?
In case you discover that you are HIV positive, what should you do? Would you disclose to anyone at church, and most importantly, would you confide in your pastor? Is it even necessary that the church should have anything to do with your health at a personal level?
There are both good and equally unsettling reasons for or against disclosure. On the positive side, sharing with someone lightens the load. This is especially so with a man or woman of God who can offer you both moral and spiritual support. They become a reliable, constant source of support?
On the other hand, how easy is it to approach your pastor and tell him/her you are positive? Where do you begin? Are we close enough to our pastors to even tell them some thing so personal? My friend from a bigger church says that it’s not possible to be close to her pastor considering the numbers. That said, whether it’s a big or small church, are our pastors approachable enough. My friend continues to argue that you can’t predict your pastor’s response because of the stereotypes about HIV/AIDS. If the pastor says it’s fine and it’s gonna be alright, the uncomfortable feeling can be whether he really means what he is saying; or, awfully, he’s just as shocked as you were when you found out. I guess, if you are a prominent and respectable member of your church, you would wonder whether he still regards you as highly.
This is what other real men and real women like you and me go through sometimes. Would you disclose?
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