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?