Religion and AIDS

The relationship between religion and HIV/AIDS is complicated, and often controversial. Controversies have mainly revolved around LGBT people and condom use.

Religious charity work

Many religious charities provide services for people living with HIV/AIDS. One example is the "Drug Resources Enhancement against Aids and Malnutrition" (DREAM), program promoted by the Christian Community of Sant'Egidio.

HIV/AIDS awareness is growing in the Muslim community, with efforts to prevent the spread of the disease. Islam supports research aimed at curing HIV/AIDS, and care for those affected by HIV/AIDS.

GLBT people

Jerry Falwell regularly linked the AIDS pandemic to GLBT issues and stated, "AIDS is not just God's punishment for homosexuals, it is God's punishment for the society that tolerates homosexuals."

Some scholars point to anti-gay religious rhetoric as a factor in high rates of high-risk activities among LGBT people.

Religious attitudes towards HIV-positive people and AIDS

Islam

Main article: Islam and AIDS

Many Muslims consider AIDS to be the consequence of sinful behavior, such as promiscuity or drug use. In Toronto, there has been an increase in HIV infection among married Muslim women.

Judaism and Jewish thinkers

As opposed to the Catholic Church and some other denominations or religions, today, there isn't any central Jewish religious authority that is acceptable by vast majority of religious Jews or by most Jewish religious movements. Orthodox Judaism links between immoral sexual behavior and AIDS. Immanuel Jakobovits, Baron Jakobovits, former Chief Rabbi of England, a prominent figure in 20th century Jewish medical ethics maintains in his article "Halachic Perspectives on AIDS" that "...from my reading of Jewish sources, it would appear that under no circumstances would we be justified in branding the incidence of the disease( ... ) as punishment... we have not the vision, that would enable us to link, as an assertion of certainty, any form of human travail, grief, bereavement or suffering in general with shortcomings of a moral nature... It is one thing to speak of a consequence, and it is quite another thing to speak of a punishment… if you warn a child not to play with fire, lest he gets burnt, and the child then gets burnt, then the burning may not be a punishment for not listening, but it certainly is a consequence...I think we should declare in very plain and explicit terms indicating that our society violated some of the norms of the Divine Law, and of the natural law, and that as a consequence we pay a price, and an exceedingly heavy price. This certainly is Jewish doctrine..."

In Jewish Orthodox society, having AIDS is considered a mark of disgrace. Orthodox Rabbis deal with issues such as: Should a HIV carrier tell his/her future spouse about his/her situation? (one must tell). Is it permitted to use condoms in marital sex, which is prohibited by Halachic law? (yes, condoms in case of AIDS should be used)

Reform Judaism does not link between AIDS and any sort of human behavior. It just mentions the Jewish religious and humane obligation to take care of the sick. Rabbi Marla J. Feldman, Director of the Joint Commission on Social Action of the Union for Reform Judaism: "…However, we must look past the incomprehensible statistics and long lists of facts and recognize the Divine image within the faces of the individual people infected and affected by this disease. The responsibility lies with each of us to protect and care for these victims…"

Israeli medical microbiologist and philosopher, Shlomo Kalo, whose many publications deal with issues of faith, ethics and religion, looks at AIDS from both scientific and spiritual perspectives. He maintains that the virus science announced the cause of AIDS is not the main cause. He explains that every person carries a personal, specific, complex of micro-organisms in his body phlegm and excrement. As a result of what is called "wild sexual behavior" based on changing partners and on perversions, each new partner inserts his/her own specific complex of various and changing microorganisms into the partner's blood. The latter's immune system absorbs a "complex" after "complex", cannot cope with it and eventually collapses, resulting in AIDS. Those reoccurring insertions of different complexes of changing microorganisms do not allow any proper detection and definition of those microorganisms. In his articles and in media interviews, Kalo pointed out to a cure for AIDS based on ethical behavior that will stop the disease: "loyalty between the couple".

Use of condoms to prevent transmission of HIV

Christianity

The Roman Catholic Church opposes condom use between heterosexual couples because it is an artificial form of contraception that does not rely on the functions of the body (and thus also God's will) itself as to whether a conception will occur or not, and the Church believes it also serves to implicitly and inexcusably encourage premarital and extramarital sexuality (and recourse to abortion if the condom fails). The Church therefore by necessity must promote the concept of abstinence as the only morally viable course of action. There is still some discussion, particularly in Africa, about whether they could be justified, but only if it was already known that one of the partners likely has the virus already.^{[citation needed]} Dissident group Catholics for Choice disagrees with this position. However in the case of marital relations, it is considered acceptable to use a condom for the sake of protecting the other partner from infection, but not from using it as a contraceptive.

Pope John Paul II strongly opposed the use of artificial birth control, and rejected the use of condoms to prevent the spread of HIV. Pope Benedict XVI stated in 2005 that condoms were not a sufficient solution to the AIDS crisis, but then in 2009 claimed that AIDS "cannot be overcome through the distribution of condoms, which even aggravates the problems." The Moscow Patriarchate gave support to Benedict XVI's position. In response to Benedict XVI's statements, the United Church of Christ issued a statement encouraging condom distribution at places of worship.

However, on November 20, 2010, when questioned about the rampant HIV spread in Africa, Pope Benedict XVI has supported the use of condoms in male prostitution. He states that it is not a moral solution to stopping AIDS, but could represent a first step in assuming moral responsibility "in the intention of reducing the risk of infection." Vatican City clarifies, after Benedict's statement sows confusion, that the position of the Church on condoms has not changed. It is merely a statement that in homosexual relations, where unnatural contraception is not the main concern, condoms can be seen as moral responsibility in preventing HIV infections. On November 23, 2010, Benedict furthermore stated that the concept of condoms as a lesser evil in preventing HIV infections can be applied to women as well. The use of condoms is the first step in taking responsibility and attempting to prevent the infection of one's partner. The Pope does not say anything about condoms being acceptable as unnatural birth control, only as a responsible approach.

Armand Razafimahefa, former head of the Madagascar's Protestant Church, was quoted as saying: "I am firmly opposed to the use of the condom as a means of fighting AIDS, because it promotes promiscuity."

In contrast, many other Protestant denominations have no objection to the use of condoms within the context of a married relationship. Arguably, an infected partner of a married couple has an obligation to use protective measures to safeguard the health of the other partner.

Buddhism

In Thailand, some Buddhist monks encourage the use of condoms for HIV prevention. As part of Mechai Viravaidya's pro-condom campaign, Buddhist monks have sprinkled holy water on condoms.

Treatment of AIDS

Christianity

The work of some Christian ministries has affected the treatment of AIDS. According to the African Health Policy Network, some churches in London claim that prayer will cure AIDS and the Hackney-based Centre for the Study of Sexual Health and HIV reports that several people have stopped taking their medication, sometimes on the direct advice of their pastor, leading to a number of deaths. The Synagogue Church Of All Nations advertise an "anointing water" to promote God's healing, although the group deny advising people to stop taking medication, and US patent application 2001051133 similarly suggests that intravenous pure distilled water will eradicate HIV through the mercy of God.

See also

• AIDS pandemic
• Catholic Church and AIDS
• Islam and AIDS