Where is the Church in the fight against HIV/AIDS?

Townhall.com ^ | 12/19/2005 | Chad Hayward

[moviewatcher]

I'm excited about what Rick Warren (Purpose Driven Life) is doing. Churches have been neglecting their responsibility to care for the sick for far too long.

[BenLurkin]

Have the churches stopped opposing homosexuality, promiscuity, and rape?

If yes then they are part of the problem. If no then they are doing more than anyone else in fighting AIDS.

[sageb1]

Welcome to FR...

[sageb1]

Exactly.

[Bigh4u2]

"Churches have been neglecting their responsibility to care for the sick for far too long."

Ummm.. The churches 'responsibility' is for preaching the 'Word of God'.

Caring for the sick and infirm is something else that they do also.

But, I guess the Salvation Army, one the largest Christian organizations in the world and who sends the most money to 'third worlds' to fight AIDS and other diseases isn't good enough?

[randog]

Last I checked, they promote abstinence before marriage and fidelity during. Seems to work fairly well.

[sageb1]

Trolls aren't into personal responsibility and accountability.

[spintreebob]

OK, Name the churches, NGOs, etc that are doing the following:
- Encouraging a free market, private enterprise system where each individual is responsible for his own (acceptance of) salvation

- Encouraging a nanny state system where a person is responsible for the behavior of others, including both their economic and inter-personal behavior

We've had AIDS with us for 25+ years now and many other more deadly killers than AIDS for thousands of years. (In the past 25+ years, more people have died from genocide, starvation, pneumonia and a dozen other causes than from AIDS.)

Part of the problem is that addressing the short term pain is counter productive in the long term. And addressing the long term solution is painful in the short term. But clearly, if the problem persists for 25+ years, then we should agree that the best course of action is to address the long term solution and endure the short term pain.

But that is too logical and not PC for those who want an easy, sugar coated solution.

[FormerLib]

LOL! They count the agencies involved as a measure of doing something?

This poor spud doesn't know diddly about bureaucracies, does he?

[Mark was here]

Warren said, “It is my goal to move the American Church from self-centeredness to selfless service, from consumerism to contribution […] from an audience to an army, and from spectators to participators.”

Warren sounds like a kook. "Consumerism" is participating in the economy, buying and selling goods and services. What the socialist termed capitalism with disdain.

We should not turn from participating in the economy, and it is not mutually exclusive with helping others. For Warren to suggest otherwise makes his whole message suspect.

[silverleaf]

I guess my question is...what are YOU doing about it? Don't doubt "the Church" unless you have personally offered what YOU can offer to this issue. How many sick people are YOU helping? Please share with us what YOUR personal actions and recommendations are.

[Battle Hymn of the Republic]

the Bible is plain and simple about homos...

We don't Rick's help except to teach the bible, word by word, verse by verse and chapter by chapter.

[The Ghost of FReepers Past]

Rick Warren preaches a different Christianity than I believe in. His theology is VERY squishy. But I think it is nice that he is so into charity, though I wish he would first give ALL, and then shame others. I hate it when a zillionaire tells me that I should give more.

Now to the issue: I think AIDS is a largely preventable problem with just a change in moral attitude and behavior. So I'm for preach-for-a-cure charities. Also I could give to children with the disease and others who got the disease through non-sexual, non-drug use, non-irresponsible ways. It's not that I'm not sorry for them; it's just that I have other causes I feel are more deserving. Give charity to the innocent FIRST!

I strongly believe it is wrong for the government to force me to give. Freedom means you deal with your own consequences only with the help of the willing.

[The Ghost of FReepers Past]

Have the churches stopped opposing homosexuality, promiscuity, and rape? If yes then they are part of the problem. If no then they are doing more than anyone else in fighting AIDS.

Excellent answer.

[atomicpossum]

You've opened a can of worms with bringing up AIDS. On your first day here, you'll get a good look at the seamy underside of FR.

[SuziQ]

The Catholic Church has been taking care of HIV/AIDS patients for over 20 years. There was a ward at one of the Catholic hospitals in NYC that was dedicated to AIDS patients, and Cardinal O'Connor used to go to take care of them. He would even bathe them.

Once, when a news crew was following him and an AIDS activist was along for the interview, the Cardinal went into one of the rooms and held the hand of one of the sick men. The AIDS activist wouldn't get anywhere NEAR that man! Shows just how compassionate the activists are.

[hyperconservative]

Good one.

[don-o]

Hello, there.

Are you going to join back in your thread?

Hello?

[bella1]

Thou shalt not commit adultry--AIDS prevention every time. Preach it from the rooftops.

[Cicero]

Catholics have been taking care of AIDS victims in their hospitals and hospices since the disease was first reported.

As for condoms and sex education, the statistics show that they only help to spread AIDS.

Left wingers talk a good game, but what the AIDS industry has done, for the most part, is to help spread AIDS. Then Catholic hospices are left to pick up the broken pieces.