wfn.org | Editorial: AIDS – why we mustn’t remain silent

["Taiwan Church News" <enews@pctpress.org>]

>      Taiwan Church News

>3013 Edition

>November 23~29, 2009

Editorial: AIDS – why we mustn’t remain silent

>Translated by Lydia Ma

AIDS has become a global issue and a topic of at length discussion  within churches and

seminaries in recent years. Genuine and unanimous concern for AIDS  patients is prevalent

among churches nowadays, regardless of denominational background.

According to UN statistics, there were 33 million HIV-positive  people in the world in 2007, and

about 2.1 million people died from AIDS during the same year. Of  those who died from AIDS,

about 68% lived in the Sahara region of Africa, the region in the  world most affected by the

AIDS epidemic. In Southeast Asia, countries such as Myanmar,  Thailand, Cambodia,

Vietnam, Indonesia, and India are at the top of the list of Asian  countries with the most AIDS

>patients.

In Taiwan, over 18,000 people are reported to have AIDS as of  2009, a low number per capita

in contrast to other countries, which perhaps may explain the low  level of concern for AIDS

>patients among Taiwanese people.

Some people say AIDS is a curse from God on people who choose to  live promiscuous lives.

 From a Christian and moral standpoint, we’re opposed to  marital infidelity, sexual promiscuity,

or homosexuality. However, we cannot equate sexual promiscuity  with AIDS either.

We must understand that people contract AIDS through various  means. Though some people

may have been infected with this disease because of their own  carelessness, many others are

innocent victims. Examples of the latter include infants born with  AIDS, husbands or wives

infected because of their partner’s infidelity, medical  professionals infected in the line of duty,

patients infected through blood transfusions meant to save their  lives, etc.

As Christians, how should we approach AIDS then? The answer is  that we must love AIDS

patients because God loved us first while we were still sinners.  Because we know some of

God’s attributes and Jesus’ teaching of the Good  Samaritan, we must choose to love and not

>remain silent.

One of the characteristics of a mature Christian is displaying a  little bit more kindness and

mercy. Though Christians are encouraged to pursue a life of  integrity and godliness because

such a life is what pleases God (see Romans 12:1-2), we  mustn’t lose sight of showing mercy

>toward others at the same time.

Jesus modeled this balance during His ministry on Earth when He  pointed out the sins of this

world and urged people to repent, while at the same time never  failing to show kindness and

compassion though He was the righteous Judge of the universe.  Jesus had mercy on many

people during His ministry because He knew they were lost and  helpless, much like sheep

>without a shepherd.

Though Jesus recognized and pointed out sin when He saw it, He  never did it in a judgmental,

angry manner. When a crowd of people brought before Jesus a woman  caught in the act of

adultery, He asked them instead, “Who among you is without  sin?” Even while hanging on the

cross, Jesus prayed for those who had put Him there, saying,  “Father, forgive them, for they

>don’t know what they are doing.”

So, let us remember that God is a kind and forgiving God. Most  importantly, let us remember

not to take God’s place in the seat of judgment. When we  pursue righteousness and holiness,

we will naturally be repulsed by sin. But the right to judge  belongs to God alone; let us not take

God’s place. The cross beckons us instead to cherish each  other’s lives because Christ died

for our sins so that we could live. It is our hope that  Christ’s love in us will inspire us to care

>about those who have AIDS today.

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