By Joseph L Green
I recently watched parts of a CNN special entitled “Black in America”, hosted by Soledad O’Brien. I must say for the record that I admire Ms. O’Brien; I believe that she is a very talented reporter. I also admire her efforts to tackle the topic of race relations in America. I must say, however, that in one segment I believe that the show went way off course.

I watched a panel discussion regarding HIV/Aids in the black community. The statistics are very alarming. Right now the black community has the highest percentage of new HIV/Aids cases in the nation. This disease can be devastating to all those infected with it and those around them as well. I personally have firsthand experience witnessing 2 close acquaintances die of this disease and I will tell you it is not a pretty sight.
Two comments from the show really rubbed me the wrong way! The first one came from Phill Wilson, founder and CEO of the Black AIDS Institute. Wilson stated that “AIDS in America today is a black disease,”. This is an absurd statement to say the least.
The HIV/Aids epidemic, although very sad for all those involved has nothing to do with race. Over 98% of all cases are due to lifestyle choices. Race has nothing to do with whether a person engages in risky sexual behavior or shares IV needles with someone else. That is simply bad decision making. Sickle cell anemia, on the other hand, could be considered a black disease. One third of all people that live in Sub-Saharan Africa carry the gene for sickle cell. Sickle cell is genetically inherited; HIV is acquired overwhelmingly through lifestyle choices. Let’s get the facts straight.
The Center for Disease Control (CDC) gives the following statistics concerning methods of transmission of HIV/Aids:
Out of all the cases in the US through 2007*:
-487,695 came through male to male sexual contact
-255,859 came through injection drug use
-71,242 male to male sexual contact and injection drug use
-176,157 High risk heterosexual contacts
- 18,266 are tagged as other (Includes hemophilia, blood transfusion, perinatal exposure, and risk not reported or not identified).
Clearly the vast majority of cases stem from behavioral choices made by individuals contracting the disease.
The other statement that really stirred me up was several panel members, most notably Judge Glenda Hatchett, who went on to criticize the church for somehow allowing this epidemic to spread the way it has. As an African American Pastor I get irritated with people miscommunicating the role of the church. They want to redefine what the mission of the church is to suit their purposes. They either are willfully ignorant of the purpose of the church or they have never really taken the time to understand exactly what the church is supposed to do.
The job of the church is to love all people no matter what their circumstances are. Whether you have HIV/Aids, cancer, or if you are homeless it should not matter. “Love your neighbor as yourself” is one of the two great commandments that Jesus gave. We as the church should not give more or less love to a person simply because they have HIV and or AIDS. We are to help those in need, encourage those who are down, and to help people to fix the problems that they face in life.
What the detractors of the church fail to acknowledge is the primary message that the Bible gives. All of the lifestyle choices that are shown to cause HIV and AIDS contradict Biblical teaching on living. To put it bluntly no one wants to hear the true message of living right, they just want you to blindly accept their lifestyle and just help them.
The HIV epidemic will only continue to get worse if we ignore the behavioral factors that cause the disease to spread. I am willing to show love to those involved in the disease but I also have a responsibility to tell them the truth about the lifestyle that got them there. True love means we don’t just provide them with temporary help, we are called to assist them to spiritual wholeness.
If you really want the church to be involved and to offer the solution it is meant to offer, then let’s be honest. The best way to cut the growing HIV/Aids rate is to deal with the core behaviors that cause the disease to spread. The church is not meant to be an endless fountain of blind love; it is a place that gives people the keys to living a healthy and successful life.
Jesus said “I came that they may have and enjoy life, and have it in abundance (to the full, till it overflows).” John 10:10 (Amplified Bible)

*These statistics were last Modified: February 26, 2009 by the CDC

http://www.cdc.gov/hiv/topics/surveillance/basic.htm