In religion, what we individually and communally believe is that the moral and spiritual cause of ill health in general and of HIV and AIDS in particular is likely to influence a number of things. First, belief is the reason why some persons and families, communities and community groups, and countries and continents experience far more HIV infections, transmissions, and AIDS-related illnesses and deaths than those that seem to have limited or no risk and vulnerability to the HIV and AIDS epidemic. Second, belief will influence our attitudes toward those key vulnerable persons, families, communities, countries, and continents. Third, belief may explain the urgency and scale of both our prayers and actions, on one hand, or our inactions and/or “mis-actions” on HIV and AIDS, on the other hand. HIV and AIDS mis-actions happen when we zealously, religiously, and well intentionally believe, behave, and pray or speak and act in ways to believe that we are solving the HIV and AIDS challenge, only to realize later we are either making the situation worse or creating new and worse challenges. This chapter explores the punishment theory of disease and reflects on the type of HIV and AIDS knowledge and attitudes, emotions and actions, and inactions and mis-actions that the theory has imposed on faith communities and their leaders in Africa and those most burdened with HIV. The chapter also proposes a non-stigmatizing, more inclusive, and deeply analytical tool with which to interrogate the nexus between HIV ill health and holistic deprivation in Africa and audit theologies, ethical and pastoral frameworks, and spiritual and prophetic voice practices that are “End HIV & AIDS” conscious, competent, and resilient.

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The Intersection of Religion, Morality, and Health in Times of Pandemics in Africa: A Closer Look at HIV and AIDS

  • Gideon B. Byamugisha

摘要

In religion, what we individually and communally believe is that the moral and spiritual cause of ill health in general and of HIV and AIDS in particular is likely to influence a number of things. First, belief is the reason why some persons and families, communities and community groups, and countries and continents experience far more HIV infections, transmissions, and AIDS-related illnesses and deaths than those that seem to have limited or no risk and vulnerability to the HIV and AIDS epidemic. Second, belief will influence our attitudes toward those key vulnerable persons, families, communities, countries, and continents. Third, belief may explain the urgency and scale of both our prayers and actions, on one hand, or our inactions and/or “mis-actions” on HIV and AIDS, on the other hand. HIV and AIDS mis-actions happen when we zealously, religiously, and well intentionally believe, behave, and pray or speak and act in ways to believe that we are solving the HIV and AIDS challenge, only to realize later we are either making the situation worse or creating new and worse challenges. This chapter explores the punishment theory of disease and reflects on the type of HIV and AIDS knowledge and attitudes, emotions and actions, and inactions and mis-actions that the theory has imposed on faith communities and their leaders in Africa and those most burdened with HIV. The chapter also proposes a non-stigmatizing, more inclusive, and deeply analytical tool with which to interrogate the nexus between HIV ill health and holistic deprivation in Africa and audit theologies, ethical and pastoral frameworks, and spiritual and prophetic voice practices that are “End HIV & AIDS” conscious, competent, and resilient.