Just read an article on HIV

[delilah07]

I was on Facebook and read an article on HIV. So many people left comments stating that it should be a stigma. I read one post that said it was a sin. The guy went on to compare his life to what I assume was his assumption of what an HIV positive person’s life is like. It ticked me off.
I replied that having HIV is not one of the 7 deadly sins or a sin. But that pride is a sin.
Some people posted that if HIV is not stigmatized people will become promiscuous or it will spread to them eventually.
There is so much misinformation out there. And some people want to argue against facts. Using the excuse it’s not what they heard back in the eighties.
I guess people fear what they don’t know or want to prevent.

[leatherman]

I guess people fear what they don’t know or want to prevent.

most people feel that about a lot of things. I've always said that people really understand the diseases that they themselves or someone very close to them has to deal with. That's why HIV is such a mystery to them. With only 1.2 million HIV+ people in America, most people rarely know someone with HIV and so the transmission, treatment, etc. are all unknown to them.

As an HIV educator, I'm not surprised at this lack of knowledge about transmission, etc. nor the nonsense about stigma that borders on the ridiculousness of "just say no". Stigma against something, especially by labeling it "sin", has never stopped anyone from doing anything. Pre-martial sex is a "sin" but that's rarely stopped straight people from having pregnancies without marriage first.

As a gay man, I'm not surprised by the religious bigotry either. Quite frankly, disclosing my HIV status has always been easy for me. If you can brush off the religious nonsense against being gay, then nonsense against HIV is just more inane ramblings by people who have obviously never read the book they claim to be a guide from their god for their lives. (btw, I have this opinion as someone who spend 8 hrs a week from grades 5-12 in Bible class at my Baptist school; every Sun morning, Sun night and wed nights at church for 15 yrs, and another 8 hrs a week for 2 yrs at a Baptist college. I KNOW the Bible, and know most "religious" people are simply talking out their ass about stuff they have never bothered to read. )

[harleymc]

I'm a person of faith but don't subscribe to any of this nonsense.

HIV has never been prayed away

[Jim Allen]

I was on Facebook and read an article on HIV. So many people left comments stating that it should be a stigma. I read one post that said it was a sin. The guy went on to compare his life to what I assume was his assumption of what an HIV positive person’s life is like. It ticked me off.
I replied that having HIV is not one of the 7 deadly sins or a sin. But that pride is a sin.
Some people posted that if HIV is not stigmatized people will become promiscuous or it will spread to them eventually.
There is so much misinformation out there. And some people want to argue against facts. Using the excuse it’s not what they heard back in the eighties.
I guess people fear what they don’t know or want to prevent.

To be honest, I get so tired of people claiming it's a sin etc; it's all related to their moral issues and homophobia if you ask me. No point in arguing or engaging directly with them as they will not change.