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Dec. 1, 2005

World AIDS Day:
Church and faith leaders speak

by Ecumenical News International

GENEVA — In Rome, Pope Benedict XVI appealed to the international community to work for the prevention of the disease and to help those who suffer from it. “The statistics are truly alarming!” he stated. “Therefore I encourage the many initiatives promoted, especially by ecclesial communities, to eradicate this sickness.”

     In Jerusalem, Inon Schenker, an HIV/AIDS prevention specialist and the head of the Jerusalem AIDS Project said: “Israel was one of the first countries in the world in 1987 that implemented our National Health Insurance, Israel provides medication, treatment and testing for people with HIV, free of charge. It’s part of every citizen’s medical insurance,” Schenker noted in a press release.

     In Cape Town, Anglican Archbishop Njongonkulu Ndungane said: “We believe all humans are equal thus, we should treat each other with mutual care and respect, regardless of social status, faith, gender or life style. We are striving to break the silence and emphasize that God does not discriminate between those who are HIV positive and those who are HIV negative. The fight against stigma is the Anglican Church's main focus this AIDS day.”

     In Edinburgh, the (Presbyterian) Church of Scotland came out in support of the British National AIDS Trust’s campaign to make employers aware that it will soon become illegal to discriminate against people living with HIV in the workplace.

     In Silver Springs, Maryland, Seventh-day Adventist Church President Pastor Jan Paulsen said: “Every local church can be a support community. You don’t have to be a certified counselor, but you can acquire some skills that will help build relationships with people.”

     Paulsen said the church “can help undo some of the taboos” associated with HIV/AIDS. “We can remove the stigma,” he said. “For far too long we have thought ...
’serves them right’ ... while the vast majority who have to live with HIV/AIDS today carry [it] through no fault of their own.”