Tuesday, July 20, 2004

Words that burn... 
 
U.N. Secretary-General Kofi Annan urged Washington
to show the same leadership in fighting AIDS as it has in fighting terrorism:

"We hear a lot about weapons of mass destruction, we hear a lot about terrorism. And we are worried about weapons of mass destruction because of the potential to kill thousands. here we have an epidemic that is killing millions. What is the response?"
 
That's a barbed comment if I have ever heard one...makes me squirm in the light of truth.
 
An estimated 38 million people are infected with HIV, mostly in poor countries: 25 million in sub-Sharhra Africa and 7.2 million in Asia. 
 
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4 comments:

Jason said...

I may just be ignorant on how AIDS is being spread but isn't it primarily a sexually transmitted disease? If people stopped sleeping around wouldn't this disease go away in a generation? I know that blood transfusion and needles are ways to get it too, but I don't know if those ways are still in the minority like they used to be. I feel bad for the people with HIV but since I don't know anyone that has it and it seems like a preventable problem I am less compassionate about it. Comparing AIDS with terrorism and WMD is apples to oranges, IMHO.

Jason said...

That's a pretty typical American response, huh? I reread my comment and it makes me sound so callous.

Unknown said...

Jason,
I hear ya, it is hard to fit all the pieces together emotionally, morally and even spiritually in such matters.

I think the issue for me rests not in "who sinned...this man or his parents..."(Jn 9:1-41) but what will bring God glory out of such circumstances.

The sin of the sinner is an issue but the sinner needs salvation too. Granted "go and sin no more" is part of that salvation experience but there are matters that complicate the issue.

I think children are a major issue in this battle with AIDS, you can visit http://www.oneliferevolution.org/ to get a glimpse of this issue in light of aids, children and orphans.

In some areas of Africa, one out of every three children is an orphan due to this issue.

In the end will be judged by "who" we knew or "what" we knew?

Jason said...

It's just hard for me to put my mind around these types of things because I don't know anyone like that. I don't know anyone with aids, cancer, whatever...I'm very sheltered I guess.