The
Facts
What
is AIDS?
AIDS
stands for Acquired Immune Deficiency Syndrome.
It
is a incurable disease that attacks the immune system, leaving the body
defenseless to illnesses that it could normally fight off: flu, pneumonia,
meningitis, extremely rare types of cancer,
etc..
I
also hear people talking about HIV. What’s that?
HIV
stands for Human Immunodeficiency Virus. It is
the name of the virus that causes AIDS. There is no vaccine or way to
kill the virus once it is in your body.
How
do you get HIV?
-
By far, the two most common ways to get HIV are by having unprotected sex, or by sharing needles and/or syringes to inject illegal drugs with someone who is infected with the virus.
-
HIV can also be transmitted from mother to child during pregnancy.
-
HIV has also been transmitted through blood transfusions. This is extremely rare since scientists have developed special tests to detect HIV in blood.
Can
you get HIV from shaking hands, hugging, kissing, sneezing, or eating
food prepared by people who are infected with HIV? How about from toilet
seats, door knobs or insect bites?
You
cannot contract Aids via causal contact.
Can
you get HIV from the Communion spoon?
As an Orthodox Christian we believe that Communion is the Body and Blood of our Lord and God Jesus Christ that is given to us that we might have eternal life in Him. For that reason we believe that no one could ever get anything harmful from the Chalice or the spoon.
In
addition, in the 2000+ year history of the Church, there are no known
cases of anyone getting this or any other disease this way. Studies
have been done that have shown that the metallic spoon, the alcohol
in Communion, and the hot water all act as antiseptics preventing the
spread of disease and viruses.
Can
you tell if someone has HIV/AIDS by looking at them?
NO.
There is no way to tell by looking at a person whether or not he or
she has HIV or AIDS!
Very
often people who have AIDS or who are infected with HIV look like perfectly
healthy people, just like you and me.
Most
people get HIV because the person that they are having unsafe sex with
or doing drugs with doesn’t even realize that (s)he is inftected. It
can be a while before symptoms of a weaken immune system appear.
How
can I protect myself from getting HIV/AIDS?
The
only 100% effective way of making sure you don’t get HIV is by not
sharing needles for intravenous (IV) drugs (not doing drugs is just
a good idea in general) and by postponing sex until you are married,
and then remaining faithful to your spouse. Even with your spouse, before
you consumate sexual relations, it is a good idea to be tested for any
sexually transmitted diseases. Once again, sexual abstinence is the
only way to not contract HIV, however, if you have sex and you do not
know the sexual history or medical status of your partner, you must
wear a condom to ensure your mutual protection. While condoms are not
fullproof, they have been prooven to stop the transmission of HIV. Mostly
when condoms fail during sex (ie break) it is because they are put on
improperly. (For more information on HIV transmission and condom use,
check out the CDC's website at
What
does the Church say about HIV/AIDS?
-
The Church teaches that only sex inside of marriage is healthy and appropriate (Rom. 1:24-27, 1Cor 6:9-11, 1Tim 1:8-11).
-
The Church teaches that it is sinful to use illicit drugs ( 1Peter 4:1-6).
-
The Church, however, follows Jesus’ example and teaches that we must love and be compassionate toward all people who are sick and in need (Matt 25:31-46), including people with HIV/AIDS.
It
is our responsibility to treat people with HIV/AIDS just like Jesus
would: not approving of the sinful behavior, but loving the sinner!
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Department
of Youth, Young Adult, and Campus Ministry |
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