Perceptions of AIDS

Interviewing John last night was an interesting experience. I talked to him about his perceptions of AIDS, where it comes from, why it's so prevalent, does he consider it to be a condition that people deserve because of their own choices etc. I found it very insightful that after serving a two year mission in Cape Verde, Africa where AIDS is present, John talked about AIDS mostly in moral terms. He wasn't severe enough as some people to say that everyone with AIDS is a sinner and deserves what they get, but when asked if he perceived AIDS to be deserved due to personal behavior, he responded: "if you're going to make a decision, you must be able to accept the consequences that come with it." He did allow that due to social factors, many children are not brought up with the same values we learn within the church, and that in many places, women are viewed "as accessories" by men, both being conditions that exacerbate the problem. When asked what things exacerbate the AIDS epidemic, he listed things such as pornography, government distributed condoms, and the weakening of moral society.

I would agree with John to a certain extent. I do believe that pornography and government distributed condoms and the weakening of moral society are ultimately the cause of the AIDS problem. However, within the church, I think we have a tendency to emphasize personal choice as a cause of unfortunate outcomes to the exclusion of other factors. I think that many times, people do get AIDS because of poor choices, but I also think that many times, people, especially women and children, are put into situations that they cannot control. I know that when I was in high school, I thought about AIDS the same way as John. I mostly discredited the problem, because I felt that most of the people that got it had earned it, but since becoming a public health major, I have learned that that is not always the case. I absolutely support the church and their stand on every moral issue. I absolutely support John's belief that if we could solve the problems of pornography and the weakening of moral society, we could end the AIDS epidemic, but I also think that we have to be very careful not to discredit the other factors.