Medical Ethics – AIDS, Homosexuality and Religion

AIDS, HOMOSEXUALITY AND RELIGION

To Bring Healing: Religion and AIDS
The AIDS epidemic has created or compounded difficult ethical problems and presented new pastoral challenges. How can religious belief and theology shape our response to those who are ill, those who love them, and those who care for them?

Homosexuality, Theological Ethics and AIDS
While it is not accurate to associate AIDS exclusively with the homosexual population, many people still do. Further, many Christians believe that homosexuality is contrary to natural law or Scripture. This essay investigates some problems caused by defining human nature in terms of sexuality, complexities of biblical interpretation in discussing sexual behavior; and difficulties in both liberal and conservative positions on homosexuality.

Choices
This essay examines some of the challenges generated by AIDS which affect the individual sufferer and his associates in a narrative format to emphasize the subjective nature of suffering and to avoid the sterility of academic discourse.

Embrace the Exiles
AIDS is not a moral issue, but our response to it is. Religious leaders have once again ended upon the wrong side of the gospel. Will they step forward now to condemn the AIDS-baiting going on? The next wave of HIV-infected people will have few resources and many needs. Will we be guided by compassion or by profit as we respond to this new group of “exiles”?

Theresa
No, I don’t pray. I paint.