Religious Belief Perpetuating AIDS

A recent article written by a medical student who visited Haiti is quite telling of the fact that religious beliefs endanger our world and make it dangerous, superstitious, and ignorant. In this case, though, religious ideas are perpetuating AIDS and STDs.

[http://www.greenvilleonline.com/article/20091112/OPINION/911120301/Haiti-can-teach-lessons-about-life-and-people]

Here are some highlights of the article:

One particular day in the STD clinic proved particularly eye opening. When asked if they had more than one partner, women would usually reply “no.” But then when asked about their husband, many calmly replied that he had many partners.

If asked about their husband’s condom usage, the answer was often “never.” After we explained the risks inherent in this behavior, one response from a woman was “God will protect me, I am a Christian.” Another said, “My husband is a Christian and says the Bible says not to use condoms.” Or better yet, I also heard, “If I get sick, it is God’s will.”

Several physicians were claiming that with missionaries came more patients claiming that prayer would heal any malady they might face, and thus HIV prevention and/or treatment mattered little.

it is paramount that missionaries and others understand both the culture they are entering and the role that medicine and logical, evidence-based thinking plays in helping the world’s poor.

When patients believe irrational things (e.g. prayer instead of medicine will heal them), they pay for it with their health, their lives.

While religion has given people hope when all else is gone, it also appears to have a darker side in some circumstances, allowing people to believe in unfounded superstition rather than evidence-based medicine.