This post could be unpopular.
I was watching a documentary on HIV in Africa called Miss HIV. Part of it discussed overcoming the stigma attached to HIV so that people wouldn't be ashamed to reach out and get help (typically, antiretrovirals, which, as I understand from some very basic and quick research, keep virus levels low and improve quality of life for those who are infected with HIV).
A part of this documentary focused on prevention campaigns. The International AIDS Conference in 2006 had some very interesting reactions to abstinence. Many presenters (cheered on by a rowdy crowd) discussed how abstinence-based AIDS prevention campaigns were not good for women for a variety of reasons: in poorer countries women are sex workers, the woman can be faithful but the man can run around, and so on. Condoms faced similar arguments: a woman can only request that her partner wear a condom and that isn't fair to her because she's not in control. Basically, the cry was for the power for prevention to be put in the woman's hands through anti-viral creams/lubricants, etc. Discussion of Uganda's "ABC" approach (Abstinence, Be faithful to your partner, and if you can't, use a Condom) at this conference brought a chorus of "boos" from the audience. Apparently, the thought is that abstinence based programs violated people's "right to sex", which is where my real discussion begins, I think.
What is a right? A just claim or title to something. Okay. I'm good with that. People have a right to life. A right to have press that tells the truth and won't be punished by the government for doing so. A right to liberty. A right to pursuit of happiness (which if I understand the founding fathers, meant the right to make money).
At a church event, "Digging Deeper", we've been going through the Old Testament. Something struck me about God during one of the recent sessions: that He respects our authority and lets us make decisions. Respecting our authority means allowing us to live with the ramifications of those decisions.
So, I guess my conclusion is this: we absolutely do have a God-given right to make decisions for our selves. A person can decide to have as many sexual encounters as they like. As many abortions as are wanted. As many Krispy Kreme donuts. As many people dead as they want. But making those choices doesn't make them right. We have a claim to freedom of choice because God gave that to us and respects what He has given. But He also has a set of laws designed to govern our choices.
You know, in the film Beyond the Gates of Splendor, they were talking about an extremely violent tribe in the Amazon basin of Ecuador. One man noted that the things that that culture valued were individuality and equality. Taken to the extreme, these values that Americans share with this tribe resulted in something quite ghastly. When an individual was offended, he felt that he had the right to "spear" the offender.
So we have the right of choice. We can choose to do something, but we also have the right to choose not to do something, and I find that that right is ignored because it's "boring." Because it forces us to control ourselves.
Like I said, unpopular. But it is how I'm beginning to understand what's happening around me. And believe me, I wanted to give the "rights" aspect a fighting chance. I've been wrestling with these questions for a while, but such are my conclusions.
What is a right? A just claim or title to something. Okay. I'm good with that. People have a right to life. A right to have press that tells the truth and won't be punished by the government for doing so. A right to liberty. A right to pursuit of happiness (which if I understand the founding fathers, meant the right to make money).
At a church event, "Digging Deeper", we've been going through the Old Testament. Something struck me about God during one of the recent sessions: that He respects our authority and lets us make decisions. Respecting our authority means allowing us to live with the ramifications of those decisions.
So, I guess my conclusion is this: we absolutely do have a God-given right to make decisions for our selves. A person can decide to have as many sexual encounters as they like. As many abortions as are wanted. As many Krispy Kreme donuts. As many people dead as they want. But making those choices doesn't make them right. We have a claim to freedom of choice because God gave that to us and respects what He has given. But He also has a set of laws designed to govern our choices.
You know, in the film Beyond the Gates of Splendor, they were talking about an extremely violent tribe in the Amazon basin of Ecuador. One man noted that the things that that culture valued were individuality and equality. Taken to the extreme, these values that Americans share with this tribe resulted in something quite ghastly. When an individual was offended, he felt that he had the right to "spear" the offender.
So we have the right of choice. We can choose to do something, but we also have the right to choose not to do something, and I find that that right is ignored because it's "boring." Because it forces us to control ourselves.
Like I said, unpopular. But it is how I'm beginning to understand what's happening around me. And believe me, I wanted to give the "rights" aspect a fighting chance. I've been wrestling with these questions for a while, but such are my conclusions.
You make some really good points, Sarah. People don't want to make the effort to control themselves--because they want what THEY WANT when they want it. To choose to restrain oneself, to align with a Godly standard, is strange to such people.
ReplyDeleteI love reading what you write, by the way. I always feel enlightened and like I've learned something new when I'm done reading!! =] You have a gift!