HIV, Bono, and Christianity Today

By Fayola Shakes

After losing three close relatives in the space of two years, I thought I could deal with death. After living in a country where I saw the poor suffer because they had no clean water, let alone medications, I thought I'd be able to handle the suffering. After taking an HIV test myself and waiting two gut-wrenching weeks for the results, I figured I was strong enough to face the prospect of getting a positive result. On New Year's Eve, when a good friend revealed she was HIV-positive, I realized I knew nothing and that I didn't have this "life" thing figured out at all.

The news hit me like a freight train and I was tired of being run over. I wanted to scream and throw a tantrum like a three-year-old. I wanted to cry but I didn't want her to see me fall apart. Most of all, I just wanted her to be virus-free. So while my friends and family partied, I hid under the covers, crying and arguing with God and myself.

The initial shock of the news has worn off and I'm happy to say that thanks to HIV medications that we are so blessed to have in the U.S., my friend is healthy. In fact, her enthusiasm for life and refusal to let the virus control her are a few of the things that motivate me in my job as an HIV test counselor. I've had this job for the past three years and worked in the field of HIV outreach and education since 1998. It's not always fun -- giving positive test results never gets easy -- but the pros greatly outweigh the cons.

Another motivating factor has been seeing the results of the work Bono and other activists put into raising awareness about Africa's AIDS crisis. When President Bush recently announced the Emergency Plan for AIDS Relief, I sat in front of my TV like a lottery player with the winning ticket, cheering and happy that the U.S. would finally take a proactive role in the fight against HIV. It was a battle won in a war that's been going on for the past two decades and won't end until there's a cure for this insidious virus. Bono should be (and has been) commended for his efforts.

What bothers me is how some Christians insist on putting Bono through some sort of "Christian-authenticity" test. Is her or isn't he a believer? It reminds me of those how-to-tell-if-he-really-loves-you quizzes advertised on magazine covers you stare at blankly while waiting in line at the supermarket. So you can imagine my surprise at seeing something similar in a recent issue of Christianity Today.

In the editorial, the writer wonders how Bono would know enough to say the church practices a hierarchy of sin if he doesn't attend one on a regular basis. He deems the singer's ecclesiology as "paper thin" and goes as far as to question U2's concern for the plight of Africans while they spent millions to keep their ZOO TV and Pop Mart tours on the road.

Why is this so intriguing? Is it because God may have chosen to speak through a Catholic-Protestant Irish rock star with blue sunglasses?

Was Bono correct when he pointed out that evangelical Christianity has a hierarchy of sins -- with sexual ones at the top? It sadly rings true more often than not. People tend to help or dismiss people with HIV/AIDS based on how they were infected. For example, consider the reaction to famous HIVers who go public about their HIV status. Magic Johnson's announcement shocked fans worldwide and an undeserved amount of attention was given to how he became infected. Did the same happen to Arthur Ashe? No, because for some reason, the person infected via blood transfusion is somehow more worthy of our pity than the one who contracted HIV via unprotected sex.

I get all kind of reactions when I tell people what I do. They range from nervous laughter to poorly disguised scorn and even comments like "you must work with a lot of prostitutes, drug addicts, and gay people." (Insert long sigh here.) Yeah, I also see many Christians who are too scared to talk to their pastors or other church members due to fear of rejection. Instead of seeking refuge in the church during the waiting period for test results, they call HIV hotlines for support.Similarly, in many communities, the church is the last place that HIV-positive people go to for support.

Could this have been a factor when Bono speaks of the church's flirtation with irrelevance?

Shouldn't the focus be on meeting the person's where they're at? Isn't that what Jesus did? He didn't shout "Repent, you little hussy!" to the woman caught in the act of adultery. As far I recall, it went more like this:

"Then Jesus stood up again and said to her, 'Where are your accusers? Didn't even one of them condemn you?' 'No, Lord,' she said. And Jesus said, 'Neither do I. Go and sin no more.'"

So why does the church still have a pocket full of stones? I could see if it were 1984. Back then everyone -- scientists, doctors, HIVers -- was searching for answers. But this is 2003 and there are people who are still sleeping on this issue or choose to ignore it. As one doctor told me, sometimes people wait until the tree falls in their own backyard to realize something's wrong.

So can you blame Bono for being a ticked at how the church and the U.S. in general have seemingly ignored the global AIDS crisis? According to a 2001 Barna Research poll, 61 percent of Americans are unlikely to help overseas AIDS prevention and education programs and 54 percent are unlikely to help children orphaned by AIDS.

It may not be an easy pill to swallow, but somebody has to say it. And let's face it, the truth hurts, especially coming from the person you least expected to hear it from. But in this case, the message is far more important than the messenger. Every person who isn't infected with HIV will, sooner or later, be affected by it in some way.

My HIV test results were negative. My friend's weren't. She can't go to bed tonight, pull the covers over her head and wake up tomorrow without HIV. Until that day, I don't care whom God uses to wake the church up to this issue -- even if it is a guy that may never win an Attendance Badge from the church. God has never been a fan of traditionalism anyway. If He spoke to Balam through a donkey what more won't He do through a rock star?

Fayola Shakes is a freelance writer living in Miami.