Aids in Africa—To What Extent Is Christendom Accountable?

By Awake! correspondent in Africa

As used in this article, the term “Christendom” refers to professed Christianity, in contrast with the Christianity of the Bible.

Christendom

“Those parts of the world where most of the inhabitants profess the Christian faith.”—Webster’s New World Dictionary.

AIDS

“A condition of acquired immunological deficiency associated with infection of the cells of the immune system by a retrovirus.”—Webster’s Ninth New Collegiate Dictionary.

AIDS is a global epidemic. An estimated 17 million people have already been infected with HIV, the virus that causes AIDS. And it is spreading rapidly.

While much attention has been given to the medical, political, and emotional issues connected with this epidemic, little has been said about the religious issues involved. Now the idea of religion being connected with the spread of AIDS may seem farfetched to some readers. But it is not absurd when you consider the situation that has developed on the continent of Africa.

AIDS has hit Africa particularly hard.a Some say that the continent is home to 67 percent of the world’s AIDS cases. In Chad the number of reported cases over the last five years has multiplied by 100 times. Yet, it is estimated that only one third of all cases have been reported. According to a report by the World Bank, AIDS has become the most common cause of death among adults in many urban African centers.

Religion—Did It Play a Role?

Certainly, Christianity—the religion taught by Jesus Christ—cannot be held responsible for this disaster. However, as shown below, the word “Christendom” encompasses those lands where people claim to be Christian. And Christendom is clearly implicated. Not that the churches either created or directly spread the AIDS virus. But AIDS has spread in Africa primarily because of promiscuous heterosexual activity.b AIDS can thus be called a moral problem and, as such, gives rise to some troubling religious questions. After all, African “Christianity” was a direct transplant from Western lands. Church leaders took it upon themselves to convert Africans to their brand of religion, claiming it offered a way of life superior to traditional African ways. Did Christendom’s influence really improve the morality of its new adherents? The AIDS crisis graphically demonstrates that exactly the opposite took place.

Consider, for example, the nation of Chad. Of its four major cities, three have a large “Christian” population. The other one is predominantly Muslim. Yet, it is in the three “Christian” cities that the virus now rages! The same pattern is repeated throughout the continent. Central and southern Africa, which are nominally Christian, have a much higher rate of infection than North Africa, with its Muslim majority.

How Africa Became “Christian”

Why has this virus spread so rapidly among people who claim to be followers of Christ? In reality, although many Africans call themselves Christians, relatively few actually hold to the moral standards of Christianity, which are set forth in the Bible. This appears to be a direct result of the manner in which Christendom’s missionaries went about “converting” the African population.

In the 18th and 19th centuries, Christendom’s traditional beliefs came under attack. Higher criticism became popular, reducing the Bible in the eyes of many to a mere piece of ancient literature. The theory of evolution also began to gain acceptance, even among the clergy. Seeds of doubt were sown. Faith in the Holy Scriptures was questioned. In this climate it is not surprising that Christendom’s efforts to “convert” Africans took on a decidedly secular tone. Church missionaries preached the social gospel, placing far more emphasis on performing humanitarian deeds than on helping converts to comply with Bible standards of morality. Unwittingly perhaps, missionaries actually helped to undermine the existing moral structure.

For example, polygamy had long been the custom in many African civilizations. Sexual promiscuity, however, was rare, as most tribes had severe laws concerning adultery. Joseph Darnas, a retired schoolteacher, who is well-known in Chad, told Awake! that before the arrival of church missionaries, “it was felt that adultery brought bad luck.” As a result, “the guilty were severely punished for having put the community at risk—often with death.” Superstition? Yes, but such beliefs did curtail promiscuity.

Enter Christendom’s missionaries. They preached against polygamy but did little to enforce Bible standards of morality. Although the Bible says that unrepentant fornicators and adulterers are to be expelled from the Christian congregation, Christendom’s churches rarely take disciplinary action against offenders. (1 Corinthians 5:11-13) To this day, many prominent African politicians are notorious for their immoral affairs, and yet they remain church members in good standing. Marital fidelity is rare among nominal Christians in Africa.

Then there is the poor example set by members of the clergy themselves. In this family-oriented culture, it is normal to be married and have numerous children. Perhaps this is why a surprising number of Catholic priests feel justified in trampling their vows of chastity and celibacy. Reported The New York Times of May 3, 1980: “In many parts of the bush, . . . priests and bishops are polygamists.”

Naturally, such marriages are not formalized, and the “wives,” in reality, are mere concubines. Such misconduct cannot be shrugged off as insignificant. According to the Times, “a prominent Catholic clergyman” admits that “the African priest is the symbol of authority, a figure of power rather than the servant of Jesus Christ.” The message from these “authority figures” seems to be, “Do as I say but not as I do.”

The Western Entertainment Invasion

Not to be overlooked, either, is the flood of sexually immoral entertainment that has flowed into Africa in recent years. In Chad unsupervised public video parlors offering such fare have sprung up everywhere—in private homes, in garages, and, most often, in courtyards after dark. These showings are inexpensive, costing as little as 25 francs (5 cents, U.S.). Small children attend. From where does this material originate? Much of it is from the United States—a land claiming to be predominantly Christian!

But has this invasion of Western culture had any real effect on viewers? One missionary of Jehovah’s Witnesses, with 14 years of experience in Central Africa, says: “Local people often have very little contact with the Western world other than through what they see on videocassettes. They want to be like the Westerners they see in these movies. I have not discovered any documented studies to prove this, but it seems obvious to most people here that such entertainment does encourage sexual immorality.”

How ironic it is that while health officials desperately try to halt the progress of a deadly sexually transmitted disease, so-called Christian nations unleash propaganda promoting immoral, high-risk behavior! While the churches have done little to stem this tide either at home or abroad, some African governments, such as Chad and Cameroon, have tried to forbid or at least limit the entry of pornographic material into their countries. But their efforts have frequently proved unsuccessful.

The end result of all this has been a widespread moral decline among African “Christians.” Poor economic conditions have also had an insidious effect. Because jobs are scarce, men are often forced to leave their families for months at a time in order to find work. Such men are obvious targets for local prostitutes. The prostitutes, though, are commonly victims of poverty themselves. Parents’ demanding an exorbitant bride-price is also a factor. Many men do not marry because they cannot raise the money necessary to pay the bride-price. Some therefore end up leading a life of casual affairs. In such a moral and economic climate, AIDS has spread rapidly.

The Solution to the Crisis

Obviously, Christendom does not bear all the blame for the AIDS crisis in Africa. But that it bears much of it is painfully clear. This has serious implications for persons who want to be among those whom Jesus called “true worshipers.”—John 4:23.

Blame notwithstanding, what can be done to halt the AIDS epidemic? African governments have undertaken AIDS-prevention campaigns, promoting the use of condoms. But Dr. Samuel Brew-Graves, World Health Organization representative for Nigeria, made this frank admission: “The individual must adopt a healthy lifestyle . . . , while the family must . . . avoid sexual promiscuity.”

Long before AIDS became a household word, the Bible condemned promiscuity and promoted chastity, self-control, and marital fidelity. (Proverbs 5:18-20; 1 Corinthians 6:18) Hundreds of thousands of Jehovah’s Witnesses in Africa can offer firsthand proof that following these principles provides considerable protection from AIDS and other sexually transmitted diseases. Their adherence to Bible standards is a real indictment of Christendom. These true Christians have also put their hope in a coming new world in which “righteousness is to dwell.” (2 Peter 3:13) For men of faith, this is the ultimate solution to the AIDS crisis.

[Footnotes]

[Blurb on page 20]

“In many parts of the bush, . . . priests and bishops are polygamists.”—The New York Times

[Picture on page 20]

The poor example of Christendom’s clergy has fueled the epidemic of sexual promiscuity in Africa

[Picture on page 21]

Youngsters are exposed to immoral entertainment exported by “Christian” nations