The Anglican Church, HIV Testing and Marriage

admin · The Anglican Church, HIV Testing and Marriage

HIV Test Before Nigerian Marriage

Couples must first take an HIV test before they will be allowed to marry, the Anglican Church in Nigeria says. The church says the move is to help parishioners make "informed choices" when choosing marriage partners.

The BBC News website learnt that many Christian churches in Nigeria impose similar tests on their members as a condition for marriage.

The policy is being implemented in all Anglican dioceses across Nigeria, the church's spokesman said.

'Unacceptable'

"The aim is to help intending couples to make informed decisions because we don't want anyone to be kept in the dark about their partner," spokesman for the church Rev Akintunde Popoola told the BBC News website.

He said the church will not stop people from getting married if they test positive to HIV, the virus that causes Aids.

"The whole point is for couples to know their HIV status before getting married," he said. "If they find out their status and still want to go ahead, we cannot object. Instead, we offer them care and support."

But the authorities are already challenging the new policy by the church, saying it is unacceptable. "We cannot accept what the church is proposing. Every Nigerian must be allowed to decide on their own whether they want to be tested or not," Prof Tunde Oshotimehin, who heads Nigeria's state HIV control agency, told the BBC.

"HIV testing and counselling must be voluntary. What the church is trying to do will encourage denial."

Graduate tests

The Catholic Church in Nigeria says it is not imposing such a policy on its members because it wants HIV testing to be voluntary and personal.

"We know that some people do it, but we are not making it church policy," spokesman of the Catholic Archdiocese of Abuja Rev Fr Ralph Madu told the BBC News website.

Recently, a church-owned college - Covenant University, Nigeria - announced that its graduates should take HIV and pregnancy tests as conditions for graduation.

But the university suspended the policy after widespread condemnation and criticisms from government agencies and rights groups.

Nigeria is a deeply religious country with her 140 million people almost evenly divided between Christians and Muslims.

According to Nigeria's National Agency for the Control of AIDS (Naca), some 4.4% of Nigerians live with HIV.

Source: http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/africa/6951674.stm

admin · Should Couples Be Tested for HIV Before Church Marriages?

Should Couples Be Tested for HIV Before Church Marriages?

Personally, in this days of fornication I believe every couple getting married should take an HIV test before having any type of sexual relationship, and definitely before marriage, I just don't believe it's the churches position to dictate this.

As in the above case, IF it is merely a suggestion to encourage the couples to find out their true status before marriage, then there is nothing wrong. Also, IF the results are to be respected and kept private by the couple without the church knowing the results, then there is nothing wrong in such a suggestion. If on the other hand it is considered a prerequisite for permitting the couples to get married in the church, then that would be nothing short of discrimination.

Also, making a couples' HIV status known to a church or any public entity beyond that which the couple chooses to, will only open them to discrimination by others.

On the other hand considering how randy and promiscuous some people are these days, especially with people living double sexual lives, it is advisable to get random HIV tests even after a couple has been married.
Blind trust is no longer acceptable in this day and age where men married 20+ years suddenly reveal that they are homosexuals masquerading as heterosexuals just to keep their family line going, or to maintain their social status.

Obviously, there must have been incidences wherein couples have been married only to discover that one of the partners has HIV or was intentionally hiding their HIV status, resulting in counselling by the church, for it suggest or try to institute such a policy.

My answer therefore is "If the couples are ENCOURAGED to take an HIV test with the results being respected as the couples' private business, without the church demanding to know the results, then Yes, it is a responsible thing to do." If the church considers it a REQUIREMENT without which a couple will NOT be permitted to marry, then my answer is definitely NO. People are still entitled to their freedom, although we should endeavour to be responsible adults for our own benefit.

Cxsm
8/18/07

© Cxsm 2007 All Rights Reserved

LadyK

Interesting..I think a person would want to be HIV tested way before it even got to the marriage stage!!