How can christians say this?

Question

A friend of mine died of AIDS. At the funeral, i overheard some of his religious and christian family commenting about how the disease that killed him was God's way of "punishing all those queers and homosexuals." They said he deserved it and this just proves how merciful God is.

I think I need to clarify this since some think it was too strange to make up. After the funeral service, we all went to the church hall for a meal. We were all sitting at tables waiting to get in line. At the table next to us was a group of my friend's extended family - aunts and uncles. The topic turned to my friend during the final stages of the disease. It was at this time the comment was made.

Answer 1

Christianity is a mental disease... it sounds like they have a terminal case of it.

Answer 2

Don't generalize one persons comments to apply to an entire group. Some ppl die of AIDS just b/c they touched an infected needle. What did they do to deserve that? Just b/c one has AIDS doesn't mean they were a queer or a homosexual.

Those pple you overheard should quit acting so smart and arrogant. They have no idea why certain things happen. Sure everything is done for a reason but they have no idea why God does what he does. Those ppl are no better then your freind was, cause everyone sins and no sin is greater then another. What right do they have to judge your friends actions? I think they need to get back to the basics on what being a christian really is.

It would have been neat to see there reaction if you had started to argue in your friend's behalf.

Answer 3

That is vile.

I am a Christian. AIDS is a disease caused by a virus. God created all things and so created the virus. Yet to ascribe motives of malice to God--that God is "using" a virus to "punish" certain people--is hubris. One knows not what God is doing, and to assert that one knows God's intentions with regard to such matters is revolting.

Never mind that all manner of people contract HIV. How do these Christians "explain" a heterosexual who got HIV through a blood transfusion in 1982? How do they explain an infant who got HIV through his mother's breast milk?

Whatever. Some people are just hateful, is all. God have mercy on them.

Answer 4

well that was their way of thinkin about it, not all christians think that homosexuality is bad or needs to be punished by God. there are several different kinds of christianity, maybe theirs was stricter, christians also say dont judge others because u will be judged later too, so they must not have been true christians if they could say that about a person. and at a funeral too

Answer 5

A true Christian would never so much as thought something like that, much less say it.

Not all people who profess to be Christians are. Look at those whack-o's that protest a funeral, or bomb an abortion clinic.

I am sorry for the loss of your friend.

Peace be with you, and with him.
David

Answer 6

Again I say, be careful with including everyone into one grouping. People are all different and develop their own bias over time. It is a weakness of being human. When anyone says hurtful and insensitive things, way the source, then decide if it is worth being bothered by.

Like the duck, let the water roll of your back.

Answer 7

That was a very unloving and unkind way for your friends family to speak and you need to put this question directly to them. I am very sorry for your loss, you have my deepest condolences. Death is only a part of life, it is not an end in itself, but a passing into eternal life. God is a very merciful and loving God and I don't believe He condemned your friend at all. Don't listen to those family members, they are just reflecting their own judgement and condemnation, not God's.

Answer 8

There is a verse in which Paul talks about God allowing ppl to receive due penalty for their error. Some have interpreted this to mean God allowing ppl to get STDs as a punishment for promiscuity, which homosexuals are known for.

I think that ppl suffering the consequences of their actions, such as getting AIDS and suffering with it, is justice, otherwise ppl would do evil even more than they do now. We have to remember that even though God is merciful, He is still just, and hates sin. God doesn't want ppl to get STDs, but He does allow it as a punishment for their sin. Remember, in Leviticus, God gives the punishment for homosexual behavior as death, so your friend, when he was infected, still had time to repent and obey God.

I'm sorry your friend died, I hope that this will serve as a warning to you, to refrain from sin and avoid that kind of fate, rather than let it harden you against God and never make it to heaven.

Answer 9

That was an extraordinarily cruel thing to say. However, AIDS would not be an epidemic today if all people were sexually pure by having sex with only one person whom they're married to for their entire life. AIDS is not a punishment for homosexuality. It is however, a consequence of living a sexually impure life whether gay or straight.

Answer 10

There are those amongst us that do not understand God's message of love, forgiveness and salvation. Responses such the ones you heard are not Christian.

I feel a loss with each life that is taken away, and also filled with new hope as they have been returned to the Father.

Peace be with you all.
Michael

Answer 11

Realzie people can call themselves anything and say anything. I am African-american and if I said I dont like mexicans would you assume all african-americans all felt that way? Just cause one person of a group feels that way doesn't mean people that claim the same thing feels that way. I'm christian and I want you to know I fully disagree with what they said first off its rude.