It has been noticed that since the discovery of HIV/AIDS, the world has profoundly changed its face too in terms of reverence to God. It seems people have turned one of the gifts of the Holy Spirit; that is “fear of God” to “fear of contracting the virus that causes AIDS”, in matters pertaining sexual morality. Nevertheless, fear of God is paramount over the fear of catching the deadly virus.

When we attend various church services around the country, we always hear pastors and preachers campaigning against HIV/AIDS. Due to severity and rampage of the pandemic, pastors and preachers always call on people to get saved so as to escape catching the noxious virus. Though it is commendable to speak against sexual immorality, it seems, however, that none of the preachers calls to mind the importance of respecting the pre-eminence of God, the only remedy that would work against contracting the Aids virus. Suggestively, by respecting God’s commandments, more especially the seventh one, people would be on the verge of getting salvation.

As we communicate among the fellow youths, we are made to understand that no youths would engage in fornication for fear of contracting HIV. However, other mal-sexual practices such as sodomy and the like are plied as alternatives. No one, at least, has ever mentioned the name of God in their abstinence campaign. This also gives the reason why people living with HIV are viewed as depraved people who deserve no care and sympathy. Though medical scientists are in search of the cure, we are indubitably forced to speculate that upon acquiring the remedy, sexual impiety would be awfully high. This might be so because those who have feared the disease and have no fear of God as a reason for maintaining their moral standards will have nothing to fear.

More surprisingly, parents nowadays seem to have no any other ethical pieces of advice to tell their children apart from discouraging their lads against sexual delinquency. This can be a reason why youths constantly complain that the AIDS pandemic has prevented them from ‘enjoying life’. This leads to the temptation of using the highly advocated condoms against the teaching of the Catholic Church, which in the end increases sexual immorality and hence alarming rates of HIV infection.

Traditionally, the African culture has always forbade adolescent boys and girls to practise fornication primarily though, not for fear of any disease but as a religious and cultural virtue of purity. Today, this has changed since the virginity that was valued in the African tradition as a ticket to marriage has been replaced with questions such as “Are you positive or negative?” or “Are we going for blood test before tying a knot?”

As children of God, it is important that every one of us develop fear of God instead of talking big about the dangers of contracting the fatal virus that causes AIDS. When it comes to sexual probity, it is worth asking oneself a question that “Do I fear the disease or God? By doing this, we shall all have positive and meaningful abstinence bestowed to us by God. Importantly, the realisation of God’s eminence will take away the world’s brokenness and give us back the treasure field we are responsibly yearning for.

By Eugenio Njoloma