National H I V Testing Day

[Lil Red]

+J.M.J.+
what do you think of this? [url="http://www.foxbusiness.com/story/test-life-shares-senator-burr-statement-national-hiv-testing-day/"]Fox News Story[/url] Should there be a National HIV testing day? Should everyone get tested for HIV/AIDS?

[havok579257]

absolutly. The reason HIV is spreading so much is because people don't know they have it and are passing it on to everyone else. Obviously if everyone just waited till marriage for sex, there would be no problem, but that ain't going to happen. So informing each person if they carry the deadly disease is one step closer to contaning it. Everyone should be tested.

[rkwright]

If its mandatory I say no. I am not sexually active, I don't need to be tested. I don't need the government or someone else telling me I need to be tested.

[rkwright]

Here is what bugs me about AIDS\STDs in general. We have the cure. If everyone could abstain from sex before marriage, and remain faithful, I have heard we could wipe out AIDs\STDs in 3-4 generations.

We have a cure, just no one is willing to put it in motion.

[CatherineM]

I was a virgin when we got married, but I still got tested. Things can happen in life that are out of your control, and I didn't want to risk my future husband's life or the life of any children we might have potentially had, on the assumption that I couldn't possibly ever have been exposed.

It was kind of funny talking with the public health nurse, and her asking me how many sexual partners I had had. When I told her none, she didn't believe me at first, and then later when she realized I was telling the truth, wanted to know why I was there wasting her time basically.

[Veridicus]

[quote name='rkwright' post='1587242' date='Jun 30 2008, 01:38 PM']If its mandatory I say no. I am not sexually active, I don't need to be tested. I don't need the government or someone else telling me I need to be tested.[/quote]

[quote name='CatherineM' post='1587249' date='Jun 30 2008, 01:49 PM']I was a virgin when we got married, but I still got tested. Things can happen in life that are out of your control, and I didn't want to risk my future husband's life or the life of any children we might have potentially had, on the assumption that I couldn't possibly ever have been exposed.

It was kind of funny talking with the public health nurse, and her asking me how many sexual partners I had had. When I told her none, she didn't believe me at first, and then later when she realized I was telling the truth, wanted to know why I was there wasting her time basically.[/quote]

To an extent I think rkwright's sentiments are founded. However, CatherinM is right that it is possible to contract AIDS outside of sexual contact. Intravenous drug users have increased risk as well and they could be perfectly chaste. Also there is the possibility of non-sexual exposure via an unknown needle stick. You use a public restroom and feel a slight prick but when you get up and look you don't see anything there so you ignore it. A week later you get terrible flu-like symptoms...but hey it's flu season so you forget about it. 5 years later you get married and you find out you have had HIV for 5 years and your prognosis is that you will progress into AIDS within the next few years. These are exceptions of course, but they can contribute to the overall maintainance of HIV in the population. While I think abstinence is the best place to begin, I also don't think it would completely iradicate HIV since it has alternate forms of transmission and alternate reservoirs besides rampantly promiscuous individuals (like drug users etc.).

Simply because of the magnitude of the problem, I am not sure that I disagree with the idea of testing everyone. I don't know that it is really necessary though. I'll let have to think more about it.

[rkwright]

I would have to say that while there are possible other ways of contracting the disease, they seem very remote. As far as I know, and I don't have the stats (but I think they were posted in the other thread), the most likely way to contract AIDs is through sex or needles. So I would restate my original objection; I've never had sex, and I've never used drugs.

I understand there might be possibilities for contracting the disease in other ways also, but I don't believe these pose a significant risk to have the government testing everyone for AIDs.

I almost feel like its an invasion of my privacy, and possibly others also. What happens when they find someone who is HIV positive. Are they going to ask nicely for all the people they've done drugs with or had sex with?

On a side note what of other diseases? Should we have mandatory heart evaluations since it kills so many men? Or mandatory breast cancer screenings?

I don't want a government that can't handle its own programs (social security, welfare, medicare, ect.) trying to handle my life.

[havok579257]

[quote name='rkwright' post='1587283' date='Jun 30 2008, 03:57 PM']I would have to say that while there are possible other ways of contracting the disease, they seem very remote. As far as I know, and I don't have the stats (but I think they were posted in the other thread), the most likely way to contract AIDs is through sex or needles. So I would restate my original objection; I've never had sex, and I've never used drugs.

I understand there might be possibilities for contracting the disease in other ways also, but I don't believe these pose a significant risk to have the government testing everyone for AIDs.

I almost feel like its an invasion of my privacy, and possibly others also. What happens when they find someone who is HIV positive. Are they going to ask nicely for all the people they've done drugs with or had sex with?

On a side note what of other diseases? Should we have mandatory heart evaluations since it kills so many men? Or mandatory breast cancer screenings?

I don't want a government that can't handle its own programs (social security, welfare, medicare, ect.) trying to handle my life.[/quote]


The only problem I have with what your saying is, what happens when someone gets the disease and never gets tested and doesn't know about it and infects one person who infects another and so on and so on. This is why the disease spreads so much.

Abstinace is a nice idea but fact is not everyone agrees with that idea, so what then? How do you purpose we control this disease?

[Alycin]

[quote name='havok579257' post='1587357' date='Jun 30 2008, 06:11 PM']Abstinace is a nice idea but fact is not everyone agrees with that idea, so what then? How do you purpose we control this disease?[/quote]

That's an argument for birth control, too.

[havok579257]

[quote name='Alycin' post='1587367' date='Jun 30 2008, 06:27 PM']That's an argument for birth control, too.[/quote]


Yeah and? We can't force people to abstain from sex till marriage and we can't force them to not use birth control. Free will and all, something God gave each and everyone of us. So what's the point of your post?

Edited June 30, 2008 by havok579257

[Alycin]

You are using the "we can't force people to abstain" argument as, it seems, a way of supporting mandatory testing for HIV.

Many people use the same argument as a way of saying the birth control should be legal and used. We as Catholics do not support the use of birth control, though.

[havok579257]

[quote name='Alycin' post='1587418' date='Jun 30 2008, 07:41 PM']You are using the "we can't force people to abstain" argument as, it seems, a way of supporting mandatory testing for HIV.

Many people use the same argument as a way of saying the birth control should be legal and used. We as Catholics do not support the use of birth control, though.[/quote]

Your right, we don't support birth control, but at the same time we do support everyone's free will and choice to choose anything for their life. Making something legal or illegal will change nothing if someone intends to do it. Look at drugs. They are illegal, yet people use them all the time. If birth control or abortion were made illegal, would it really matter? If a person is determined to do something, they will, no matter legal or illegal. Its our job to try and show them the right way, but it is not our job to FORCE them to our will.

My arguement for HIV testing and abstiance is the fact that although it would be great if everyone did all the right christian things, it just ain't happening. Not everyone believes in Jesus and God. Not everyone thinks they should wait for marriage for sex. Sex is going to happen no matter what we do. Its been this way for centuries and it will be like this till the end of time.

So I see it as we got 2 options:

1. Say that since we believe in sex after marriage, we refuse the notion for HIV testing. A test that could save millions of lives world wide.

or

2. We can try our best to convince people that they should abstain from sex until marriage but at the same time test people for a disease which is just as deadly as a loaded gun. I am all for people going to prison if they know they have HIV and have unprotected sex. Its the exact same as holding a gun to someone's head and pulling the trigger. Not only that but someone needs to know if they have the disease so they can avoid infecting anymore people. We need to contain this deadly disease before it engulfs this entire planet. We can also teach what is right at the same time.

[Alycin]

[quote name='havok579257' post='1587446' date='Jun 30 2008, 08:43 PM']Your right, we don't support birth control, but at the same time we do support everyone's free will and choice to choose anything for their life. Making something legal or illegal will change nothing if someone intends to do it. Look at drugs. They are illegal, yet people use them all the time. If birth control or abortion were made illegal, would it really matter? If a person is determined to do something, they will, no matter legal or illegal. Its our job to try and show them the right way, but it is not our job to FORCE them to our will.[/quote]

This is a very weak argument. It has no actual basis. If drugs were legal and available at the corner store I guarantee you MANY more people would be doing them. I know people whose only reason for not doing drugs is because they are illegal.

If birth control were illegal, you can bet your rear-end that there would be far, far less people using it.

The argument that some people are going to break the laws so we shouldn't illegalize birth control or ESPECIALLY abortion, is absolutely heinous. Even as little of a difference as there being no government funding for abortion would mean a substantial drop in abortions.

To take it a step further, some people murder others even though it is illegal, should we legalize that? I think not.

For clarification, are you saying the testing should be mandatory?

[CatherineM]

I think it should be mandatory for pregnant women because her right to privacy doesn't trump her child's right to life. Where have I heard that before?

[havok579257]

[quote name='Alycin' post='1587452' date='Jun 30 2008, 08:52 PM']This is a very weak argument. It has no actual basis. If drugs were legal and available at the corner store I guarantee you MANY more people would be doing them. I know people whose only reason for not doing drugs is because they are illegal.

If birth control were illegal, you can bet your rear-end that there would be far, far less people using it.

The argument that some people are going to break the laws so we shouldn't illegalize birth control or ESPECIALLY abortion, is absolutely heinous. Even as little of a difference as there being no government funding for abortion would mean a substantial drop in abortions.

To take it a step further, some people murder others even though it is illegal, should we legalize that? I think not.

For clarification, are you saying the testing should be mandatory?[/quote]

Please show me where I EVER put we should not make abortion illegal? Please show me?

I simply said that if someone is going to do it, then they will no matter the law. Simply look at the fact before abortion was legalized. Were there abortions happening then? Not a single one? Making abortion illegal does not solve the problem of abortion. It does nothing of the sort. Making people realize abortion is wrong, now that accomplishes something. Cause if people consider abortion wrong, then even if it is legal, people won't do it. Making abortion illegal will not stop abortions flat out. If your think so your so wrong.

Ok, how may people have used drugs in thier lifetime. Let's just look at the USA population of 300 million. HOw many people have used drugs in thier life? Would saying over half of the population be an understatement? This is exactly my point. Making something legal or illegal matters not in the public eye. Making people realize whatever action they are doing is wrong and they shouldn't do it is more effective. Also the government has been backwards for centuries. Let's see, sperate but equal, certain colors are only 3/4 of a person, the death penalty is an option, etc,etc,etc. If your looking to government for the right and wrong answers then your looking in the wrong place. If you just force your will on people, it will accomplish nothing. If you show them the error of their ways, then that is where you can make change happen. A law be it legal or illegal matters not. Making someone understand what is right and wrong matters.

Actually we do legalize killing. We do it in many states. Its called the death penalty. Oh but wait, the state does that, so that must make it right even though the bible says THOU SHALL NOT KILL. This is exaclty what I mean. We know killing is wrong, the bible, God and Jesus all say so, yet killing is legal. So what should we do. Should we force everyone to make it a law so killing is illegal, thus not changing any minds at all and eventually getting that law overturned. Or should we make people realize killing is wrong and then even if killing were legalized, it wouldn't matter.

Never said HIV testing should be mandatory, but that we should do it. There should be a national HIV testing day and it should be free to everyone, no charge. So while we are teaching the world to wait until marriage for sex, all those who do it by accident, be it because they don't believe they should wait or be it for what ever reason, then at least we can work to eradicate this horrible disease that is ravaging the world.

Same idea with condoms. Yes, we as christian's think condoms are wrong, but by refusing to let them be sold, what does that accomplish? How about we change minds instead of petty little laws. Forcing your will be it good or bad, will never work. It has never worked throughout history. its not what God wants. If God wanted his will forced on people, then he would do that. If God wanted everyone to follow him and his son, then God would do that. No, God gives every person free will so they can make the right or wrong choices in thier life. God leaves it up to us to shows the people the error of their ways. Not by force, but by reasoning.