HIV/AIDS Warning: You are not logged in. Your IP address will be publicly visible if you make any edits. If you log in or create an account, your edits will be attributed to your username, along with other benefits.Anti-spam check. Do not fill this in! === Religion and AIDS === {{Main|Religion and HIV/AIDS}} The topic of religion and AIDS has become highly controversial, primarily because some religious authorities have publicly declared their opposition to the use of condoms.<ref>{{cite web |url=http://www.news-medical.net/health/AIDS-Stigma.aspx |title=AIDS Stigma |website=News-medical.net |access-date=November 1, 2011 |url-status=live |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20111112214833/http://www.news-medical.net/health/AIDS-Stigma.aspx |archive-date=November 12, 2011 |date=December 7, 2009}}</ref><ref name="Thirty years after AIDS discovery, appreciation growing for Catholic approach">{{cite web |url=http://www.catholicnewsagency.com/news/thirty-years-after-aids-discovery-appreciation-growing-for-catholic-approach/ |title=Thirty years after AIDS discovery, appreciation growing for Catholic approach |website=Catholicnewsagency.com |date=June 5, 2011 |access-date=November 1, 2011 |url-status=live |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20111016214921/http://www.catholicnewsagency.com/news/thirty-years-after-aids-discovery-appreciation-growing-for-catholic-approach/ |archive-date=October 16, 2011 }}</ref> The religious approach to prevent the spread of AIDS, according to a report by American health expert Matthew Hanley titled ''The Catholic Church and the Global AIDS Crisis'', argues that cultural changes are needed, including a re-emphasis on fidelity within marriage and sexual abstinence outside of it.<ref name="Thirty years after AIDS discovery, appreciation growing for Catholic approach"/> Some religious organizations have claimed that prayer can cure HIV/AIDS. In 2011, the BBC reported that some churches in London were claiming that prayer would cure AIDS, and the [[London Borough of Hackney|Hackney]]-based Centre for the Study of Sexual Health and HIV reported that several people stopped taking their medication, sometimes on the direct advice of their pastor, leading to many deaths.<ref name=BBC18102011>{{cite news |url=https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-england-london-14406818 |title=Church HIV prayer cure claims 'cause three deaths' |date=October 18, 2011|access-date=October 18, 2011 |work=BBC News |url-status=live |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20111018164909/http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-england-london-14406818 |archive-date=October 18, 2011 }}</ref> The [[Synagogue Church Of All Nations]] advertised an "anointing water" to promote God's healing, although the group denies advising people to stop taking medication.<ref name=BBC18102011/> Summary: Please note that all contributions to Christianpedia may be edited, altered, or removed by other contributors. If you do not want your writing to be edited mercilessly, then do not submit it here. You are also promising us that you wrote this yourself, or copied it from a public domain or similar free resource (see Christianpedia:Copyrights for details). Do not submit copyrighted work without permission! Cancel Editing help (opens in new window) Discuss this page