title: Is HIV/AIDS a consequence or divine judgment? Implications for faith-based social services. A Nigerian faith-based university's study.
abstract: A contemporary reading of Romans 1:27 was disguised as a saying by Paul Benjamin, AD 58 and administered to 275 randomly selected members of a private Christian university community in south western Nigeria in West Africa. Participants were asked to respond to a two-item questionnaire on their perception of the cause of HIV/AIDS either as a judgment from God or consequence of individual lifestyle choices. The apparent consensus drifted in the direction of God as the culprit handing down his judgment to perpetrators of evil who engage in the homosexual lifestyle. The goal of this paper was to examine the implications of a judgmental stance on addressing the psychosocial needs of Persons Living with HIV/AIDS in religious environments. It also explores how service providers in faith-based environments can work around the Judgment versus Consequence tussle in providing non-discriminatory services to persons diagnosed with HIV/AIDS.
authors.affiliation: a PhD, are affiliated to Religious Studies, Department and School of Public and Allied Health, Social Work Program , Babcock University , Ilishan-Remo , Ogun State , Nigeria.
authors.forename: Israel B
authors.initials: IB
authors.lastname: Olaore
authors.forename: Augusta Y
authors.initials: AY
authors.lastname: Olaore
mesh_terms: D000293:Adolescent; D000328:Adult; D005260:Female; D015658:HIV Infections / Q000523:psychology*; D018451:Homosexuality, Male / Q000523:psychology; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D009549:Nigeria; D012071:Religion and Sex; D012737:Sex Factors; D012947:Social Work / Q000379:methods; D011795:Surveys and Questionnaires; D055815:Young Adult
keywords: Christian; Chrétienne; HIV/AIDS; VIH/SIDA; consequence; conséquence; judgment; jugement; university; université