Illnesses have always been stigmatized. Even the person who ventures into the office with a head cold is ostracized by the others. We jokingly cross our arms to ward off any germs that may be airborne, and then we quickly find a pump sanitizer so that we can lather our hands back to cleanliness. Most of us can deal with a cold and the ostracism that comes with it.
There are more serious diseases, such as HIV/AIDS, that come with cultural stigma attached to them. I think I was in the fourth grade when I was introduced to the Old Testament. “I will bring upon you sudden terror, wasting diseases, and a fever that will destroy your sight and sap your strength,” Leviticus 26:14-30 says, illustrating the power of the Almighty. The message is not at all subtle. I lived in a world where God could make me sick if I disobeyed Him or failed in some way to measure up. If you look at other ancient scriptures, the message is roughly the same.
Gary Nelson
Vancouver Sun
Read More