God, AIDS, Africa & HOPE

Reflections / Gedanken

03/14/2010 • 9:56 pm 1

14.3.2010 Thailand or never peace?

Once again politics in Thailand brings the country on the brink to chaos, this time the so-called “red shirts” on the streets of Bangkok trying to bring down the government. Sometimes I wonder about a lot of things: About how people perceive their political view as the only valid once. About how people think their doing is so important for the development of this world. About how people perceive the  state of affairs as static. People murder for their political views, people die for their country, politicians negotiate in a way one could think the nation has exist since the beginning of the world.

I advise to go somewhere in the desert or in the bush where there is no artificial light and have a look at night at the stars, at the milky way and all its unlimited extensions… And then feel how small and tiny we are… A bit more being humble would help in most situations.

I also think that by the way when I observe religious leaders and gurus – how they insist to know the truth and only the truth. People of the cloth have killed for their conviction in the past, wars have been ignited by religious views, so-called witches burned, Jews hunted, crusaders send en mass to Jerusalem.

I advise to go somewhere in the desert or in the bush where there is no artificial light and have a look at night at the stars… and you suddenly realise how little you know about this world and its existence and where we are coming from and going to. We believe, but there are so many things we still have to learn about the meaning of life – even the holiest man is still far away from knowing it all. If he is wise, he knows that he doesn’t know – and he is humble. We need a lot of wise men in our days..

All this reflection does not prevent from preparing for the week. After 2 weeks with limited internet I spent this Sunday in answering emails and preparing for the coming week. A Bavarian delegation is arriving and visiting HOPE Cape Town, the Austrian TV wants to have an interview, there are several meetings with representatives of the health sector of the province and much more. Hope there is time to live in between.

Filed under: General, HOPE Cape Town Association & Trust, Reflection, Uncategorized, , , , , , , , , , , , , , ,

12/19/2009 • 7:29 am Comments Off on 19.12.2009 Civil rights lost and the meaning of a state community

19.12.2009 Civil rights lost and the meaning of a state community

Discussion yesterday evening while meeting up with friends. The failure of Copenhagen is imminent, and I do argue that the biggest problem is, that the rich industrial states are not genuine in their desire to cut CO2 and provide other measures in a way which would make the world community really an equal bunch of states. There is always the impression, even for somebody watching from outside, that the aim of the game is to keep all economical advantages and injustice the world is experiencing since decades.

And there is more: Politicians in most countries have given away their power to establish rules and regulations to economic powers, which are meanwhile the major global players. Free capitalism seemed to be the key for prosperity and success (for those who anyhow have already more than enough) – and suddenly the recession has shown, that it is not working out this way. The institution of a country are meant to create and enforce a framework which also keeps a certain ethics up and protects those, who are falling through the roaster of society. It seems that it will be a long way until politicians take on their original duties.

On the other hand, Europe is losing out when it comes to civil rights – we are developing more and more into a surveillance society where the right of an individual is completely ignored. It is time that all people of good will are standing up to defend the hard-won civil liberties – also in Germany. The institutions of a state are to serve the well-being of a group of people pursuing the same goals. One has the impression, that meanwhile those institutions are there to be served by the people – and that politicians are above the rest of society. Democracy in its original form is surely on the losing side contemplating the state of affair in European politics. It is time that civil society, but also churches are taking note of the eroding of civil rights and of a capitalism, which does not care about people or moral values.  That this has also consequences for a topic like HIV and AIDS goes without say.

Filed under: General, Politics and Society, Reflection, Society and living environment, Uncategorized, , , , , , ,

12/17/2009 • 10:56 pm Comments Off on 17.12.2009 Manto and her legacy…

17.12.2009 Manto and her legacy…

Manto Tshabalala-Msimang has died and it is amazing to see the reaction from around the world. From wishing her to “burn in hell” till the praise of “nation building” there is not one gray shadow, which one can not encounter seeing what it is said and written about her. You don’t say something bad about a dead person, I was taught in my childhood, but this wisdom does not to count anymore. So what can one say as an AIDS activist and a priest?

So difficult to say: I do remember sitting next to her at a Durban AIDS conference and discussing her controversal stands on antiretrovirals. I also do remember the embarrassment of the South African stall in Toronto during the World AIDS Conference where she singing and dancing visited the exhibit of natural remedies, forgetting about the medication. And I do remember the collective outcry thereafter. I do remember her seemingly to enjoy being controversial at conferences. And I do remember her at a visit at Red Cross Children’s hospital, which she clearly loved very much.

I remember all my sentiments while listening to her beetroot and vitamin talks – and I am aware, that thousands have died because of her resistance to HAART treatment.
She was wrong, deadly wrong for thousands of people, but still – I refuse to condemn her completely. I have no idea what was really in her mind. I never understood why she resisted the obvious and why she kept up her views proven wrong so many times.

I am sure also in her life there was some light, some good, some moments of giving and loving and appreciation. I refuse to believe that she caused the death of people on purpose. My anger about the past dealing with HIV in South Africa remains, but I believe that it needed much more than just one person to mess it up so completely. It also needed all those in her department who followed and implemented this nonsense. It also needed the cowardice of a whole bunch of people assisting her.

So instead of damning now one person, lets rather look to create structures where obviously wrong politics will have no chance to blossom; Manto is for me in this sense a lesson to learn also for the future of South Africa. Let her rest in peace.

Filed under: HIV and AIDS, HIV Treatment, Politics and Society, Reflection, , , ,

10/26/2009 • 9:18 am Comments Off on 26.10.09 new week, new ventures

26.10.09 new week, new ventures

While this post is coming alive, I am on my way to Frankfurt to meet with representatives of the AIDS action alliance to discuss possible involvement at the 2nd ecumenical church day in Munich in May 2010 and the World AIDS Conference in Vienna. Mid November we have our annual planing meeting with HOPE Cape Town and then most travel arrangements must be decided on. Monday Frankfurt, Tuesday/Wednesday Bitburg and Wednesday eve Aachen are the next stations of my travel – Bitburg with a talk @ the Lion’s Club and various encounters and talks with the students and teachers of the St. Willibrord Gymnasium regarding the work of HOPE Cape Town and obviously touches the general situation in South Africa.  In Aachen I will talk about “HIV and AIDS as sign of the times” and discuss a possible theology of HIV and AIDS for our days.  All encounters create the opportunity to function as a bridge between South Africa and Europe. This becomes more and more important. In my talks in Berlin I once again realised how necessary it is that information is floating freely and honestly between South Africa and Germany to foster the development of relationships between the two countries which are helpful to the people and not only to the ruling class. Sometimes the European or German partners are very quick with solutions to our problems between Cape Town and Johannesburg – forgetting the different way, people in the South experience their realities. South Africa has a lot still to learn and to develop, be it that politicians are team player and not lone warriors trying to gain as much as possible as long as they are in office. But also the cooperation between NGO’s and government needs improvement and also here, the working mechanism developed in Germany between those parties, could have an assisting factor for us at the bottom of Africa.

Filed under: HIV and AIDS, HOPE Cape Town Association & Trust, Networking, Politics and Society, Society and living environment, , , , , , , , , , , ,

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