MORE AIDS PRECAUTIONS!   9/87     DB 7, page 504
--By WS Staff

         (In light of the new "Beware of AIDS" policies & precautions, we felt it would be helpful to review what Dad said almost five years ago in "Ban the Bomb!" (ML 1434). So here are some pertinent excerpts from this Letter:)
         "The old fear of being able to catch VD from the toilet seat is not so impossible if the toilet seat is still warm & moist!--VD is extremely contagious! I don't think restraint is too much to ask. I just don't think the alternative risk is worth it!
         "Anybody who refuses to have sex with a member of another Home should not be condemned or criticised for it. It's their perfect right to keep themselves free of the danger of communicable diseases! The dangers of communicable diseases today are getting worse all the time, & are certainly not worth the risk for a few moments of sexual pleasure!
         "I therefore charge you to ban all inter-Home sexual contact! Rampant sexual promiscuity & spreading of sexual diseases to epidemic proportions could destroy us! I'm sure the Devil would love to do that!: If he can't destroy us spiritually, he'd like to destroy us physically, & that would certainly hamper our spiritual ministry! So keep your sex at home! Don't insist on giving your diseases to other people who don't want them!--And you who don't want other people's diseases insist on flatly refusing to have such contact with anybody outside your own Home! (--Or even with anyone in your Home if you are not sure of their health & well-being.) That's your right, & you have a right to your own personal freedom & freedom from disease.
         "I don't think we can leave it up to the Lord as to whether we catch VD or not! A lot of that depends on us & our sanitary measures & keeping ourselves clean & free of contacts which can possibly incur contamination! It's always been a risk with our FFing, but that's part of the sacrifice involved. (But now with the no-sex-with-outsiders-without-condoms rule, the risks are greatly reduced, TTL!) But these FFers should be particularly careful that they don't bring anything Home & pass it around to the Family!
         "It would be wise to ban all sex between Homes, to try to limit the spread of these communicable sexual diseases which are reaching epidemic proportions in the World! Let's keep our sex at home & keep ourselves free from the sexual pollution of indiscriminate sex between Homes, just in case anybody should have something, whether they know it or not! Don't take a chance on it, folks, just refuse! Stop it!--Period! No more sex with non-Home members, except for FFers, & please you be careful, & be careful with your FFers as well! (Use condoms!)
         "Anyone violating this rule is risking not only reprimand & exposure but also total excommunication from the Family if they flatly refuse to obey this rule & insist on imposing themselves on others along with their diseases!
         "Ban the bomb, the sex bomb!--VD!--At area fellowships or anywhere with anyone outside of your own Home, except for FFers! --And they had better be mighty careful & prayerful! (And obey the new condom rule!) Please don't bring it Home with you & infect the whole Family! Stick to your usual sexual partners. God help you to have real love & concern for others, & try to protect each other from these dangers, in Jesus' name, amen!--Amen?"
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         The above counsel from Dad is a timely reminder to all of us of the importance of sticking with our regular sex partners & not risking life, liberty, limb & future service for the Lord by indiscriminately indulging in extra-curricular sex!
         To help ensure that we are free--& stay free--from AIDS, we wanted to share the following additional counsel: If your NO, NAS or their authorised representatives recommend that you take an AIDS test, for God's sake & the Family's sake, please cooperate, & be absolutely open & honest with them regarding the results! (Get a written result!)
         Family members coming to the field from "high risk" areas such as the U.S. & Europe should take an AIDS test in their home country before leaving for the field, bringing the written certification from their test with them to prove that they are clear. If such individuals have had any questionable contact with others within the last six months, after the first test, they should abstain from sex until six months more have passed since their last questionable encounter, & get a second AIDS test & clearance certificate before arriving at their new field. If they've had intimate sexual contact with a "high risk" individual, such as an intravenous drug addict, Sodomite or anyone who is a suspected AIDS carrier, they should abstain from sex for one year after their high-risk contact!--And make sure they're cleared by an AIDS test!
         If new personnel arrive in a field without their AIDS test certificate, the local leadership of that field has every right to insist that the new arrivals take an AIDS test immediately.--Before integrating them into intimate fellowship & sharing with those already in that field! New arrivals should not hesitate to cooperate in this regard.--And to abstain from sexual contact with any new partners until they are cleared. (For 6 months, or 12 months if they've been with an AIDS carrier!)
         It would be much better & cause a lot less trouble on the field if our travelling missionaries get their AIDS test in their home country before arriving on the foreign field. In the U.S. & Europe particularly, AIDS testing is very common & readily available.--And because you would be taking the test in your own country, they consider you one of theirs, & are not likely to interrogate or deport you, as could happen in a foreign field where they're already very wary of non-nationals!
         Many countries today are very sensitive regarding foreigners in the first place, particularly if they suspect that such foreigners could be carrying AIDS!--Therefore it is very important that we avoid unwisely alarming the authorities or ruin the Family's reputation in such countries by causing them to suspect that any of our people are carriers of this affliction! Because the System's rules, regulations, restrictions, medical procedures etc. differ greatly from country to country, it is expedient that you follow your NO's advice & counsel regarding any such AIDS testing or related procedures. By the time you receive this, your NOs should be able to provide you with any information, instructions, advice or precautions you may need on how to go about getting AIDS tests in your country.
         If anyone's test turns out positive, meaning they are actual carriers of the AIDS virus, they should inform their leadership of their situation immediately! For the protection of the rest of the Family, isolation of such cases is imperative!
         For any victims of the virus, or for any new converts who desire to join, but turn out to have AIDS, perhaps we could organise & establish special AIDS Isolation Colonies (AICs!) wherein such folks could serve the Lord to the best of their ability. --Of course, we hope such a need does not arise, but if any of our members did turn out to have this affliction, hopefully we will be able to make some kind of provision along these lines for them. Please keep your NO abreast & well-informed of any problems or questions you may have along these lines!--And pray & trust the Lord! PTL! GBAKY! And remember:
         Avoid sex with outsiders, or use condoms! No sex with new members without an AIDS test & 6 months wait & a second test! Better yet, stick to your usual mates!--Happy sex!--D.

Copyright 1996 The Family