In the early days of the AIDS epidemic people repeatedly referred to AIDS as a gay plague, because in the west it was mostly affecting gay men. Right wing preachers like Jerry Falwell said that AIDS was God's punishment on gay people. Going to high school at that time I heard horrendous "jokes" from teenagers. Like this one:
"What do you call a fag on roller skates? RolAIDS."
The AIDS scare put people in a panic and as it began to spread in western straight populations people blamed gay men. Anti-gay hysteria was at an all time high. In the midst of this panic the Supreme Court ruled to uphold Georgia's anti-sodomy statute in Bowers v Hardwick, which was overturned in Lawrence v Texas in 2003.
So, what will the homophobes call this discovery?
If God was punishing gays with AIDs (untrue, AIDS started in heterosexual populations in Africa), what does it mean that the cure may have been discovered naturally occurring in the body of a gay man? In fact, this cure is soooooo effective it kills 91% of HIV strains.
In the latest development, U.S. government scientists say they have discovered three powerful antibodies, the strongest of which neutralizes 91% of HIV strains, more than any AIDS antibody yet discovered. They are now deploying the technique used to find those antibodies to identify antibodies to influenza viruses.
Mark Schoofs discusses a significant step toward an AIDS vaccine, U.S. government scientists have discovered three powerful antibodies, the strongest of which neutralizes 91% of HIV strains, more than any AIDS antibody yet discovered.
The HIV antibodies were discovered in the cells of a 60-year-old African-American gay man, known in the scientific literature as Donor 45, whose body made the antibodies naturally. The trick for scientists now is to develop a vaccine or other methods to make anyone's body produce them as well.
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So, the potential cure, in all likelihood was discovered as a result of homosexual behavior. The man couldn't be producing anti-bodies to HIV unless he had it. He's a gay man, and in all likelihood, he got it because he engaged in gay sex.
So, theologically speaking, if AIDS was God's punishment against gays, what does the fact that the cure naturally occurs in a gay man's body means? Did God just forgive all homosexuals? Or was AIDS never God's punishment in the first place, and God is sending a message that he loves his gay children?
Now, if you don't believe in God, this is all coincident and a natural result of evolution. But for those who believe in God and thought AIDS was God's judgment against gays, you must confront this reality: that this gay man has, what can only be from God, the cure for 91% of HIV cases.
Edit: I wanted to point out how interesting I find it that these anti-bodies are naturally occurring in a man who represents the two populations most devastated by this disease: People of African descent and gay men.