Couples must first take an HIV test before they will be allowed to marry, the Anglican Church in Nigeria says.
The church says the move is to help parishioners make "informed choices" when choosing marriage partners.
The BBC News website learnt that many Christian churches in Nigeria impose similar tests on their members as a condition for marriage.
The policy is being implemented in all Anglican dioceses across Nigeria, the church's spokesman said.
'Unacceptable'
"The aim is to help intending couples to make informed decisions because we don't want anyone to be kept in the dark about their partner," spokesman for the church Rev Akintunde Popoola told the BBC News website.
If they find out their status and still want to go ahead, we cannot object. Instead, we offer them care and support Rev Akintunde Popoola
He said the church will not stop people from getting married if they test positive to HIV, the virus that causes Aids.
"The whole point is for couples to know their HIV status before getting married," he said.
"If they find out their status and still want to go ahead, we cannot object. Instead, we offer them care and support."
But the authorities are already challenging the new policy by the church, saying it is unacceptable.
"We cannot accept what the church is proposing. Every Nigerian must be allowed to decide on their own whether they want to be tested or not," Prof Tunde Oshotimehin, who heads Nigeria's state HIV control agency, told the BBC.
"HIV testing and counselling must be voluntary. What the church is trying to do will encourage denial."
Graduate tests
The Catholic Church in Nigeria says it is not imposing such a policy on its members because it wants HIV testing to be voluntary and personal.
"We know that some people do it, but we are not making it church policy," spokesman of the Catholic Archdiocese of Abuja Rev Fr Ralph Madu told the BBC News website.
Recently, a church-owned college - Covenant University, Nigeria - announced that its graduates should take HIV and pregnancy tests as conditions for graduation.
But the university suspended the policy after widespread condemnation and criticisms from government agencies and rights groups.
Nigeria is a deeply religious country with her 140 million people almost evenly divided between Christians and Muslims.
According to Nigeria's National Agency for the Control of AIDS (Naca), some 4.4% of Nigerians live with HIV.
Posted: at 16-09-2007 05:42 PM (16 years ago) | Gistmaniac
myragonza at 19-09-2007 09:22 AM (16 years ago) (f)
sandybabe_onuh at 21-09-2007 08:06 AM (16 years ago) (f)
Hi,
In response to this posting of HIV testing, When my former husband went to apply for a marriage license for us (he lives in Abuja and I live in the USA) he and I both had to have an HIV test before the license would be issued for us. We also had to submit to a blood typing test.
All these requirements are good in my opinion.
Blessings, sandybabe_onuh
Posted: at 21-09-2007 08:06 AM (16 years ago) | Newbie
democrazy at 23-09-2007 10:25 PM (16 years ago) (m)
well for me, I've never read it in any medical journal that HIV is the cause of AIDS.
To me this sounds like another birth control mechanism set up by the power that rules to really reduce african population.
Stop going for the test. If you dont sleep around you wont be exposed to this evil.
HIV is a retrovirus that may cause a condition of reduced white blood cells. if this virus was not created, then it has been living with humans for millions of years. You will find this virus in a lot of people.
We are being killed systematically and we dont even ask questions. Retroviral drugs? what do they do?
Posted: at 23-09-2007 10:25 PM (16 years ago) | Gistmaniac
sholex007 at 24-09-2007 07:30 PM (16 years ago) (m)
When would we Nigerians start finding ourselves and be original, not following the so called brain wash of the west, What is HIV, Who brought it to African and a church requesting for that is rediculous. If couples have to present a test paper before marriage, after that and something wrong happened and one got infected, what would happen, DIVORCE? PLEASE GIVE ME A BREAK. HIV could be contacted in varoius ways apart from segxwal lines.
Posted: at 24-09-2007 07:30 PM (16 years ago) | Newbie
myragonza at 25-09-2007 09:25 AM (16 years ago) (f)
according to what i have learnt.....Aids started from monkeys in africa....seriously.....and from there it spread usually in poor areas like Botswana,Somalia and Uganda...not thru sex but through shared contaminated items like shavers,combs and anything that had contact with blood......so that is Africa for u......the real Aids that was spread thru sex originated in India and moved to USA where it spreads rapidly.....The aids thar spread in India was due to poverty and prostitution and i pity them for it but for the US,its on their own accord....Gays,anal sex,sex with animals and all the unnatural sex resulted in a lot of AIDS victims.....and the people who have got the AIDS spread it to Asia by having sex with prostitues there especially Thailand.....In Brasil,AIDS was spread thru,yes prostitution but the major factor was Drugs.....all i can say is...Nigerians are too smart to contract the virus....we don't have stupid reasons to spread AIDS or HIV in nIgeria.....seriously....
sholex007 at 25-09-2007 05:03 PM (16 years ago) (m)
Baby, lets not get confused about this thing, anything bad is from africa and anything good is from white man......Bullshit, Aids is a man made desease from Oyinbo to attack other races so that they could make money out of it by bringing drugs. Forget about monkey stories etc. Why is there an outburst of Aids in south africa after the end of apatheid, the blood bank was polluted of course....
Posted: at 25-09-2007 05:03 PM (16 years ago) | Newbie
democrazy at 25-09-2007 09:18 PM (16 years ago) (m)
AIDS did not originate from Monkeys in africa. It is a developed strain of biological weapon researched by the Nazis during the second world war.
One common agenda with the western world is that Africa should not have human beings. It should be a games reserve and farmland.
There were so many stories purported by the western media. The african monkeys was one of these stories. Stories that the virus will stay in human beings for 20yrs or more before being traced or becoming harmful.
My tears for Africa is their belief in the church system. check what AIDS really is break it down and convince yourself that what the media told you about it is right.
When you are not shown the real problem, it will be near impossible for you to solve it. Quote me! There will be no cure for AIDS in the next 50yrs.
Posted: at 25-09-2007 09:18 PM (16 years ago) | Gistmaniac
myragonza at 26-09-2007 07:50 AM (16 years ago) (f)
i am not trying to say that anything that anything that is bad is from Africa....but scientific studies shows that it originated from the monkeys in Africa,i mean that was what i was informed....anyway,it is very true that 99% of bad things originated from the white man's land....without a doubt,i agree on that....yes in south africa coz there a lot of whites there and in Johanesburg itself,its known to be a "Gay City".....which contributed to the high Aids victims.........to round it up,what i am trying to say here is that it is definitely not necessary for people in Nigeria to test for HIV or AIDS before marriage coz it has nothing to do with us....Americans think that we brought AIDS and anytime we travel,we need to bring medical certificates to prove that we are HIV/AIDS free.......Yes,nigerians are good in 419,arm robbers and cheating...i mean thats what we are known for around the world but for AIDS,we are definitely smarter than the Oyinbos for that.....
Personally I don't have problem with people going to get HIV test so they can know there status. BUT MY DISAGREEMENT COMES WITH THE FACT, that why should a church or religious organisation based such as a criteria for marriage, "what happen if one of the couple or both test positive for HIV? will the church go ahead and engage and recognize their marriage. I think it will be more proper and reasonable if people are educate and encourage to practise safer sex behaviours, but when we are imposing authoritative rules over how people live their life's or what people should be doing then we are denying them of their right to freedom and also as christian "we are all sinners" but Jesus paid they price for us all WITHOUT LABELLING OR HAND PICKING A PARTICULAR SIN OVER ANOTHER. Anglican churches please take more time on education and teaching than enforcing rules and regulation, it works better. All are my personally opinion not intend to disrespect or offend others.
Posted: at 13-10-2007 08:26 PM (16 years ago) | Newbie
if my wife-to be - insist on us going for blood or hiv test...i will quit her................. after all if we both turn AS that marriage wont continue....and again its just a sign that theres no real love...
please do not distract and keep discussions along line of topic - make proper use of capit
Posted: at 30-10-2007 05:16 PM (16 years ago) | Gistmaniac
hmmm come on dguy,isnt only sensible to go for a test..i mean its a precaution not a declaration of lasck of love. these days u can neva be too carefull oh!
Posted: at 30-10-2007 08:13 PM (16 years ago) | Gistmaniac
I don't think that signifies lack of love..I just think its a safe measure that both of you are in good status..I mean..why wouldn't you wanna know your wifey's or husband status before you marry?..after all..AT SOME POINT IN THE RELATIONSHIP..YA'LL MIGHT WANNA START HAVING UNPROTECTED SEX IN ORDER TO HAVE KIDS RIGHT?..OR IF NOT..THE CONDOM MIGHT BURST.
Posted: at 31-10-2007 03:39 AM (16 years ago) | Addicted Hero
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