Hi. I'm Elise. And I am one less.
This is the statement made by women on the advertisement for the Gardasil vaccine. The vaccine protects women from some of the deadliest forms of the HPV virus which causes cervical cancer. In the commercial, the women are rejoicing.
Why do I feel like I'm in an AA meeting?
I am frustrated with the seemingly accepted interpretation that the Gardasil vaccine is for women who lead promiscuous lives, choosing to sleep around instead of remaining abstinent until marriage. I have heard this more than once, especially among my friends and family who are Christians.
This blog is not to shine a bad light on Christianity. It is not to identify Christians as harsh, judgmental individuals. I am sure that there are Christians who do not see Garadsil as an admission of fornication, and non-Christians who do. In any case, I do believe there is a misconception here, and I'd like to try and change that.
I do not know everything about cervical cancer, but I do know that it is deadly and can kill...
...let me repeat: KILL.
It is my understanding that people fight to survive cancer. That we celebrate those who have survived. And that we walk miles and donate millions of dollars in the hopes of someday finding a cure.
So why is it that when a woman receives the Gardasil vaccine, she risks also receiving a scarlet letter?
Yes, cervical cancer is spread thru sexual contact. This affects women who commit fornication and adultery. This also affects women who are the victims of boyfriends or fiances who previously led promiscuous lives. It affects wives married to husbands who secretly have affairs. It affects the rape victim who was drugged at a party. And it affects the 11 year old girl, perhaps not even thinking about sex, who contracts the virus after being molested.
Would you advise any woman in these circumstances to avoid protection from a virus that she could contract even if it wasn't her fault?
Or what about the Christian women who are in constant battle with their desire for sex? Would you condemn a woman for seeking this vaccine knowing that she may lose a battle? Let me assure you, as a Christian woman who is in this war day in and day out, my decision to receive the Gardasil vaccine was not so I could stop fighting and jump into bed.
Would this even be an issue if the virus being prevented was HIV? Why do I have a suspicion that if an AIDS vaccination came out, everyone would be rushing to their doctors?
I admit that I have been angry writing this blog. But the Holy Spirit has just now changed my heart from anger to sadness. The women who receive this vaccination (including myself) should not be immediately judged as promiscuous or seeking promiscuity for having this vaccination. Our desire is to be one less.
One less woman to die prematurely.
One less woman to leave her daughter without a mother.
One less woman to die from her husband's mistakes.
One less woman to die from her mistakes....
...Please do not label us one less Christian.
