Leprosy was mostly an issue...
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Leprosy was mostly an issue of being ritually unclean. While the person had the disease, others could also become ritually unclean by having contact with him. Ritual uncleanness required one to appear as a mourner and go into isolation. Once the disease was passed, the leper could be ritually cleansed and take his place in the community again. Consciously, we do not have the same sense about ritual uncleanness that was present in the Israelite community at that time. But possibly we still harbor a fear that some form of ritual uncleanness can affect us if we are not careful. Over the years individuals have suffered isolation by the Christian community for different reasons. Years ago, even in non-Catholic communities, those who were divorced were considered "beyond the pale." Today, while some churches call themselves open and accepting and seek to welcome lesbians and gays into their fellowship, there is still much fear and lack of understanding among others, and perhaps there is something of a feeling and/or belief that to do so would be to invite some form of ritual uncleanness into their midst. The presence of AIDS has created highly charged emotional situations, both for those carrying the virus and for those who seek to avoid it. Some desire that victims of AIDS/HIV be identified to others in the community, so that contact with them may be avoided, much as people sought to avoid lepers in ancient times. Both the fear of contagion and the subconscious fear of ritual uncleanness has led to severe isolation for many just at a time when they are in desperate need of contact with others. -- Johnson-Hoy
