ABSTRACT
HIV/AIDS-related governmental and nongovernmental organizations (NGOs) have long used the shorthand of ABC to describe the foundation of comprehensive prevention programs. “A” stands for abstaining if one is single, “B” for being faithful to one HIV-negative partner if one is either married or unable to abstain, and “C” represents condom use for individuals who either choose to have multiple sexual partners or have a partner who is HIV-positive. Many faithbased organizations (FBOs) and denominations, most notably the Catholic church worldwide, have concluded that to promote both the “A” and the “C” components of the well-known AIDS alphabetical is to off er contradictory messages. Th ey argue that if they are preaching the ideal of abstinence until marriage, encouraging condom use will dilute their focus, and even promote the behavioral patterns they are trying to discourage.
