Why There Will Never Be a Colored Ribbon for Lung Cancer

A while back, in the advent of all the multi-colored plastic bracelets coming out for various cancers and diseases, someone remarked to me that we would never have a bracelet for lung cancer.

Since then, I've been thinking a lot about this, and realizing how true it is. When someone has smoked their whole life, and they get lung cancer, there is a real attitude of "Well, you deserved it." Here the person has cancer, which sucks, and what they get the most from the people around them is judgment and condemnation.

In another case, if a thin person gets diabetes, people are mostly sympathetic and feel for the person. But if a fat person gets diabetes, what they get is also the attitude of, "Well, you deserved it." The fat person is no less in need of support and care in the advent of getting the news of a disease, but what they get is criticism and judgment.

Now, I'm not saying that people shouldn't try to live healthy lives. And I'm not saying there are not consequences for behaviors. But why, when someone is already facing health concerns and in need of support, should they have to get reamed? It's not as if they don't already know that smoking can cause lung cancer or fatness can cause diabetes. Trust me, they don't need to be reminded that they "brought it on themselves." 99.9% of the time they are already feeling ashamed and condemning themselves.

Oh, but wait, isn't that what Jesus says to us about our sin? Isn't that how he responds to sinners (e.g., woman caught in adultery in John 8) who are suffering the consequences of sin--with the words, "Well, you deserved it"?

[Tomorrow: My theory on why people feel the need to blame the person who gets an illness. Stay tuned.]