I wish I could hop.
Because I'm hopping mad. I don't listen to talk radio because my heart can't take it. I get all worked up and start yelling at the radio. I live in a world wherein I'm surrounded by sane people who know what a scapegoat is and who try to avoid having one tied up in their mental meadows. I live in a world were people, for the most part, try to help not hurt, heal not wound. I live in that world and choose to believe that IS the world.
But because I was interested to see reactions, after reading the story on-line yesterday about the 93 year old man who is mostly deaf and somewhat blind, who is dealing with some serious form of mental decline. This old guy was found guilty of sexually assaulting his two daughters 50 years ago. The judge determined, due to the man's health and failing mental functions, that he would not have to serve jail time. Controversy ensues.
But this blog isn't about justice at all. I'm not even going to offer an opinion here. After reading the article I went to look at the comments about the guilty verdict and the lack of jail time.
Whoa!
Let me say again ... Whoa!!
All these people were full of fury over the lack of jail time, ok I get that, but many went on to say that 'at least God had punished him with his physical and mental disabilities'. There was a clear sense of a vengeful God smiting this guy with the disability stick and leaving him tortured with disability in payment for what he did to his daughters.
WTF!!
Not one sane voice came forward to point out that ...
A) disability isn't caused by sin
B) people with disabilities aren't sinners aptly punished
C) having a disability isn't a form of torture
The guy, apparently, is dealing with disability because he's 93 years old! This isn't about a vengeful God (what are they thinking that God got delayed on the bus and got to this guy's house 50 FREAKING YEARS LATE!!!)
So get it ... if sin caused disability ... we'd all, every single human being, would be reading this in Braille.
9 comments:
Aaah you make me laugh Dave!!! (God got delayed on the bus lol).
But seriously I agree with you. When I was about 10 years old I asked the Catholic nun at the religious holiday school (took up a whole week of my August holidays which I did not appreciate) why I had a disability and the other kids didn't. SHE SAID "It's to pay for the sin of Adam and Eve" WTF I would have said at the time if I had known the phrase. It made no sense to me at all and in fact probably put me off God in a serious way and certainly off the Catholic church.
Now when I contemplate the existence of god or not I certainly get amazed at all the small minded mean minded bullshit actions and ideas that are endowed onto god by humans. Like praying for a nice day for your wedding or party or something. How arrogant and plain dumb is that idea? I mean if god is "letting" thousands die of starvation or earthquake then do you really think he is going to worry if it rains or you fail your exam. CRIKEY!!!!!
And I AIN''T paying for anyone else's sin thank you very much!!
cheers
Glee
I'd like to read the news story, but Google was a bust. Does someone have a link? Thanks!
http://ca.news.yahoo.com/s/capress/090124/national/crime_geriatric_sentence
here is one link
I've been contemplating a lot about religion and the perception of disability lately. People's atttitudes are maddening, and when you call them out on it, they just say, well, we didn't mean you! Logically, one can't have it both ways.
One of the few times I've yelled at a stranger was over the sin/disability issue. A gentleman we were supporting decided to go outside for a smoke. This man has mild CP, and it should be noted, his father was a minister in the Baptist church. The guy who was outside washing the windows at the restaurant approached him and was telling him that he if he prayed long and hard enough, god would release him from his disability. As I approached this guy was trying to lay hands on Dave to cure his CP - Dave was trying to get in the van away from him. I asked WTF he was doing and was told that David would be healed...Oh please, I told him my God did not mistakes and David did not need to be healed from his disability. Ok, that was a polite version of what I told him. The really sad part, on some level I think David thought that sin did cause his disability.
Maybe we are all reading in a sort of braile. How could we tell, if we were all doing it?
AMEN AMEN AMEN!! I BANG ON MY METAPHORICAL TABLE WITH MY METAPHORICAL WOODEN SPOON! I STAND ON MY GREEN BAIZE BLOTTER AND SHOUT 'HEAR, HEAR'!!
And I'm with Shan. I couldn't have said it any better. :)
"More than that, we rejoice in our sufferings, knowing that suffering produces endurance, 4 and endurance produces character, and character produces hope, 5 and hope does not put us to shame, because God's love has been poured into our hearts through the Holy Spirit who has been given to us" ESV study bible
disability is not an accidental plight of humans, nor is it because of sin, the idea that God punishes people with disability is a thought thought up by someone who knew little of God and must have been suffering with a case of chronic stupidity.
after my relationship with Him, I thank God for my disability which has and continues to teach me so much.
And I can't forget, it's not all about me, my disability teaches others too.
God is good! Man is faulted and misled.
Soli Deo Gloria!
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