Answering the Critics: Debunking the Myths of Autism

Uncategorized 30 Minutes

© 2019 https://karynshaven.wordpress.com All rights reserved. 

(Because people are sue happy these days I will not be posting any quotes in this article. I will give links to quotes, facts and statements regarding the topics mentioned in the article. Warning: Some of the links will lead to articles that some people may find disturbing, especially to those with Autism. The things that people say about Autism can be brutal. The reason I included them in this blog is too shed light on what people think of Autism and exposed the stigma, lies, and misconceptions of Autism. Viewer discretion is advised.)

Speak up for those who cannot speak for themselves; ensure justice for those being crushed- Proverbs 31:8.

To the critics of Autism. You hopelessly misunderstand me. And not just me, but all people with Autism. You are so uneducated about Autism that you start imagining all sorts of things about what Autism is and what it should look like. Autistics are emotionless. Autistics are dumb. Autistics are brats. Autistics deserve to be removed from society. Autistics are inhuman. You have never said it to my face, but this is what you have said to Autistics everywhere through your posts online and through verbal words. There is a persistent stereotype in society that Autistics are ill-bred, insulting people that are ferociously antagonistic. (See Ashlea McKay’s story: https://medium.com/@AshleaMcKay/an-autistic-adult-on-life-as-the-perpetual-villain-eac6fbd9b4f5). There is a persistent stereotype in society that Autistics can’t feel emotion and are incapable of compassion. That we are either dumb or tech smart. Or that we are all just a bunch of children using this condition as an excuse for bad behavior.  

Note: (If you want to see these stereotypical articles yourself and the impact it leaves, scroll to the bottom of this post just above the source information).

You don’t understand me or other Autistics, all you and society see are misbehaving brats. The social stigma of Autism leads many to believe myths- lies about us- some go as far as to present mere statements of opinion of Autism as fact. And despite the Disabilities Act (ADA) that became law in 1990, there are many out there who discriminate against those of us with Autism. According to Office of National Statistics (ONS) people with Autism and Disabilities are the most likely to be subjected to hate crimes.

See:

I have always known that if I am true to myself, I am judged by the world. If I pretend to be someone I’m not, I’m accepted. But no matter how hard I try, I can’t hide who I really am inside. It saddens me to think that when some people see some low functioning Autistic having a meltdown they jump to the conclusion that this is just another brat using Autism as an excuse for poor behavior. If I was the only Autistic in the world who was insulted and lied about, I could remain quiet, for that would be too trivial a matter to disturb you, the public with. But by misunderstanding Autism, the conventional image of autism continues to spread, leading to more discrimination, lies, and fear, and even hatred of Autism. That is why I am writing to you, the public. Not to change your mind or get into some heated argument, but to reach out to you with a heartfelt plea. I can only ask that you will only listen to what I have to say before you or anyone else renders judgement against Autism. You fear, hate, and or judge what you don’t understand. So in this post I am going to debunk the top twelve lies of Autism.

(Note: Skeptic Form and Landover Baptist wrote back in 2013. I am responding to their remarks on this blog because I feel that someone should answer there criticism with truth so that people who find websites like this aren’t further confused about what Autism is and isn’t.)

Myth one: Autistics are emotionless.

This is a lie. I may not be able to express emotion, but that doesn’t mean I have no feelings. Some of my emotions can become very powerful. I’ve laughed, gotten mad, and even grieved. But more than that, I can feel the pain of others. I hear their hearts cries and feel what others feel. When they are happy I am happy for them, when they get mad I feel their anger, and when they grieve I cry for them. I am tormented by the suffering of others, as though it were my own. It’s as though we are connected or share one heart. (Check out this article on a rare condition that allows people to actually feel the pain of others): https://www.rebelcircus.com/blog/rare-condition-allows-literally-feel-someone-elses-pain/

And it’s not just a feeling; there are times it turns into a physical sensation. When people on TV, or in books, and sometimes in real life get hurt, I feel their physical pain in my own body. There was this one anime character in this show I once watched, the character got kicked in the stomach by a bully and I felt immediate physical pain in my stomach as if I had just been kicked. During these instances, I get a brief painful sensation in my body, an intense sharp pain. The only way I can think of to describe it is as is that it almost feels like a stab or shocks of electricity. The lonely. The friendless. The depressed. The homeless. The impoverished. The persecuted. The veterans. The bullied. The orphaned. I have great sorrow and unceasing anguish in my heart for them. There suffering brings me to tears, there are no words to describe the agony I feel for them. And I’m not the only one with a heart. Just check out some of the following articles: 1. People with Autism Can Read Emotions. 2. You think autistic people have no empathy? My little boy is so empathetic it hurts by Louise Milligan. 3. What It Means To Be Highly Empathetic, And Autistic. 4. People with autism don’t lack emotions but often have difficulty identifying them.

Myth two: Autistics are uncaring and selfish.

I don’t often talk about my work because I don’t want the credit and I hate the attention. I have much contemplated whether or not to talk about my work in my blog because I don’t want to come across as bragging. But what I’ve’ come to realize is that people need to hear about the good Autistics do. I have made a total of 200 Christmas and birthday cards for children in foster care and Soldiers through organizations like Braids Missions and Soldiers Angels, and that doesn’t include the cards I made for my local police department. I bake cookies for my neighbors at Christmas. And Autism is the reason I do all of this. Autism has made me a social outcast of society, and has given me my fair share of loneliness. That is what moved me to help those the world forgot. Without autism, I may never have done any of this. So please, don’t just automatically assume that Autistics don’t care for people, because we do. Our stories just don’t get told. You won’t see us on the news, or in the papers. You won’t see our stories in movies or in books. And that’s okay, not everyone is meant to be seen, and not everyone is meant to be heard. Some of us are just meant to be the supporting characters. But my point in all of this is that if I didn’t have a heart, and I truly did not care for others, I would not go out of my way to do this for them.

Myth three: Autism is just an excuse for bad behavior.

Meltdown when people hear this word they often think of temper tantrum. But I want to be clear on something; there is a difference between tantrums and sensory overload in Autistics.

See the definition of a meltdown according to the National Autistic Society. Source: https://www.autism.org.uk/about/behaviour/meltdowns.aspx

I want you to imagine something with me. Imagine the sound of a school bell ringing, a door slamming, or a car honking, sounding like…well… think of the most annoying, loudest noise you can think of: Nails on a chalkboard, loud high pitched dogs barking, The blaring music at a concert… noise sensitivity is like that. It’s loud, it’s painful, it’s distressing, and it’s annoying. Or imagine the lights in a classroom, or at a Walmart store hurting your eyes, it’s kind of like the effect you get when you stare at the sun or into a flashlight. It would be painful and overwhelming wouldn’t it? Have you ever watched the 2013 movie Man of steel? There’s a great scene in this movie that gives a small portrayal of what sensory overload is like. So there’s a flashback scene in the movie of Clark Kent back in school sitting in the classroom. The teacher asks him a question but Clark doesn’t pay attention because he’s so distracted by every frivolous sight and sound: The tapping of pencils, the ticking clock on the wall, fingers drumming on the desk, the writing on the board, the different faces, etc. And if you listen closely you can hear him beginning to hyperventilate, one of the symptoms of a panic attack. Overcome by extreme distress from the sensory overload, he rushes out of the classroom and locks himself in the janitor’s closet, tears running down his face from the confusion and torment of it all. This is just a small example of the many hardships Autistics face when it comes to sensory issues, and this was just a classroom. Imagine going out to public places or crowded areas: Cars honking, stop lights flickering, people talking, phones ringing, babies crying, engines reviving, birds chirping. We hear it all and we hear it all at the same time, and with our heightened senses for someone us it comes in loud and painful. It’s even worse in a city. Add on the construction workers, dogs barking, and other city noises, just thinking about it all can give an Autistic anxiety.

Autistics have incredible superpowers, we have enhanced senses- something the government is even trying to create in their soldiers (See the article government wants to create super soldiers with heightened senses: https://www.express.co.uk/news/world/1005512/US-military-DARPA-super-soldiers-mysterious-experiments).

What people don’t understand is that sights, sounds, and even touches can be very distressing and painful- which is one reason that Autistics lash out. Another reason: Social situations. These things can also trigger a fight or flight response in Autistics. It may all seem like overkill, but unlike you, Autistics only have so much energy to put into a day. Enhanced vision, hearing, smell, taste, and touch, all these things work against us around the clock. For many of us it takes a lot of energy to handle it all, and once that energy is exhausted and our minds have become overloaded, we break down and need time to go somewhere quiet and recharge- otherwise we get so over stimulated, overwhelmed and so stressed out that we lash out. But even so, not all Autistics are aggressive. Check out this article on understanding aggression in Autism: https://www.spectrumnews.org/opinion/guest-blog-understanding-aggression-in-autism/

What sensory overload is like:

See these articles:

What social situations are like for High functioning Autistics:

I hate crowds and I hate eye contact. It’s uncomfortable, it’s stressful, and it makes it a hundred times harder to focus. Not only that, but it gives me anxiety. The truth is that the majority of people don’t have to think about what they’re going to say, Autistics do. For most, conversation just comes naturally. Most people don’t have to worry about their minds going blank, or the awkward silence that comes because they don’t know what to say to you. Autistics do. A conversation seems simple for someone without Autism, but it’s like jumping out of an airplane for someone with Autism. Conversations and contact with people is scary. It’s intense. It’s terrifying. In Fact it’s so terrifying that some of us find ourselves going into fight or flight mode. It’s the same with Sensory overload. See how sensory meltdowns can cause children to go into fight or flight mode: http://asensorylife.com/sensory-meltdowns.html).

See the articles, ‘What is fight or flight response,’ and ‘How the fight or flight response works.’

Source: https://www.verywellmind.com/what-is-the-fight-or-flight-response-2795194

http://www.thebodysoulconnection.com/EducationCenter/fight.html

Don’t automatically assume that because Autistics act out because there spoiled brats. You have no idea how hard life can be for a low functioning autistic, let alone for a high functioning one.

Myth four: Autistic people are a danger to society.

Should autistic people be quarantined/removed from society? (https://www.skepticforum.com/viewtopic.php?t=22275)

Let’s start with the first question: Are Autistics a danger to society? ‘I heard on the news that the Sandy Hook Elementary shooter was Asperger’s and the Umpqua Community College shooter and the Parkland shooter were autistic.’ Ah yes, the news. Have you noticed the news almost never says anything about the good Autistics do? I don’t encourage or support school shootings in any way but just because a few people with Autism or Asperger’s commit mass crimes, doesn’t make all of us criminals.

In 2015 after the Umpqua community college shooting, people were angry and they were looking for someone to blame. When people found out the shooter had autism, the misconception that all Autistics are cold blooded killers started up. This happened again, in 2018 after the Parkland shooter was diagnosed with Autism. Anytime a shooter is diagnosed with a disability or mental illness, some people just automatically assume that all disabled people- especially Autistics- must be like that. Example one: https://www.wnpr.org/post/teen-autism-being-different-was-seen-being-dangerous

Example two: after the UCC shooting, a hate group on a Facebook page called “Families Against Autistic Shooters” came out. You can read their story in one of these two articles 

Also see: https://www.yahoo.com/lifestyle/internet-rallies-to-remove-facebook-page-linking-013122755.html

The page was taken down shortly after the autism community signed petitions and demanded that it should be taken down. I know people were angry, but come on, you don’t see Autistics throwing all normal people into the psychopathic categories, so please, don’t do the same with us. Were people, we have feelings too. And what about all those normal people who commit school shootings? Not everyone who commits mass murder is disabled or mentally ill, in fact as I stated earlier, disabled people are more likely to become victims of hate crimes. See:

And let’s not forget bullying.

Three million students are victims of bullying every year. And most school shooters felt like they were victims themselves because of bullying. See 11 facts about bullying and its role in school. See:

And while parkland shooter Nikolas Cruz and Chris mercer were not bullied as far as I know, think of all the Autistics who are. I condemn any acts of violence, and I’m not saying that all mass shootings happen because of bullying. But I want you to understand that Autistics are only human. We all have our breaking points. Did you know that people on the Autism Spectrum Disorder are bullied more often than neuotypicals? See:

Imagine something with me. Imagine going to a school where everyone hates you because you have autism. Where everyone tells you you’re ugly, or retarded, or that you should go kill yourself, or that you’ll end up becoming the next school shooter. Just look it up and you will see that hate-crimes and discrimination against Autistics are everywhere:

See article titled ‘Neurotypical Peers are Less Willing to Interact with Those with Autism based on Thin Slice Judgments’ and the article on how : https://www.nature.com/articles/srep40700 Also see: https://www.tameri.com/wordpress/autisticme/2018/01/13/autistics-make-others-uncomfortable-instantly/

Massachusetts allows school to continue use electric shocks on children with learning disabilities. Source: https://www.theguardian.com/education/2018/jul/12/judge-rotenberg-educational-center-electric-shocks

Also see articles titled, ‘Google Removing Hateful References To Autism’ (Some people may find this disturbing, especially those with Autism. Viewer discretion advised.) Same, articles, but are three different sources:

Article, ‘6-year-old autistic boy hospitalized after standing up to bullies.’ Source: https://nypost.com/2018/08/27/six-year-old-autistic-boy-hospitalized-after-standing-up-to-bullies/

Article see articles, ‘He’s Autistic; He Deserved It Say Parents Of Bullies.’ And, ‘They want us to die. You wouldn’t believe how many people hate those of us with Autism.’ Sources:

At school. At work. Online. No matter where we turn we are discriminated against. Think about that for a moment, if the whole world misunderstood you, bullied you, or harassed you, hated you, or feared you, because there something about yourself that you couldn’t change or control, don’t you think that you would be angry? And when someone treats you like you’re not human and even goes as far as to tell you that, can you imagine what that does to someone? Tortured to insanity, Autistic children resort to suicide or worse- school shootings. I want you to understand that Autistic people aren’t really accepted – were not even seen or treated as human beings: https://theconversation.com/autistic-people-arent-really-accepted-and-its-impacting-their-mental-health-86817. We just want to be accepted and treated like human beings, but instead we are chased away with pitchforks and torches. We are like second class citizens. We are social outcasts. We don’t act like you, we don’t talk like you, we don’t think like you. These are the crimes for which we are judged and condemned for.

Question two: Should Autistics be locked up? http://www.skepticforum.com/viewtopic.php?t=22275

Ever since the myth of an autism epidemic started, people have been freaking out that Autism is out of control. And when an autistic person commits a crime, that fear and panic only grows. But in 2014 an article came out titled:

Autism Prevalence Unchanged in 20 Years (https://sciencebasedmedicine.org/autism-prevalence-unchanged-in-20-years/).

In 2015, a new study suggested that there was no Autism Epidemic. (https://www.sciencealert.com/new-study-suggests-there-is-no-autism-epidemic).

In 2017 a new report showed that 1 in 36 U.S. children have an autism diagnosis (ttps://tacanowblog.com/2017/12/05/new-report-shows-1-in-36-u-s-children-has-an-autism-diagnosis-now-will-people-care/)

And saying that Autistics should be locked up is like saying that someone with dyslexia, or leukemia, or someone who wears glasses should be locked up. They can’t change who they are. They can’t change the fact that they see things differently, or that they are sick, or that they can’t see without glasses. This is just who they are. And another thing, think of all the people whose lives have been changed because of autism. Just look at some of the articles: 1. Teen with Autism Saves Choking Classmate. 2. Autistic schoolboy saves drowning toddler. 3. Autistic Boy Saves Children When Their School Bus Catches Fire On The Highway. 4. The Utterly Brave Way a 9-Year-Old Student with Autism Saved His Teacher’s Life. All those people would be dead without the intervention of those Autistics. It’s sad to think that people are so quick to judge someone they don’t even know.

Myth five: Autism is caused by bad parenting.

By assuming this you might as well say that when someone has a learning disability, or even cancer, it’s the fault of the parent. You’re blaming them for something that is beyond both the parent and the child’s control. Parenting style can certainly help an autistic child to cope with the world, but it is definitely not the root cause of autistic behavior. My autism is not caused my bad parenting. My Mom for example, one of many of the kindest godliest woman you will ever meet. All she’s ever done is encourage and support me, and she’s always had my best interests at heart. She has always loved me, on the days I was nice and the days I woke up on the wrong side of the bed (we all have those days).

See: https://www.autistica.org.uk/what-is-autism/autism-myths-and-causes

So what causes autism? International scientists may have an answer: https://jbhandleyblog.com/home/2018/4/1/international2018.

Myth six: Everyone’s a little Autistic.

Despite all the studies being done that say everyone carries the Autism gene (See source below:), I personally don’t believe that this makes everyone Autistic. First off, unless you’ve been diagnosed by a professional, there’s no support to those claims. Second, it’s true that people with Asperger’s are said to be chatterboxes and I have heard of people complain that some Autistics are ‘too social.’ And while it’s true that there is a large scale for ASD, for example, some of us are more social than others. For the more social aspect, those on the ASD spectrum may just have advanced communication skills but have delayed social skills or crippling sensory issues- this is a classic symptom of mild autism (see https://www.verywellhealth.com/what-is-mild-autism-260244). But what I’m trying to get at in all of this is this is that this theory that everyone is a little autistic paves over the fact that the Neurotypical behaviors differ from Autistic behaviors. People may share some of our symptoms, like sensory issues or social difficulties, but our experiences ultimately go far beyond the range of Neurotypical symptoms. So much so that it leaves many of us disabled, and by saying or believing that everyone is a little autistic, this belief downplays our struggles. What we face is very real and very difficult. It’s like someone who has a common cold compared to someone who has the flu. Or someone who walks with crutches compared to someone who is confined to a wheelchair. It’s like someone who scraps their leg compared to someone who breaks their leg, or two different languages, they both are a language but both are not essentially the same. Anyone can have an Autistic trait or two, troubling socializing, sensory issues, etc. But our issues are not fundamentally the same. Autistic brains are wired differently; we view and process the world differently. We are different and we know it, I can say this because I was born feeling different- since I was a child and first understood what the word different meant that’s how I felt. We spend our whole lives standing in the shadows of others. We watch conversations many of us will never be a part of because, when it comes to social situations, because it’s like swimming up the rapids without a paddle or skydiving without a parachute. We have significant and even crippling difficulties in social interaction. When we try to reach out our words can come across as offensive, racist, and blunt even if no malice was intended, that’s how misunderstood we are. When it comes to comedy, jokes, and puns, I can understand what the person is trying to say but I almost never experience the good humor, it’s just not funny to me. Sensory wise, we can become so overloaded so much so that some of us avoid going out altogether or even interacting with people. Employers hesitate or refuse to give jobs to those on the spectrum who can work when they hear they have Autism. People tell us to our faces or whisper behind our backs that we don’t look Autistic. There is no ‘look’ and there never was, what these people are likely thinking of are those with facial deformities, Down syndrome, or severe Autism. Neurotypical people don’t have to deal with that. Neurotypical people don’t have camouflage their Autism from society (many girls, some men, but mostly girl with autism evade diagnosis by masking their symptoms.) Every day we try so hard to fit in, it’s our desperate attempt to survive this world. Everyone may carry that Autistic gene, but we are not all ‘a little autistic.’ And thirdly, there’s a fine line between being anti-social, having trouble socializing, and Autism. Can you make eye contact more than a little to infrequently? Can you enter a public place without getting anxiety? Can you interpret facial expressions, body language, or social cues? Can you keep a conversation? Can you regulate emotion? Can you understand the humor of jokes, puns, pranks, etc? Are you un-sensitive to heat, cold, sound, taste, touch, sight? Can you make friends easily? Are you unaffected by changed routine? Do you have depression, anxiety, or OCD, etc? (Commonly associated with autism) If you’ve said yes to all these questions then chances are you are not Autistic. If however you do think that you do have some ASD symptoms, I would encourage you to see a Psychologist who can properly assess you.

Also see:

Myth seven: Autism only affects children/boys.

Check out these articles:

Also see my blog post: My secret life as a High Functioning Autistic

Myth eight: People with autism are intellectually disabled or stupid.

There’s a popular misconception that autistic people are either tech geniuses or straight up dumb. First off, Autism has nothing to do with being dumb or smart; Autism is defined as exceeding difficulty with social skills, behaviors, speech and nonverbal communication. And while there is such a broad ASD spectrum, intelligence can vary for someone with Autism, that doesn’t make us stupid. Research is increasingly showing that even “low-functioning” autistic people might be smarter than neurotypical people in some ways. Also check out this article: https://abcnews.go.com/Health/Healthday/story?id=7885111&page=1

Myth nine: Autism needs to be cured

I’ll admit, I wouldn’t mind a cure as long as it is not mandatory. But to be honest, at the same time I hesitate on those words. Yes it would be nice to be able to have conversations with people without having to worry about my anxiety or communication barriers. Just as it would be nice not to have so many sensory issues, but I am what I’ve become because of autism. It scares me to think what I would be or become without Autism. Would I still be me? Would I become a whole other person? Everything that I am, everything that I’ve become, everything good that I’ve done- it’s all because of Autism. I don’t think Autism is just a puzzle piece you can take away without any repercussions. A cure could very well be like ripping the wings off a butterfly- a cure could rob that Autistic person of a part of themselves. And did it ever occur to anyone what people with Autism might think of a cure? If you do your research you’ll see that not all Autistics want a cure. Many of us have just come to accept ourselves as we are. Society sees Autism as something that needs be stopped, fixed, cured, and because of this there are Autistics out there who take offense to the idea of a cure.  Now I’m not saying people should stop trying to find a cure. In Fact think a cure should be created and made available to those who want it. But I also believe that it should not be mandatory and that it should be the choice of the one with Autism to decide whether or not they want to take the cure.

See some Autistics thoughts on a cure:

Myth ten: People with autism don’t want friends.

Another lie. My whole life all I’ve ever wanted was friends but instead I stand in the shadows of others. Other than my cousins, who live several states away (and I only see once a year), and my siblings- I don’t have any outside friends. (Don’t get me wrong. I love my sisters and I love my cousins and I am so glad that we are friends). Standing outside looking in can just be lonely sometimes, you know? And I did use to have one or two friends, one I knew for three or four years and the other I knew for a couple of months- I want to say I was around fifteen or sixteen at the time but I’m not entirely sure. We would hang out some at my old church, but then we started attending Church of the Open door back in May 2015- Five years ago this May. And I haven’t seen my church friends since. Not that we hung out much to begin with, my friends lived very busy lives and had other friends they wanted to hang out with. But I was always thankful for the time that they did spend with me. I mean, having friends was always better than having no friends at all. But friendship has always been a struggle for me, not just because of my communication issues but also because most just don’t know how to my silent nature. That’s why I started running from people. There are people out there who can talk to anyone else but when it comes to me they don’t know what to say. And since I don’t know what to say, there’s no room for a friendship to form. The only reason I had friends to begin with was because throughout the years God brought some amazing people into my life that were able to hold a conversation even though I never said much in return. It’s not that Autistics don’t want friendship; one fundamental problem is our sensory issues. The second is our Anxiety. And the third is our social issues. And the fourth fundamental problem is that people have their own cliques and they don’t often think to invite people in. At work. At school. At Church. Cliques are everywhere. It doesn’t matter your age, people never seem to outgrow them. And from my own experiences, when I tried to join in a clique the group stared at me like I committed an unspeakable act. Literally, their faces told me, ‘what are you doing here?’ They were giving out a silent but clear message that I wasn’t welcome. And if a regular person can’t break into these cliques, what makes you think an Autistic can? It’s already a thousand times harder for us to make friends, add this on top of the mountainous pile and the odds become increasingly difficult.

I’ve tried reaching out to people with autism and all they did was push me away or got aggressive with me.

To those with similar experiences to this one, I hear you and I’m sorry to hear about your experiences. But what you need to realize is that some of us have been rejected so many times that some of us have just given up. We don’t want to be hurt anymore so we push people away. The truth is that just like you, we have fears. Fears of being hurt, fears of being rejected, fears of not fitting in. These are the same fears most people have, especially teenagers; the only difference in this aspect is that people with Autism are socially clueless. Not that all of us can’t make friends, because there some of us who can. Each person on the Autism spectrum is different, which means relationships can vary from person to person. I hope you can imagine how much harder it is for someone with autism. I can’t say that all of us are perfect, or that we won’t make mistakes, but I can tell you that you’ll never find a more loyal friend.

See: https://blog.theautismsite.greatergood.com/cs-spectrum-strengths/

https://anintenseworld.com/2017/08/28/honesty-loyalty-and-autism/

https://www.quora.com/It-appears-to-me-that-autistic-people-are-incredibly-self-centered-and-self-absorbed-Is-this-a-psychological-fact-about-autism-or-a-misperception.

Myth eleven: God doesn’t love the disabled.

Source from this article labeled: Finally! Autistic Brat’s Parents Told To Move, Or Euthanize Their Spoiled Kid! (Warning, comments are extremely biased and cruel towards those with Autism. Some people may find this disturbing, especially those with Autism. Viewer discretion advised. Read at your own risk:) http://www.landoverbaptist.net/showthread.php?t=92270 )

Spoken like true hypocrites. Sadly there are religious people out there who have adapted the mindset that those born with either physical/mental disabilities are either being punished by God for their own sins, or even the sins of the parent. One of the pastors visiting my church made an interesting comment about those with disabilities. He said, “Disabilities don’t come from sin, but are the effects of living in a sinful world.” It’s because we live in a world of sin that we suffer from diseases, and illnesses, and disabilities- not because we are being punished because of our sins, but because the world’s sins have become a part of life. This is one reason I love Church of the Open door. They don’t judge or condemn those with disabilities. In fact, they have programs for people with disabilities that caters to their needs. And once a year they also have a ‘Day of pampering’ a day set aside where volunteers give a spa like treatment to the mother caregivers of those with disabilities. There is a great misconception in the church that God hates people with disabilities. What’s worse is that Christians give verses like these to support their logic: Deuteronomy 21:18-21, Romans 1:28-32, Psalm 137:8-9. They honestly believe that you can beat ‘the devil’ out of an autistic child. That’s like saying you can beat a cripple into walking again, or a blind man into seeing. There’s no logic to it, it makes no sense. Not only that, it’s highly offensive to all parents who have children with disabilities and to those who have disabilities themselves. To believers with this mindset I say woe to you. A curse is on you believers, for you have judged unfairly and caused the disabled and the disabled believers to stumble (BBE translation. Matthew 23:27.) Mark 9:42, Romans 14:13, Matthew 7:1-5, Luke 6:31-36, James 4:11-12, Romans 2:1-3, Romans 12:16, Matthew 12:36-37. Woe to you for you have condemned the power of God that will be seen in those with disabilities (John 9:1-3). Woe to you, for you have shut the door in the face of people with disabilities. Much like the Pharisees of Jesus time, you have set up impossible standards- impossible standards that have been set for the disabled. We don’t act like you, think like you, or do things the way you do so we must be spawns of the devil. But in condemning those with disabilities you have condemned the prophet Moses himself, for he had a disability: Speech impediment. To those with disabilities, I assure you, the God who fights for us has heard every complaint of the Landover Baptist and one day they shall answer to him for it.

I tell you, on the day of judgment people will give account for every careless word they speak. Matthew 12:36, ESV.

Your words will be used to judge you–to declare you either innocent or guilty. Matthew 12:37, GNT.

The mouth speaks what the heart is full of. Matthew 12:34.

And I’m here to defend those with disabilities. First, here are the links to apologetics on God and disabilities: https://journeymanpreacher.wordpress.com/2012/03/06/are-people-with-disabilities-shut-out/

https://davidtlamb.com/2015/10/22/why-does-god-discriminate-against-people-with-disabilities/

And secondly, God never said he hated the retards or Autistics- in fact, nowhere in the bible does it say that. As for disabilities in general, look at the scriptures. “Do not insult the deaf or cause the blind to stumble. You must fear your God; I am the Lord-” Leviticus 19:14. In Luke 14:12-14 Jesus said also to the man who had invited him, “When you give a dinner or a banquet, do not invite your friends or your brothers or your relatives or rich neighbors, lest they also invite you in return and you be repaid. But when you give a feast, invite the poor, the crippled, the lame, the blind, and you will be blessed, because they cannot repay you. For you will be repaid at the resurrection of the just.”

Jesus didn’t turn the disabled away, in fact he embraced them and healed them and showed his power through them. Matthew 15:31: So that the crowd wondered, when they saw the mute speaking, the crippled healthy, the lame walking, and the blind seeing. And they glorified the God of Israel. Not to say that God will take away or heal every disability, but I do believe that God can take the disabilities present in a person’s life and turn it into something beautiful. Look at Moses and his speech issue (Exodus 4:10), Look at Jacob who limped after wrestling with an angel (Genesis 32:22-32), look at Paul and his thorn (2 Corinthians 12:7.) And while we don’t know for sure what Paul’s thorn was, we do know that it was a real source of pain in his life. But despite their disabilities, God used Moses to guide his people out of Egypt, walk Israel across the red sea, wrote the Ten commandments, and guided them towards the Promise land. God made Jacob the father of the 12 tribes of Israel and used Paul to do extraordinary things for the kingdom of God. God loves the disabled and can do great things through them no matter their circumstances. All you need is a willing heart.

Myth twelve: People with autism can’t live a normal life.

Says who? To be honest, a lot depends on where the person with Autism fall on the spectrum. Are we normal? No. But we aren’t some dumb frightening beasts that you don’t understand, we are human beings just like you and we’re more alike hobby-wise than we are different.

Some of us like football:

Football changes everything for autistic teen (https://www.freep.com/story/news/local/2014/09/21/autistic-high-school-football-player/15982889/).  

Michigan football player with autism shows hard work pays off (https://blogs.usafootball.com/blog/766/michigan-football-player-with-autism-shows-hard-work-pays-off).

Some of us like basketball:

Kalin Bennett, Arkansas teen with autism, recruited to play basketball at Kent State. (https://www.nbcnews.com/news/us-news/kalin-bennett-arkansas-teen-autism-recruited-play-basketball-kent-state-n94163).

Some of us like music:

Christopher Duffley, 10 year ago, blind autistic boy sing with all my heart (https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=HrA8hIgKJHs). 9 year old kid singing David had autism at age 2 years old (https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=7c5xPRBfjZY). 10-year-old girl with autism singing ‘Hallelujah’ will give you chills (https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ehkslaQR340).

Some of us like art:

5-Year-Old With Autism Paints Stunning Masterpieces (https://www.boredpanda.com/5-year-old-painter-autism-iris-grace/?utm_source=google&utm_medium=organic&utm_campaign=organic). Thirteen year-old Niam Jain can’t speak. He’s autistic. But he’s learned to communicate through painting (https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=75nPBgUINMA).

Some of us are animal lovers:

Unbreakable bond between an autistic little girl and her cat (https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=hwYIG87W2f4).

Holly Firfer reports on the bond between an autistic boy and his rescue dog (https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=dWdy6Iy0FK8).

Some of us like to write:

Local teenager with Autism writes book to inspire others (https://www.kgun9.com/news/local-news/local-teenager-with-autism-writes-book-to-inspire-others)

I have autism and I love life. I like music. I enjoy baking sweets. My favorite pass time besides making cards is painting and writing stories (unpublished.) I love my shih tzu. And I absolutely love flowers; I use to pick them all the time for my grams before she passed away. We don’t all have the same hobbies, but that’s what makes everyone in the world so special. I mean, can you imagine how boring life would be if we were all the same? And while not all of us are prodigies at football, or basketball, music, or art, we enjoy doing them just like you.

The reality is that Autistics share the same hopes as you, the same dreams, the same fears, the same high school dramas, the same insecurities. The only difference between you and us is that on top of all these dramas we have the challenges of Autism to deal with. We are human beings. We have feelings. I don’t know about you, but I’m glad there are so many of us who are different; it’s what makes us unique, it’s what makes each of us so special. We shouldn’t be cruel and hateful to those who are different, we should be celebrating their differences! There is nothing wrong with being different. Be unique. Be special.

The stereotypes of Autism and the effects of it:

Sources:

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