This topic has been heavy on my heart for a few weeks, even
though I address some of this in my novel Deaf, Dumb, Blind & Stupid. If I
have to answer the question (especially since I’m so involved in the faith
communities), it’s pure ignorance. Many people are so narrow-minded to the
point that they think that autism is a disease. The truth is that autism is not
a disease; it’s a different way of learning. Sure, for many people who are autistic
or are on the spectrum, anxiety and a mental illness will come with it (and
there’s a cure for that). I find that the older I get, the more ignorance I see
when it comes to people who have challenges. In fact, many will bash others who
are autistic, but heaven forbid they have a child living with autism. They
would want others to be sympathetic to them and their children. According to
Autism Speaks, autism is a complex disorder of the brain. And when I minister
to faith communities about autism (as I educate people about it), I say that
just like body parts get sick, brains get sick. Autism is a little different
because although it’s associated with intellectual disability, and there are
difficulties in motor coordination and attention to include physical health
issues, many are gifted in visual skills, music, math and art.
I encourage you to visit www.autismspeaks.org to find out more
information about it.
Continuing on with the topic at hand. Faith communities bash
people with autism because of pride within themselves (believing they’re better
than others because they don’t have it).
As I said in my blog last month entitled “My Healing Journey (Part 1),” the
better neurotypicals (non-autistics) understand our journey, the more
acceptance and support we will receive from them. And it’s recorded in
Scripture that people perish for a lack of knowledge. Because of that lack of
knowledge, it’s very easy to judge and discriminate against those living with
autism. There is no cure of autism, but some of the symptoms do have a cure.
I find it very interesting that faith communities frown on
people who are struggling with something (a life crisis, a health crisis, etc.),
pointing fingers at them saying it’s because of a lack of faith. But when the
table is turned, they want all the sympathy they can get, and will stand in any
prayer line for prayer. In my book, I call it hypocritical. Everybody needs
mercy and not everybody is perfect like YOU! I also find it interesting that we
tend to bash the spouse when they have challenges, as if they had nothing
tragic happen to them. Faith communities need to be able to support each other,
just like married couples challenge each other (and not ridicule each other).
Think about it. Faith communities have become so callous to
the point, when someone says they’re going through something, one of two things
will happen: either they’re say you’re healed (and you don’t need to see a
doctor), or it’s because of a sin that you caused or your parents. That’s not
very loving if you really think about it. What I love about God is that He
created everyone unique. I believe everyone has a thorn of some sort (according
to 2 Corinthians 12:9), but watch this: His grace is sufficient. We don’t
glorify God FOR it, but IN it.
Near the end of my novel DDBS, I make this statement: There
are so many people who are plagued with ADD, AD/HD, PTSD, BPD, or Bipolar, and
we steadily punish them for their mental differences and chemical imbalances.
Galatians 6:7 says ‘don’t be deceived because God is not mocked. Whatever we
sow, we will reap.’ I ask you a question: Why are we only sympathetic if OUR
child has a mental disorder? On the contrary, if you know someone whose child
has a mental disorder, they need a beating. This is unfair, and reflects the
worse part of human nature.
Faith communities have challenges, and we need to stop
acting like we’re immune to them. Faith is acting on what we believe, but
denying it is faith. In fact, denial is foolish. And denial has been the trend
for generations. We need to grow up, deal with what we’re struggling with, so
that we can overcome. Everybody deserves love and compassion, not judgments
because they are different!
This blogpost post is not intended to bash the faith
communities, as I am a part of the Christian faith communities. And because I
deal heavily with it, I see a lot of attitudes that are not godly causing
church dropouts or causing other brothers and sisters to be infected with that
attitude and they become extremely callous. That’s not healthy, and we must be
healed from our pride. The easy way to heal from pride is to deny yourself and humble yourself.
Blessings,
The Mayne Man
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