Evangelicals and the Disabled
I have a lot of patience and there is not much that will get me angry. Some time ago, I posted something on Facebook that was supportive of people with disabilities. A very conservative Christian challenged me on this. He informed me that standing up for those with disabilities is part of the liberal agenda and therefore something not appropriate for evangelicals to support. I cannot express how angry I was at this statement. First of all, I am a father of two children with autism. This is something that is close to my heart. When I speak up for those with disabilities, I am not trying to support the liberal agenda, I am trying to stand up for my children and others like them.
However, my disagreement with his attitude was not just based on personal bias. The Bible is filled with commands for the people of God to help and support those who are not able to protect themselves. At times, this explicitly includes those with disabilities (Leviticus 19:14). When I read parables like the sheep and the goats from Matthew 25, I can’t imagine how some conservatives could suggest helping the needy is wrong because it is part of the liberal agenda. The problem is that some people’s primary lens is that of the culture war and not the Bible. Instead of asking what will help/hurt the conservative/liberal cause, we should ask what is biblical.
I share this on autism awareness day. My hope is that evangelicals will stand up for those with disabilities. It does not matter if a liberal smiles at you approvingly because you helped a person with a disability. All that matters is that God smiles at you approvingly because you helped a person with a disability.
Faith Today, the magazine of the Evangelical Fellowship of Canada, has their March/April 2013 issue focused on disability. You can read it online here.
I would also like to recommend the Disability and Faith forum.
thanks for your comment about disabilities. I was brought up in an evangelical church and unfortunately there does seem to be an underrepresentation of disabled people in churches from I have noticed. Who did Jesus spend his time with? I was attracted to Jesus as a child because he touched the deaf and blind.
Are we trying to have a culture war, or are we helping to heal, maybe help the disabled, visit the sick, those in prison, those who are thirsty, … er where did I get that quote from?
Also is it wrong to have fun one day of the week and on the other days do acts of service? I don’t think so. I follow my conscience and common sense.
Sadly, this “Culture War” attitude about those of us with disabilities is why I left conservativism and my evangelical church in the dust. I will not be a part of a religious community that not only doesn’t value me, but actively tries to hurt me because they see helping the disabled as “the liberal agenda”.
I will say that the culture war is not really part of my experience in Canada but rather my observation of what I see in the USA. In Canada, evangelicals are very embracing of people with disabilities.