Attitudes Towards Disabilities
It wasn’t so long ago that wheelchair ramps weren’t required. Nor was it all that long ago to find that a mental health facility was little more than a prison. While there’s still room for improvement, the attitude towards disabilities in the United States is much better than it used to be.
A recent article from Lausanne World Pulse discusses the perception of disability in developing nations as well as the attitudinal barriers that must be breached to bring dignity to all peoples:
While giving birth to her fourth child, a mild stroke left Amie with hemiplegia, causing a definite limp and limited usefulness of one arm. Since the village “doctor†was unable to cure her (through physical and sexual abuse), her husband kept the children and sent Amie away to fend for herself.
These stories are typical of the experience of many disabled persons in developing nations, and represent a form of spiritual bondage which maintains a wall of separation between the temporarily able-bodied and the disabled. This separation presents a significant barrier to the gospel which must be overcome.
My concept of missions is broad and focuses on the total redemptive and restorative work which Jesus emphasized in Luke 4:18-19 when he read from Isaiah:
The Spirit of the Lord is upon me, because he has anointed me to preach good news to the poor. He has sent me to proclaim freedom for the prisoners and recovery of sight for the blind, to release the oppressed, to proclaim the year of the Lord’s favor.
I must say that your comment is a good and it reminds me of the book “ it is time we truly know why Jesus wept ( at the grave of Lazarus)†by N.K.David
I think it is a must read book and I think you are going a good work by sending a positive message because we need to rethink and help create a more positive minded humanity.
Keep it up and I pray that religious leaders should learn how to teach and preach for the interest of all humanity. You can do more because the message has not done much to stop hate , killing, terrorism among others even among Christians
I stumbled upon your blog this morning and read your aticle on “Attitudes Towards Disabilities”. Years ago my wife and I adopted children from the foster system. Both are special needs children although we did not know that at the time. I also deal with accessibility for the disabled on a daily basis for my job. Thank you for the encouragement that you provided for today.
There is still much to be done when it comes to accepting people with disabilities, I have retinitis pigmentosa and am legally blind, and I will most likely lose what little vision I have left. People don’t realize that we are no different than everyone else, the only difference is that we can’t see, but it feels like we are living in a different world, the church is one place where we should feel like we fit in, but that isn’t always the case.
I have gotten to know several blind people since I began losing my sight, and I have such respect for them, they are my heros, blind people are such awesome people but sadly very few people ever take the time to find that out. Many people look at us like we are just a burden on society.