This family has attended this church since 1996 and typically sat in the back pew or cry room and never heard any complaints from parishioners or the priest until last June.

I must admit, I don't know anything at all about autism, but something just doesn't sound right to me about banning someone from going to church. Also, why now, why didn't someone complain before? Should churches open their doors to everyone, including the mentally challenged?

As humans and especially Christians, should we not be a little understanding and have tolerance for people who can not control the way they were born?

This worries me, what's next; mothers with young babies are going to be told if they can't stop their child from crying they will NOT be allowed to come back to church?

Comment:

Is this ethical? Moral? I think not.

I worship at Harvest Time Church on King Street in Greenwich, where there are many members who are what the uniformed like to call "disabled" or "handicapped".

In fact, I volunteer to serve with two so-called "disabled" or "handicapped" young ladies each and every Sunday.

During one of the three Sunday services there is a young man who was afflicted when he received his vaccinations as a child. He is a part of the service and like anyone else in the service he is allowed to raise his voice up to lord when ever he compelled to do so.

In fact, he and everyone else is encouraged to make a joyful noise unto the Lord.

Personally, I would not call a religious building that bans afflicted children a church. I think it should be called a "Hall Of Shame".

I am a fairly new Christian and I know that there are a lot of different renderings of the Bible, but they all see to say the same thing. Everyone is too be welcomed - especially children.

Maybe, this Church is using the new and improved anti-child version of the Bible that says "Keep those obnoxious children from Jesus, because the kingdom of god does not belong to them."

However, every version of the Holy Scriptures seems to say the exact opposite.

<< Luke 18:16 >>

International Standard Version (©2008)
Jesus, however, called for the children and said, "Let the little children come to me, and stop keeping them away, because the kingdom of God belongs to people like these.

New American Standard Bible (©1995)
But Jesus called for them, saying, "Permit the children to come to Me, and do not hinder them, for the kingdom of God belongs to such as these.

GOD'S WORD® Translation (©1995)
But Jesus called the infants to him and said, "Don't stop the children from coming to me! Children like these are part of the kingdom of God.

King James Bible
But Jesus called them unto him, and said, Suffer little children to come unto me, and forbid them not: for of such is the kingdom of God.

American King James Version
But Jesus called them to him, and said, Suffer little children to come to me, and forbid them not: for of such is the kingdom of God.

American Standard Version
But Jesus called them unto him, saying, Suffer the little children to come unto me, and forbid them not: for to such belongeth the kingdom of God.

Bible in Basic English
But Jesus sent for them, saying, Let the children come to me, and do not keep them away, for of such is the kingdom of heaven.

Douay-Rheims Bible
But Jesus, calling them together, said: Suffer children to come to me, and forbid them not: for of such is the kingdom of God.

Darby Bible Translation
But Jesus calling them to him said, Suffer little children to come to me, and do not forbid them, for of such is the kingdom of God.

English Revised Version
But Jesus called them unto him, saying, Suffer the little children to come unto me, and forbid them not: for of such is the kingdom of God.

Webster's Bible Translation
But Jesus called them to him, and said, Suffer little children to come to me, and forbid them not: for of such is the kingdom of God.

Weymouth New Testament
Jesus however called the infants to Him. "Let the little children come to me," He said; "do not hinder them; for it is to those who are childlike that the Kingdom of God belongs.

World English Bible
Jesus summoned them, saying, "Allow the little children to come to me, and don't hinder them, for the Kingdom of God belongs to such as these.

Young's Literal Translation
and Jesus having called them near, said, 'Suffer the little children to come unto me, and forbid them not, for of such is the reign of God;

This Priest Seems Not To Be Aware
That Jesus Also Said:

Mark 10:14 Suffer the little children to come unto me and forbid them not, for of such is the kingdom of God.15 Verily I say unto you, Whosoever shall not receive the kingdom of God as a little child, he shall not enter therein. 16 And he took them up in his arms, put his hands upon them, and blessed them.

Matthew 18:6 But whoso shall offend one of these little ones which believe in me, it were better for him that a millstone were hanged about his neck, and that he were drowned in the depth of the sea.

Matthew 18:10 Take heed that ye despise not one of these little ones; for I say unto you, That in heaven their angels do always behold the face of my Father which is in heaven.

Matthew 18:14 Even so it is not the will of your Father which is in heaven, that one of these little ones should perish.

Mark 9:42 And whosoever shall offend one of these little ones that believe in me, it is better for him that a millstone were hanged about his neck, and he were cast into the sea.

Luke 17:2 It were better for him that a millstone were hanged about his neck, and he cast into the sea, than that he should offend one of these little ones.

Here is a Jewish perspective...

Why Does G-d Make Handicapped Babies?

Question of the Week:

By Aron Moss

A friend gave birth to a baby with a rare condition that has rendered her severely handicapped. She is not expected to live much past her tenth birthday. I just can't understand why G-d does that. If life has a purpose, what is the purpose of such a short and sad life?

Answer:

Every birth is a gamble. A soul enters the world innocent and pure. But it may not stay that way. This world is maze of diverging pathways, both good and evil, and the choice is ours which way we go. Once a soul enters a body, it is free and therefore vulnerable to corruption. While acts of good elevate the soul, every act of evil makes a blemish on the soul.

Some souls are so pure, it simply isn't worth the gamble. These souls are too precious to risk being compromised by life in a body. They are too high to come down to this world. But the other option, not to be sent down at all, to never reach this world, would mean that we would miss out on meeting these holy and lofty souls and hearing their message.

So these souls do come down. But in order to be protected from the potential evils of an earthly existence, they are sent down into a body that will not compromise their holiness. They enter this world in a form that is above sin, above evil. From a purely physical perspective we call them disabled or handicapped; from the perspective of the soul they are protected. They will never sin. Their sojourn in this world is often brief, and in terms of this world may seem sad. But they have retained their purity. And they have fulfilled their mission.

These special souls remind us that true love doesn't need a reason. We often love others for what they give us - we love our children because they are cute, smart, and high achievers; we love our spouse for the pleasure and contentment they give us; we love our parents because they care for us. This is love, but it is not pure.

When a child is born that will never achieve worldly success, cannot provide the usual source of pride for her parents, all extraneous reasons to love her fall away and what's left is the purest love that there can be. These children are lovable not because of what they do for you, and not because of what they will one day become, but simply because they are.

These pure souls remind us what love should be. Only such a pure and holy soul can elicit such a pure and holy emotion. We can only stand in awe of them, and the parents and friends who care for them. And we can only thank them all, for giving us a glimpse of what true love really means.

~~~~~~~

from the March 2006 Edition of the Jewish Magazine

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