Virginia Legislator: Disabled kids are God's punishment

From the News Leader (2.22.10):

Legislator: Disabled kids are God's punishment

State Delegate Bob Marshall of Manassas says disabled children are God's punishment to women who have aborted their first pregnancy...

"The number of children who are born subsequent to a first abortion with handicaps has increased dramatically. Why? Because when you abort the first born of any, nature takes its vengeance on the subsequent children," said Marshall, a Republican.

"In the Old Testament, the first born of every being, animal and man, was dedicated to the Lord. There's a special punishment Christians would suggest."...

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Comments

[Lindy]

God does not punish...He gives us free will. We are Human, not devine. We make mistakes. Hopefully We LEARN from our mistakes. PERIOD>.

[Maureen]

EVERY child is a gift from God; including, if not more an individual with a challenge. God does not punish ANYONE, those individuals who give birth to a special child are often given more of a challenge; but their rewards will be much more than others.
To label a person as "God's punishment" shows the world how small and ignorant the one to make the statement is. I just hope God forgives the person who initially said what was said.

[Therese]

I'm hard of hearing, the first born child in my family, and the only one with a serious disability. My family doesn't even believe in abortion. So the legislator is speaking quite illogically. I myself do not consider abortion a mistake. It is a difficult decision that some people make for many different reasons. It is not my place to blame others for doing what they need to do for survival, nor is it yours.

[Pat]

What did his mother do to deserve him?!

[Ed]

Whether you use the "R" word or "Punishment" to describe another human being who strives to achieve what alleged "able-bodied" people experience, the negativity only serves to reinforce the continued discrimination of ALL people with disabilities.

[Elisabeth Ellenbogen]

Human being have value for the sheer joy of living in this world! A person, healthy or ill, often impoverished, may indeed believe an embrio is a human being. Society should make it possible to carry the fetus to term and give live birth.

Those who oppose abortion, then trivialize the value of a human life, cast a long shadow.

The energy that is spent to disabuse others could well be spent to do some good!

[Mike T.]

this comment by Mr. Marshall is just plain stupid! God never punishes people for their wrongs or sins by causing their children to be born with a disability...
I am a Christ Follower - and it is statements like these that cause people with disabilities or their families to be turned off by "so called Christians..." Please know that if you have a disability, that this is not true. God loves you, and is not out to punish you.

[simplicity]

Those of us who live with or have loved-ones w/ serious disability know in our heart of hearts that God has perhaps given us these challenges to make us humble and to teach us compassion?! I fear for the souls of people who vaingloriously assume they know the mind and intent of the Almighty and use their God-appointed power (?)to wave condemnation over others. to be blind to the redemptive quality in suffering- especially to do so without complaint or resistance to His will & not ours- might be the very thing that saves us.

[simplicity]

Additionally & in agreement with legislators who deny taxpayer money for funding Planned Parenthood & proponents of abortion, this is one ounce of prevention & should be made rule!. people are led to making poor choices (provoked by poverty & other social/personal problems) because there may be no supports in place for them to rely on!If they held God above self & and counted on Him more.

[Daniel W Garcia]

If this the best senator that virginia has to offer for modern times and not biblical time then I expect worse from them... in biblical proportion.

[Joyce]

You should be blessed with such a child or grand child. Special children that are so beautiful and most loving. Shame on you and everyone you work with.

[John E. Smith]

Reach John 9: 1-3 where Jesus is asked the question if the sin of the parent caused a man to be blind from birth, and if it was the sin of the blind man himself, and the answer is a definite NO.
Marshall should take the splinter out of his own eye and glorify God's creations!

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