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Disability and the Image of God
SERMON - 10.15am, Emmanuel Church, Pokfulam, Hong Kong
Sunday 12th November 2006
Christie Gilson
I am an American on a Fulbright Fellowship to conduct the research for my doctoral dissertation on tertiary students with disabilities in Hong Kong. As a woman who has been blind her whole life, I have grown to appreciate how powerfully my disability influences my life and the lives of those with whom I interact. While disability is only one of many characteristics I possess, it is often the first one noticed by others when meeting me. Unfortunately, whereas I see my disability as a positive part of my body, personality, and life journey, some see it as a terrible tragedy. When I recall that blindness is feared almost as much as cancer by some members of the general public, I feel compelled to share my differing view.
The intersection between Christianity, as practiced by some, and disability has been troubling for me for several years. Whether it's the unwanted pity well-meaning-others cloak me with or the unsolicited prayers for healing they offer me, I must confront a level of misunderstanding unique to those of us with disabilities each time I enter a new church community. It is my belief that God created me as a person with a disability. He allows millions of people to incur disabilities during their lifetimes.
In his patient and attentive way, Father Matthew has listened to some of my concerns and has kindly offered me space in the St John's Review to articulate some of my thoughts about Christianity and disability. I believe that disability is a natural part of life which God embraces fully. This is in direct contrast to what many of us have been taught our whole lives. How many of us can explain, in fairly thorough detail, Darwin's theory of Natural Selection? If we adopt a "survival of the fittest" mentality, clearly, people with disabilities will be devalued and even killed, as has repeatedly happened in history.
In the seemingly eternal pursuit of unattainable perfection, we expend emotional capital, considerable amounts of time, and astonishingly large sums of money on products whose labels claim to bring us happiness and acceptance. Succumbing to the natural aging process is seen as shameful or, somehow, weak. When, in fact, if we could simply learn to truly be happy with who we are in the here and now, our lives could be so much richer. While many seek to minimize what disabilities either they or their family members might have, God actively recruited people with disabilities as some of his most prominent Biblical figures.
When we read God's Word, we see that Moses, who spoke differently than most, led the Israelites out of captivity to a land of milk and honey. This is particularly poignant for several reasons, not the least of which is that God explicitly selected him for this momentous task. As one of God's most prominent Old Testament profits, Moses felt unworthy of the duty God bestowed upon him. But Moses was reminded by God that those with speech, hearing, and visual impairments were all created by God (Exodus 4:10-11). God even considered Moses worthy to be the conduit through which the Ten Commandments were given to the Israelites. Apparently, God felt that Moses was more suitable than any other Hebrew of his day. And, recall that before he was called into service by God, Moses lived a full life, including being married and raising children. Rather than being ashamed of Moses' disability, God chose him to lead His people through one of the most harrowing times in Jewish history. It is my conviction that God's response is, as always, infinitely better than our human one.
Shame is a corrosive thing which infiltrates the deepest niches of the self-esteem of those who have been repeatedly exposed to its effects. When we realize that disability is not shameful, we cast off shame's demoralizing yolk and reclaim the opportunity for joy to take its place. Similarly, pity erects a formidable wall between the supposedly compassionate helper and the one who wishes to be recognized as simply human. Therefore, I call on my Christian sisters and brothers to dwell in God's Word when learning how to become comfortable with difference.
When we approach those who are different from ourselves with ill-concealed discomfort, we fall short of God's exhortation to love our neighbors as ourselves. Certainly, it is natural to fear difference. But, I think that God has given us human minds so that we can learn to relate to one another in kind, respectful ways. I feel that we are called to calmly confront situations that make us uncomfortable and learn how to interact with difference more naturally. After all, those who deviate from our narrow conceptions of the norm are God's people too.
Some of our most prominent historical and contemporary figures have, or had, disabilities. How would World War II have resolved itself without the likes of Winston Churchill who had Dyslexia or Franklin Delano Roosevelt with Polio? Would not the world be a duller place without Leonardo Da Vinci, Hans Christian Andersen, or Agatha Christie? Each of them had Dyslexia. Ludwig von Beethoven went deaf but still composed music. Andrea Bocelli awes audiences worldwide with his soaring voice. For centuries, Homer's writing has welcomed adventurous readers along on his Odyssey and to the shores of Troy with the Iliad. John Milton's Paradise Lost stands as a timeless volume of the Christian faith. Each of these three men are, or were, blind. They have led full lives and have found world-renown outlets for their passion, skills, and creative talents.
Perhaps one of the most common myths held by those without about people with disabilities is that they lead lives of restrictions, diminished joy, and self-pity. While many who have recently acquired disabilities encounter these emotional barriers in a very real way, many of us do not. It is true that I will never see a sunrise breaking over the horizon. But my friends without disabilities will never know the instantaneous bond which I enjoy with blind people all around the world. Even if we do not share a language or culture, we do share common experiences – many of them joyful or highly amusing.
Though those who read print may feel that braille is a poor substitute for their way of writing, I hold a different perspective. I can read in the dark or in the backseat of a car without risking car sickness. While giving a speech, I can face my audience fully and use facial expressions to punctuate my remarks as my fingers give me the words to say. When I was a teenager, I could frivolously leave love notes from all manner of suitors around the house, and my parents remained unaware of their contents.
The majority of sighted people will never have the chance to appreciate the pleasing textures present on a page of braille. But be assured that many of us who are blind hold Louis Braille in great esteem for his marvelous invention. We experience the same sense of satisfying contentment when reading a well-written, beautifully-bound braille book as do our sighted friends when enjoying printed books.
For those of us who love dogs, the law upholding my right to take my guide dog virtually anywhere in the Western world is a true blessing. While most dog owners only see their pets when they are at home, my dog keeps a watchful eye on my classes as I teach and sits at my feet at work. Hotels, restaurants, amusement parks, and even hospitals must allow her entry. She is welcomed in the passenger cabin of any U.S.-based airline for free. If that isn't a recipe for her and my mutual contentment, I don't know what is! The bond that we enjoy is steadfast, healthy, and free of so many complications that arise in human relationships.
If I could have the chance to see, I doubt I would welcome it. In my experience, people who are blind are able to listen more attentively and for longer periods of time than are most sighted people. After all, we are less distracted by visual stimuli. When we are blind, at least we are not bombarded by as many media advertisements, teaching us to value looks over inner beauty. However, allow me to caution against the common tendency to place those of us with disabilities on a pedestal of virtue. People with disabilities care about looks and other markers of status just as much as anyone does.
In summation, God calls us to treat all humanity with dignity and respect. People with disabilities have moved well beyond merely being grateful for those who manage to do so. We bare children and raise them in competent, loving homes. We lead countries, head corporations and faith communities, teach children, and travel the globe. Our presence on this earth is ordained by God. We do not strive to be non-disabled, for we are powerful and beautiful in our own right.
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