Comments on: Americans with Disabilities and the Church http://julieclawson.com/2010/07/23/americans-with-disabilities-and-the-church/ incantations at the edge of uncertainty Sat, 11 Feb 2012 03:00:47 +0000 hourly 1 http://wordpress.org/?v=3.3.1 By: Michael K. De Rosa http://julieclawson.com/2010/07/23/americans-with-disabilities-and-the-church/comment-page-1/#comment-9807 Michael K. De Rosa Tue, 25 Oct 2011 20:57:29 +0000 http://julieclawson.com/?p=1634#comment-9807 I know my reply is a bit dated from your article, but I too want to chime in with my concern that our church does need to lead the way in helping society learn how to better interact with the disabled. I have been active in <a href="http://www.joniandfriends.org/" rel="nofollow">Joni and Friends New England</a> for the past two summers at family camp where I and other STM's (short term missionaries) work with children who and disabilities and their families in order to provide the family respite, counsel, and opportunity to reenergize. This organization is helping churches reach the disabled. My motto on my site is my call 'knocking down stigmas while building up people' Your article hit home. Thank you <a href="http://www.passion-4-life.org" rel="nofollow">Dismantling Disabilities</a> I know my reply is a bit dated from your article, but I too want to chime in with my concern that our church does need to lead the way in helping society learn how to better interact with the disabled. I have been active in Joni and Friends New England for the past two summers at family camp where I and other STM's (short term missionaries) work with children who and disabilities and their families in order to provide the family respite, counsel, and opportunity to reenergize. This organization is helping churches reach the disabled.

My motto on my site is my call 'knocking down stigmas while building up people'

Your article hit home.

Thank you
Dismantling Disabilities

]]> By: Yoon Kim http://julieclawson.com/2010/07/23/americans-with-disabilities-and-the-church/comment-page-1/#comment-8630 Yoon Kim Mon, 07 Mar 2011 19:32:53 +0000 http://julieclawson.com/?p=1634#comment-8630 thank you so much for your heart for the people with disabilities. May peace and grace to you in Christ. We are created in the image and likeness of God (Gen 1:26-27). God does amazing miracles through the people with disabilities. He reveals Himself through these people. They are gifts and channels of grace. thank you so much for your heart for the people with disabilities.
May peace and grace to you in Christ.

We are created in the image and likeness of God (Gen 1:26-27).
God does amazing miracles through the people with disabilities.
He reveals Himself through these people.
They are gifts and channels of grace.

]]> By: sandy kirkley http://julieclawson.com/2010/07/23/americans-with-disabilities-and-the-church/comment-page-1/#comment-8275 sandy kirkley Wed, 29 Dec 2010 01:59:16 +0000 http://julieclawson.com/?p=1634#comment-8275 So true. So true.

]]> By: Can we envision and create access? » Young Anabaptist Radicals http://julieclawson.com/2010/07/23/americans-with-disabilities-and-the-church/comment-page-1/#comment-8161 Can we envision and create access? » Young Anabaptist Radicals Sun, 05 Dec 2010 13:02:25 +0000 http://julieclawson.com/?p=1634#comment-8161 [...] Julie Clawson, from “Americans with Disabilities and the Church”, a July 2010 entry on her blog, One Hand [...] [...] Julie Clawson, from “Americans with Disabilities and the Church”, a July 2010 entry on her blog, One Hand [...]

]]> By: A call for everyone: envision and create access « Beyond Laurelville http://julieclawson.com/2010/07/23/americans-with-disabilities-and-the-church/comment-page-1/#comment-8140 A call for everyone: envision and create access « Beyond Laurelville Tue, 30 Nov 2010 18:38:06 +0000 http://julieclawson.com/?p=1634#comment-8140 [...] Julie Clawson, from “Americans with Disabilities and the Church”, a July 2010 blog post on One Hand [...] [...] Julie Clawson, from “Americans with Disabilities and the Church”, a July 2010 blog post on One Hand [...]

]]> By: Preparing for Envision Access « Beyond Laurelville http://julieclawson.com/2010/07/23/americans-with-disabilities-and-the-church/comment-page-1/#comment-8120 Preparing for Envision Access « Beyond Laurelville Sat, 27 Nov 2010 17:00:43 +0000 http://julieclawson.com/?p=1634#comment-8120 [...] Shortly thereafter, I read a blog post by Julie Clawson about the church and people with disabilities. She pointed out the failures of many congregations to embrace the disabilities community. Clawson’s honesty and ability to ally her self with the marginalized (she herself lives with a disability, having been born without one arm, and her writing consistently calls for justice on behalf of those on the fringes) spoke volumes to the Church’s need to respond creatively and lovingly to its shortcomings. Read Clawson’s piece, Americans with Disabilities and the Church. [...] [...] Shortly thereafter, I read a blog post by Julie Clawson about the church and people with disabilities. She pointed out the failures of many congregations to embrace the disabilities community. Clawson’s honesty and ability to ally her self with the marginalized (she herself lives with a disability, having been born without one arm, and her writing consistently calls for justice on behalf of those on the fringes) spoke volumes to the Church’s need to respond creatively and lovingly to its shortcomings. Read Clawson’s piece, Americans with Disabilities and the Church. [...]

]]> By: n. http://julieclawson.com/2010/07/23/americans-with-disabilities-and-the-church/comment-page-1/#comment-7591 n. Fri, 06 Aug 2010 01:50:57 +0000 http://julieclawson.com/?p=1634#comment-7591 PS: the problem is not with the existence of ADA. the worse problem is that actual accommodations are insufficient (perhaps compliance with the letter but ignoring the spirit?). i could give tons of examples just from my work, and i don't even work in the disabilities services department, i just talk to the actual people. PS: the problem is not with the existence of ADA. the worse problem is that actual accommodations are insufficient (perhaps compliance with the letter but ignoring the spirit?). i could give tons of examples just from my work, and i don't even work in the disabilities services department, i just talk to the actual people.

]]> By: n. http://julieclawson.com/2010/07/23/americans-with-disabilities-and-the-church/comment-page-1/#comment-7590 n. Fri, 06 Aug 2010 01:47:53 +0000 http://julieclawson.com/?p=1634#comment-7590 i feel like in some of the comments, ignorance and apathy are being used as excuses, but i may be misunderstanding this. i think they are part of the problem, not excuses for it. maybe that's what those commenters meant. anyway... another thing to consider is that some people with social differences (personal example: autistic/aspergers, but i'm sure there are others with similar effect) have a hard time even being at church or even looking for a church to belong to, due to the overwhelming social aspect of that process. still not quite sure what to do about that, either. PS: i am so ... what's the word? pleased seems cruel, like i'm happy you somehow ended up missing an arm, which must be pretty inconvenient a lot of the time. but i *am* pleased by the cheekiness of your blog title, and it being literal. and i'm pleased to see a one-handed person out there in the middle of things saying "HERE I AM get used to it", because that's a part of human diversity. i feel like in some of the comments, ignorance and apathy are being used as excuses, but i may be misunderstanding this. i think they are part of the problem, not excuses for it. maybe that's what those commenters meant.

anyway…
another thing to consider is that some people with social differences (personal example: autistic/aspergers, but i'm sure there are others with similar effect) have a hard time even being at church or even looking for a church to belong to, due to the overwhelming social aspect of that process. still not quite sure what to do about that, either.

PS: i am so … what's the word? pleased seems cruel, like i'm happy you somehow ended up missing an arm, which must be pretty inconvenient a lot of the time. but i *am* pleased by the cheekiness of your blog title, and it being literal. and i'm pleased to see a one-handed person out there in the middle of things saying "HERE I AM get used to it", because that's a part of human diversity.

]]> By: bondChristian http://julieclawson.com/2010/07/23/americans-with-disabilities-and-the-church/comment-page-1/#comment-7551 bondChristian Tue, 03 Aug 2010 21:10:01 +0000 http://julieclawson.com/?p=1634#comment-7551 Out of sight, out of mind. That's why we turn the other way instead of the other cheek. I know from personal experience. I don't care about people in general, even as a Christian. I only care about individuals. So - sadly - it takes a personal relationship with someone with special needs before I pay attention. And in general, most church people aren't out in the world enough to make those kinds of relationships. -Marshall Jones Jr. Out of sight, out of mind. That's why we turn the other way instead of the other cheek.

I know from personal experience. I don't care about people in general, even as a Christian. I only care about individuals. So – sadly – it takes a personal relationship with someone with special needs before I pay attention.

And in general, most church people aren't out in the world enough to make those kinds of relationships.

-Marshall Jones Jr.

]]> By: bill holston http://julieclawson.com/2010/07/23/americans-with-disabilities-and-the-church/comment-page-1/#comment-7542 bill holston Fri, 30 Jul 2010 19:58:39 +0000 http://julieclawson.com/?p=1634#comment-7542 I just returned from Ireland. At a train station, I noticed a woman in a wheelchair struggling. I asked if they needed a hand. When she noticed my american accent, she mentioned how much she admired the ADA in america, and how little accommodation there is for disability in Europe. Having a disabled mother in law totally changed my view of this. When she used to drive, she'd have to go home if all the handicap parking spots are taken. Like lots of rights issues, sadly Christians have been the last to stand up for justice. Access to facilities is a justice issue, and one we should be the first to speak up about. I just returned from Ireland. At a train station, I noticed a woman in a wheelchair struggling. I asked if they needed a hand. When she noticed my american accent, she mentioned how much she admired the ADA in america, and how little accommodation there is for disability in Europe. Having a disabled mother in law totally changed my view of this. When she used to drive, she'd have to go home if all the handicap parking spots are taken.

Like lots of rights issues, sadly Christians have been the last to stand up for justice. Access to facilities is a justice issue, and one we should be the first to speak up about.

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