While this topic does not have much to do with Christianity, I have noticed that Christian parents of those with disabled tend to be overprotective of their disabled children – to the point of causing harm.Parents are called to love and protect their children, and when your child has a disability there becomes a fine line on whats overprotective.  Disabled children just like any child need to make mistakes in order to learn, and if you don’t allow a child to make mistakes and learn it will never learn.  Parents of those with disabilities tend to not allow their children to make mistakes in the guise of protecting their children, without knowing they are causing greater harm then their disability ever would.

I have seen one occasion where the overprotective parent who is a christian went to the point of lying, and manipulating people around her child in order to protect her daughter.   It has just about come to the point of being abusive.

At what point does protecting a child become harmful when the child has a disability? I would like your input.

Many people sadly believe abortion a disabled child is an act of compassion.  What is even sadder is many of these people are Christians.  I just had a conversation with one of these Christians and here is the log.

[23:53] Them: have there been higher rates of autism and aspergers occuring/being diagosed in america in the past few years?
[23:54] Me: yes
[23:54] Me: but that has nothing to do with them calling autistic people a disaster of epedemic proporations
[23:55] Me: thats just like saying your a disaster because of your seizures
[23:55] Them: no.
[23:55] Them: listen
[23:55] Them: so there have been noticibly increased rates
[23:55] Them: if there were a sudden outbreak of bird flu, unlike any other recorded in history
[23:55] Them: would you consider it an epidemic?
[23:55] Me: the flu is a contangen that is harmful to life
[23:55] Me: Autism is not
[23:56] Me: if you go by that standard then red heads are an epedemic
[23:56] Me: as well as brown haired people
[23:57] Them: no
[23:57] Them: because there have been the same amount of those colored hair people throughout history.
[23:57] Them: we can take another genetic disease, i dont care.
[23:57] Them: cerebal palsy
[23:58] Them: if suddently the percentage of children born with cerebal palsy shot through the roof
[23:58] Me: Autism is not a disease
[23:58] Them: it would be called an epidemic
[23:58] Them: fine. condition.
[23:58] Me: but your nitpicking on the word epedemic
[23:58] Me: which is beyond the point, but I enjoy a good debate
[23:59] Them: i’m just trying to point out to you that its not insulting to call something an epidemic
[23:59] Me: it is insulting to call it a disaster
[00:00] Them: do you not think that millions of people going through a severe brain disorder is not a disaster?
[00:00] Them: it’s certainly something awful for the people involved, parents, families, etc.
[00:01] Me: well if Autism Speaks has there way if I was born a few years down the road my mother would be encouraged to abort me
[00:01] Me: they have already nailed part of the spectrum on that
[00:02] Them: would you really want to bring a child into this life who would have to live with autism?
[00:02] Them: knowing what you know now
[00:02] Them: if you had the choice to spare someone a difficult life, would you?
[00:03] Me: No, I would not abort a child because I knew they would be autistic
[00:03] Them: would you abort a child if you knew they were going to be severely physically deformed?
[00:04] Them: sickly for their whole life?
[00:04] Me: No
[00:04] Me: But you are comparing apples and oragnes
[00:04] Them: not at all
[00:04] Me: Autistic people are not sickly there whole life
[00:04] Them: look
[00:04] Them: autism/aspergers no DOUBT causes some distress
[00:05] Them: if not a lot of discomfort, problems, upset
[00:05] Them: if people are morally okay with aborting a child to prevent a life of discomfort, pain, upset
[00:05] Them: that’s likely the reasoning behind it
[00:07] Me: So if you were going to have a kid on the Autism Spectrum – would you abort it?
[00:07] Them: i dont know
[00:07] Them: depends
[00:08] Me: on what does it depend?
[00:09] Them: how far along my pregnancy is, how the father feels, etc
[00:10] Me: so you view me as a lesser life form then you?
[00:10] Them: yes. thats precisely what i’m saying.
[00:11] Me: what makes me a lesser life form then you?
[00:11] Them: i was being sarcastic.
[00:12] Me: then I’m still waiting for an answer
[00:13] Them: no! God, of COURSE not. how can you even think that?
[00:13] Them: if i really thought that, would i even engage in conversation with you?
[00:14] Me: then I hate to be harsh, but you just said that if you were pregnant with a child and you knew it was on the Autism Spectrum you would seriously consider aborting it
[00:14] Them: BECAUSE I WOULD BE COMPASSIONATE
[00:14] Them: jesus christ, zach!
[00:14] Them: i just went over the fact that i would if my child had cerebal palsy
[00:14] Them: to AVOID the pain and discomfort.
[00:15] Them: to spare a life of hardship
[00:15] Me: so you would consider aborting someone like me?
[00:15] Them: i’m not having this conversation anymore.

What upsets me is the fact that they as someone who is very Christian thinks that abortion is a compassionate thing and would be a good and encouragable thing to do.  What are your thoughts on abortion in the case of disability.