Friday, April 18, 2008

Understanding disabilities including deafness

Many obstacles such as discrimination, attitudes, ignorance, stereotyping, or alienation are still around by all of us whether we realized them or not. Stereotypes, biases, and misconceptions leap into one’s mind. Stereotyping have created by showing incorrect judgements of a possibility by making people into stereotypes that leads to myths. I have discovered that stereotyping is a common problem when debating about beliefs. Stereotyping created by those showing an incorrect judgement of a possibility by making people into stereotypes. Many people often treats disabilities as 2nd or 3rd class citizens and not willing to be understanding with their stuggles that "normal able" people hardly ever face (until they get OLD).

Today, many of us are sharing our insights from our first-hand experiences with disabilities. The internet has been an enlightening "door" to the differences between the outlooks and perceptions of the disability cultures. Today, most of us are getting a better understanding of the diverse needs and challenges of various disabilities. We KNOW there are no "one size fits all" disabilities. We all are educating others in our blog with solid and sound concept to understand disabilities and how those with disabilities can enjoy quality of life. To really understand "quality of life" is to effectively use knowledge and technology to improve the quality of life of people with disabilities requires understanding the many meanings of disability and of quality of life. What can we do to make a difference in the quality of life for those with disabilities?

We have to remember that being Parents of children with disabilities are NOT easy and we work much harder than parents of "normal" kids. One example of stereotyping is the Deaf Culture viewing the non-deaf or hard of hearing. Especially parents of deaf children. Most people with major disabilities will NOT reject the "cure" of medical intervention (the cochlear implants)while some deaf individuals will reject medical advances.

People with disabilities are God's best visual aids to demonstrate how they treat those with disabilities.

7 comments:

Angela DeRossett said...

Came over here to respond to you!! I figured we'd have similar views on the Oprah mess. :)

I am not a fan of of her either... I was posting this to raise awareness about the newest craze for that reason. I think that it will mislead many. One of the biggest things I've heard people talking about is that there is no such thing as sin in those teachings... I think that shows a great flaw in the beliefs in itself. Thanks for the feedback!

Valerie said...

Fantastic posting. I agree with it all. That one side fits all is very true. No two people with the same disability are the same. The pathway we take through life defines our quality of life. I also accept that others quality of life is different then mine and that is okay. As long as each respect and accept each other.

Enjoying the deep thoughts,
Valerie

Nancie said...

God allows disabilities in our life to demonstrate His power and goodness in sustaining and using us despite our disabilities. It also humbles us as we are made to be very dependent upon God daily.

I think everyone has some form of disabilities. Just that some are more obvious because we can see it. We are living in a fallen world. We need much grace from God to live a life that will glorify Him even in and through our disabilities. The internet is a wonderful source of information and way to educate many people on various issues. I have benefited much from blogging and using the internet.

Jamerica said...

I do believe God wants to heal deaf ear to hear or blind eye to see. One problem, they don't pray Him enough or not believe in Him.

Unknown said...

Jamerica,

Thank you for your comment. I will have to disagree with you though, because if you look at my other blog where I explain about this kind of prayer faith. What you believe in is what Word of Faith teaches in terms of “faith” towards health, wealth and prosperity. WOF teaches that a God who actually hears our prayers and wants to answer them by telling us of the desire of God to heal people of their physical infirmities when often goes unanswered for many Christians. This is a kind of doctrine that pride can lead a person to think, “Look what I’ve accomplished.” I don’t view these as the essentials of Christian life and practice. Our motives in our Christian lives should be both holy and genuine.

Disabilities teach us dependence on His grace (John 15:1-5, 2 Corinthians 12:1-10) that trials come to make us think of our own reflections, trying to look at it from the biblical and the personal viewpoint. Trials come to test the strength of our faith because they assist us in the knowledge of our own faith. (Genesis 22:1-18, Malachi 3:3-4, 1 Peter 1:6-9)

Trials including disabilities teaches us that the greatest good of the Christian life is not absence of pain, but Christ-likeness and to do His will. “And we know that in all things God works for the good of those who love him, who have been called according to his purpose. For those God foreknew He also predestined to be conformed to the likeness of his Son, that he might be the firstborn among many brothers.” (Romans 8:28-29). Trials including disabilities teaches us that God is more concerned with the character He is building in us, He comforts us in His arms through His power of Grace on the journey to His destiny for us as Paul explains: “Not only so, but we also rejoice in our sufferings, because we know that suffering produces perseverance; perseverance, character; and character, hope.” (Romans 5:3-4). Jesus reminded us in John 9:2-3 where Jesus and His disciples encountered a blind man. “His disciples asked Him, ‘Rabbi, who sinned, this man or his parents, that he was born blind?’ ‘Neither this man nor his parents sinned,’ said Jesus, ‘but this happened so that the work of God might be displayed in his life.”

God has given us the grace to sanctify us. The sources of "thorns" can be weaknesses, insults, distresses, persecutions and difficulties (which also includes sickness). James says count it all joy when you fall into various trials cause trials have a perfecting work. Peter says after you've suffered a while the Lord will make you perfect. God uses suffering to reveal our spiritual condition. In the midst of the sufferings, what kind of Christian do you see yourself?

In this life it is inevitable and it is useful because it produces the evidence of your true spiritual condition, humility and intimacy with God and allows God to put Himself on display in His grace.

mervynjames224 said...

If you are born with a disability, regardless if it is deafness or anything else, then the 'sterotype' is true for you. The problems arise when you apply that sterotype to everyone else. I don't see an end to these deaf versus Deaf wars, they are too entrenched in their views, being born deaf, you will never convince them of anything else. "Aren't all deaf the same ?" they will say "why, they must be.... I've never known anything else."

whimsical brainpan said...

Another great post Jim!