UPDATE: Please read this for additional information on the source of this story and several inaccuracies that I discovered as I did further research on it.
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According to WTOP news, a radio station in Virginia, and further reported on Right Wing Watch and Think Progress under the headline “Disabled Children are god’s punishment”:
Western Prince William Del. Bob Marshall, R-13th, says disabled children are God’s punishment to women who have aborted their first pregnancy.
He made that statement last Thursday at a press conference to oppose state funding for Planned Parenthood.
“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.”
According to the WTOP, Marshall is part of a group called Virginia Christian Action. “Its members presented a petition calling on Gov. Bob McDonnell, Lt. Gov. Bill Bolling and Attorney General Ken Cuccinelli to stop funding for Planned Parenthood. All three top officials are Republican.”
Mr. Marshall is directly contradicting what [As I wrote here, the story reported by WTOP paraphrased Mr. Marshall's statement inaccurately. However, because the story spread so far, I am leaving the following rebuttal to the idea in place.] Jesus taught his disciples when they encountered a man born blind. You can read about it in John 9:1-3.
As he went along, he saw a man blind from birth. 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 works of God might be displayed in him.
This passage is clear. Jesus clearly states that disability is not the result of sin.
The Message paraphrases this story with an interesting angle.
Walking down the street, Jesus saw a man blind from birth. His disciples asked, “Rabbi, who sinned: this man or his parents, causing him to be born blind?”
Jesus said, “You’re asking the wrong question. You’re looking for someone to blame. There is no such cause-effect here. Look instead for what God can do. We need to be energetically at work for the One who sent me here, working while the sun shines. When night falls, the workday is over. For as long as I am in the world, there is plenty of light. I am the world’s Light.”
Children born with disabilities are precious. Jesus says that asking who is to blame is the wrong question. He would condemn using these children as leverage for a political argument.
Better, look for how God is co-opting the pain and illness and developmental delay to spread light in the world.
I say Bob Marshall is a jack-ass.
Agreed.
ARGLE BARGLE.
My mother quit attending church when her kids were fully grown. The only reason she’d kept going way to be an example for us. I found out when I was an adult why she hated going to church: when her first child (my oldest brother) was born with Down Syndrome, a lot of people in the church basically told her that he was a punishment for some kind of unresolved sin in her life. That treatment forever destroyed her view of the church as a safe space for her, though she still has faith in Jesus/God.
It is utterly, and totally despicable to declare that disabled kids like my brother are a punishment for anything. That’s so rage-making I might just quit the internet.
Dianna recently posted..Quit Your Job
Dianna, This is just awful.
So orry that happened to your Mom. Also, I’m sorry but you said ARGLE BARGLE, so you are forbidden to quit the internet, because we need people like you here. 
Megan (FriedOkra) recently posted..The Parent ‘Hood, Week 1
UFDA…
the Blah Blah Blahger recently posted..Hard Words/Blessed Words – MY FIRST POST AT A DEEPER FAMILY
Reminds me of Pat Robertson’s ridiculous trifecta of comments of late. I just. Words don’t express adequately the stupidity of statements like this.
Mathew Sims recently posted..Gospel-Saturated Family Discipleship: A Family Feast | Part 2
I would dare him to look into the face of my beautiful daughter and truly believe that she is a punishment. She is the most amazing gift that has ever been given to me and my family.
I am speechless and livid.
Hope recently posted..Flawless Beauty
Wow. I don’t know what else to say about this. Just, wow. People never cease to amaze me…
that kind of messed up thinking is what’s severely disabled.
tanya @ truthinweakness recently posted..six words
I just hate it when these alleged “Christian” republicans feel it is their duty to publicly make jackasses of themselves, then hide behind God as their irrefutable law. Not only did he get it so completely wrong it makes my head spin, but idiots like this are what makes the rest of the world think ALL republicans and ALL Christians are morons, and that ALL Christian republicans are COMPLETE morons. I’m a C/R, and I think this guy is a buffoon. My aunt, now 81, was born epileptic. She is the kindest, gentlest soul I know. She is the reason I love animals and despise most people. You would never hear her say such vile things about another person, no matter who they are.
I am so tired of these politicians giving Christians a bad name. Seriously! The Jesus i know would NEVER make a statement like this.
Oh my gosh!! What an idiot! No wonder people think Christians are judgemental. My son is a blessing that has the light of God in him that shines. Sad when stupid people get a microphone and have no clue what they are talking about.
Jen recently posted..Busy, Busy!
The ugliness, thoughtlessness and just plain stupidity of this is UNBELIEVABLE. May their tribe DEcrease and quickly.
Diana Trautwein recently posted..5 Minute Friday – Graceful
What can I say Joy about such a ridiculous statement. Thank you for putting a true Jesus perspective on the issue.
Joanna recently posted..RIP Hoppy!
WHAT? Thanks for addressing this twisted lunacy, Joy. NOT of God!
The firstborn is more special? That bit is just as twisted as saying that disabilities are a punishment. What would he say about the only child in our 5 with disabilities was our firstborn? Actually – I don’t want to know what he would say.
Bless you, Joy!
erin a. recently posted..ten on ten {September 2012}
Good grief. It’s not like parents of disabled children don’t have enough going on in their lives – why the hell not pile on a little more guilt! I mean, if it garners a few more votes, what are the feelings of parents going through some of the most difficult situations any of us can imagine?
Alise recently posted..God Is Not Enough
Sadly, there are people that do believe this! When my daughter was born with Down syndrome, a friend believed this to be true. That I must have done something to deserve God’s punishment through my child. I confronted her, and even got her to go on a mission’s trip with us to a special needs orphanage. Her heart was CHANGED! She apologized, and realized how wrong she was. But not every one gets a chance like she did.
Besides, there have been nothing but blessings from my daughter, she is a gift, a precious gift from God. He has used her to mold my heart and change our lives. I cannot imagine life without her.
Marshall’s statement is plain ridiculous, and uneducated, as clearly he has little to no experience of what it is like to have a child with a disability.
Ellen Stumbo recently posted..Just for a day {a writing prompt}
THE ???? How do people even make their mouths form such words? Hideous.
Megan (FriedOkra) recently posted..The Parent ‘Hood, Week 1
There are simply no words for that shit fest.
Sarah Askins recently posted..For Richer or Poorer
As a conservative (in just about everything
), I find his comments disturbing (to put it mildly!), appalling, and certainly unbiblical. It shows how little people really know what the Bible does teach.
Lord God of life and love, we approach Your throne of grace at this special time of need for this man who has made comments that do not reflect Your will. We pray that Your Holy Spirit would work through Your Word to change his heart and then his words. Grant us the same mercy, lest in casting stones, we fall into the same sin. We need Your mercy every day, as does he. Give us hearts that are willing to come alongside others, even one like this politician, to show them what true Christian love is and what Your Word does teach. Give us patience and wisdom to speak and act in accordance with Your will; through Jesus Christ, Your Son, our Lord, who lives and reigns with You and the Holy Spirit, one God now and forever. Amen
Rich recently posted..Translations—Preliminary Evaluation
New levels of stupidity never cease to amaze me.
Lady Jennie recently posted..Appointments in Paris
As a newcomer to the USA, I wasn’t sure who this man was so after reading this post and being incredibly shocked and disappointed by his comments, I decided to google his name and see if he had made a comment on them. I found the below statement on his website(link):
http://delegatebob.com/news/blog-posts/catherine-marshalls-statement
Of course we are all right to be horrified by what was reported but the statement gave me pause and made me wonder about the truth of the original report. I’d like to extend grace to this man and give him the benefit of the doubt that this statement raises.
As a mom of two kids with pretty profound special needs, who we adopted from a family that made extremely bad choices, I’m ashamed to admit, but I felt it was in some ways because of them. The RAD and PTSD are. But the others? Well, that was 10 years ago. Life and the Spirit have made me see it like you said it: “You’re looking for someone to blame. There is no such cause-effect here. Look instead for what God can do.” And what he can do – what we’ve seen him do in the past year in one of our girls – is release her from oppression, emerge PTSD-free for the first time since she entered foster care at 2 months, and be off 5 of the 6 medications she needed. It has astonished the entire residential facility’s staff, and we tell them exactly Who did it. That makes it all worth it!!