Sunday, March 17, 2019

The Power of Prayer

For some reason my recent journeys to college have included a prayer session.
A two floor building built of brick stands at the end of a long paved walkway lined with lawns and tall trees. In the foreground is a fountain of water.
College

A young woman at the college bus stop a couple of weeks ago saw me and  decided that I am in need of prayer. I am not sure if she is a student at the college, there are houses all around the campus. She is there at 3.30pm same time as me and Leif my guide dog.

It was Leif that first got her to speak to me. She asked if she could pet him, I try to say yes if we are not actually walking so she did stroke his head and shoulders.

The next time she was there she started to tell me about her church as she stroked Leif. Then asked if she could pray for a cure for me. I just shrugged, so she started right there and prayed over me.

Embarrassing.

Has someone ever prayed over you in the street? See what other disabled people say. Click here.




Thursday, March 7, 2019

Inspiration Porn?

There is a great deal of talk in the disabled world discussing "Inspiration Porn."

But What is Inspiration Porn?
A red stop traffic light.
Stop Inspiration Porn


Inspiration Porn is all around us. Able bodied people everyday share online images of disabled people, doing inspirational things, amputees running on blade legs, blind people walking down the street with a dog or cane.

The person who tells you that they know someone who is really disabled. They are a friend, relative or neighbor, you know, they can get up in the morning, always cheerful, go to church willing to help even though they have no legs or arms, completely blind and deaf too.

Ok so I am going over the top there. So let's see what others say about Inspiration Porn?

Tuesday, March 5, 2019

God Punished you?

I was on the bus today. Just a normal ride home from college.

Leif was quietly lying under my seat, as he does most of the time.

A woman got onto the bus which was quite full and after a few moments started talking to me. She opened up the conversation with the usual "Cute dog."
Would God take away one of his most wonderful creations out of spite? I think Not.
An Eye

So I agreed, smiling, trying to be friendly. Telling her he is.

Then her tone began to turn. Accusing me of being evil. So evil in fact that God obviously thought it a fitting punishment to make me blind. Then to send me an evil beast to be my companion.

This bus ride was now getting to the realms of scary.
I have never considered that people have such views, but  this woman put me in a nasty place.

I decided to put a question on Quora about this and took a look at the results.

SeSoe peoples answer to the question of is Blindness a punishment from God here

What do you think? I am honestly shocked by peoples attitudes to blindness.

It all makes me wonder about my own beliefs.

After all if I believe He created all things to be as they are. I do believe for my part that my blindness is only a challenge. But if others see it as punishment against me, then can that God be the same God? As my God created those who want me punished for their imagined evil.