New Jersey Catholic church lambasted for denying autistic boy, 8, First Communion 'because his disability means he can't determine right from wrong', parents say
7
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12 comments
Feel free to reply to any comment by clicking the "Reply" button.My question would be why does being autistic mean that you do not know right from wrong?
DenoPenno
Level 9
Mar 13, 2020
1
It depends on the severity of the autism, I suppose. I currently know two autistic children of friends - one is verbal, interacts with others, and has a delayed, but evident, sense of right and wrong. The other is far more severe, is nonverbal, and I sincerely doubt that he has any sense of right and wrong.
I have an autistic grandson, of 20 years of age. He is mildy autistic, needed home schooling, but he knows right from wrong, drives more safely than his mother, works f/t, can cook like crazy, does not try to sneak ghost peppers into his meals!
I'm afraid that I don't see the problem here. I mean, if he can't know right from wrong, doesn't that mean that he can't sin?
Presumably he was baptized at birth, and everything afterward is of no consequence due to disability, right? So what would communion even be for?
My knowledge of Catholicism is limited; am I missing something here?
AmyTheBruce
Level 7
Mar 12, 2020
2
You are missing the fact that "men of the cloth" are often incapable of rational thought.
He is an 8 year old child being told he is "not right" and cannot do what all his friends are doing, this "priest" is setting the boy up for disappointment, derision and bullying from his peers and ignorant arseholes in the congrgation who will see his denial of the communion as evidence of possession or evil spirits.
@LenHazell53 ooh... that's right...
I guess I forgot about the public nature of communion - everyone can see who takes it and who does not.
I would say then at least half the priests also don't qualify.
JackPedigo
Level 9
Mar 12, 2020
4
If Anthony's parents had any sense, they'd realize that the rcc isn't worth wanting
to be a part of.
They should also be glad their son isn't part of a system that protects pedophiles and moves them around to other parishes instead of turning them over to the police.
KKGator
Level 9
Mar 12, 2020
3
Wow, the comments just write themselves. The Rev. John Bambrick decided the boy cannot distinguish between right and wrong -- without ever meeting the child?
I assume that the Rev. can produce his own right and wrong certification on request. I know that is presumed since he is ordained but I'd like to see some supporting documentation. Lol.
RichCC
Level 8
Mar 12, 2020
3
I find it ironic that this boy was denied communion because he is not able to distinguish right from wrong; yet their religion is based on the story that all of humanity was punished, and we all deserve to go to hell for being born human, because the first humans ate from a forbidden tree--BEFORE they knew right from wrong.
Joanne
Level 7
Mar 12, 2020
3
If we want freedom from religion, we can't deny freedom of religion.
Why shouldn't they be free to practice their religion as they choose ?
FearlessFly
Level 9
Mar 12, 2020
3
Gee but isn't that as God made him? Isn't he still one of God's children and all that kind of shit?
Sgt_Spanky
Level 8
Mar 12, 2020
6
That's the same argument I use when believers want to slam gay or trans people.
I ask them where they get off disrespecting any of their god's creations?
If their god made everyone in his own image, maybe god is gay or trans.
They usually swear at me and run away at that point.
@KKGator God could be gay or trans. There's nothing in the bible definitively stating he isn't.
Any excuse to oppress "everybody who is not like us". That is beyond disgusting.
anglophone
Level 9
Mar 12, 2020
5
Heck, I know of this guy who doesn't acknowledge or care about right/wrong. Don't know if he's autistic. Some people think he was sent to us by god.
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