Last weekend, conservatives lost their very minds over President Biden putting out an announcement for the Transgender Day of Visibility, which occurred the same day as Easter. Now, many of us just assumed that these were people who would prefer trans people be invisible and were particularly upset over them being recognized on Easter, because of how it’s their special day.
But, as it turns out, it is entirely possible some were just upset about the idea of awareness, in general, as a concept.
Trinity Christian Academy in Palm Beach County, Florida, canceled its Autism Awareness Week after the school’s lead pastor decided it was “demonic,” because people aren’t supposed to have identities outside of Jesus.
In a letter to parents, Pastor Matt Baker wrote:
“The word ‘Christian’ means ‘Like Christ,’ and it was given to the followers of Christ because they acted just like Jesus. Remember those bracelets from the 2000s that asked, ‘WWJD?’ If Jesus Christ led Trinity, would HE have an Autism Awareness Week? Of course not! Why? Because anything that exalts itself above the name of Christ should be brought down.
So Baker is basically saying that Jesus — were he to have been aware of the concept of autism, which was not a thing until 1911 — is so insecure that a week dedicated to making other people aware of autism would make him angry because it would be “exalting itself” above his name?
Also, anything that teaches our children to have their identity in anything other than Christ is idolatry and demonic. Let me repeat myself just so I am not quoted out of context: any philosophy, teaching, or program that teaches our precious children that their identity is found in anything other than Christ is idolatry and demonic. Period.
So autistic kids offend Jesus because he doesn’t think people should have identities outside of or in addition to him? How would that even be possible? Even Jesus had identities outside of being the son of God! He was a carpenter! That’s an identity. Would Jesus hate Carpenter Awareness Week, too?
The world, in its rejection and hatred of Christ, often devises programs such as ‘Autism Awareness’ (and cultural figures like the Easter Bunny and Santa Clause, etc.) to get the benefits of His teachings (compassion, kindness, feeling love, and self-worth) without acknowledging Jesus as the ultimate authority and the source of all life.
Santa Clause? I thought these people were supposed to love Tim Allen?
Jesus did not invent the concepts of “compassion, kindness, feeling love, and self-worth” (and, frankly, if Baker’s assessment is correct, he may need to do his own work on the latter). Those things existed before he was ever around. Additionally, I’m going to need to point out that what some people “hate” isn’t Jesus personally, but the very fact that many Christians (Matt Baker included!) are some of the least compassionate and most unkind people out there. I don’t believe that Jesus or anyone is the son of God, because I don’t believe there is a God to begin with — but I don’t have anything against him otherwise. Saying that people “reject and hate” Jesus when what they actually hate is bigotry is missing the point entirely.
But go off!
These initiatives imply that Jesus alone is insufficient, and we fail to recognize just how deeply they have permeated into our daily lives as Christians. As a result, we have ‘a form of godliness but deny its power (2 Timothy 3:5).'”
Yes, Jesus alone is insufficient in this regard. One of the main reasons for something like Autism Awareness Week is to help children understand what is going on with some of their classmates. The Bible doesn’t do that and neither does Jesus, because, again, people were not aware of the concept of autism until some 1900 years after Jesus was born.
Jesus is also an insufficient replacement for, say, Breast Cancer Awareness Day, as there is no chapter in the Bible on how to check one’s breasts for lumps or remember to get mammograms.
Parents of autistic children at the school were, naturally, pretty offended by the letter and the suggestion that a week of teaching kids to understand autism was “demonic,” and some are now considering pulling their kids out of the school entirely.
“The email comes, and I feel like my heart stops beating because not once but twice he says that wearing this title of autism is demonic. And my mouth was on the floor,” parent Andrea Gallik, whose son was recently diagnosed with Autism Spectrum Disorder (ASD) told WPTV. “I’m offended as a Christian because I feel that he is using the Bible for his own interpretation. And his interpretation is offensive. Not just to my son but to any child, adult afflicted with autism. Breaks my heart. It breaks my heart.” […]
“We were supposed to have ‘wear blue’ for World Autism Day. We were going do tie dye for celebrate neurodiversity, all fun things that just would have had kids learning a little bit more about autism and how to speak and act with their friends who have it,” Gallik continued.
These things are important. Sure, I suppose you could use the Bible to tell kids, “Hey, don’t be mean to the autistic kids,” but that isn’t all there is to understanding people and making them feel welcome and safe.
It remains unclear how or why Jesus would find any of that offensive. Especially the tie dye part, as it is my understanding from at least one community theater production of Godspell that it works fairly well with his aesthetic.
Following the outcry, Baker sent another letter to parents explaining that the school had adjusted celebrations for all of the holidays, including Christmas and Easter, and that they decided to get rid of Autism Awareness Week because “the teachings of Christ are more than sufficient for ministering to all our precious children and that there were moral aspects of this initiative that were diametrically opposed to the teachings of Christ.”
He did not see fit to explain exactly which aspects of the initiative would have upset Jesus so terribly, though he did assure parents that the school supports Individualized Education Plans (IEPs) for children with special needs. He also claimed that the response to his letter was “overwhelmingly positive” and that the only people who complained were those who “misunderstand our message.”
I fully admit to not understanding his message, and I don’t think that’s just because my entire understanding of Christianity comes from musical theater, the endless explanations of who it is that Christians are allowed to be horrible to, and the endless list of things that are supposedly “demonic.” I don’t even think Baker understands his own message, because if he did, he would have been specific in some way other than just saying “Jesus wouldn’t have liked it.”
Thankfully, for these kids, the school year is ending soon and their parents will be free to find a school for next year that is not run by a moron.
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