Why are there people who are mentally handicapped?

Question

Spiritually, what is the purpose of individuals in the world who are mentally handicapped? ex. Autism, MR, Savants (sp??)etc... I just went to a convention where I met Kim Peek, the real Rain Man. He was very interesting. He is a very special man.

Thank you for your responses: revulayshuns, roadrunner, 2 happily married americans

Thank you for your responses: Kait and Curious

What I wanted to see with my question was a percentage of answers that had experienced the joy of a special person as the handicapped person...in their lives. Many times they are a blessing to a family when most people think that they are not. Our Heavenly Father knows what we need in our lives. He knows what can fufill us emotionally and spiritually. I have been blessed by having a mentally challenged little brother. He is 39 now, and is still a true blessing to our family. He was born with water on his brain. He was a Hydrocephalis baby. He has a purpose in this life. What I have seen of his purpose...was to bring a family together closely, to encourage patience, love and humbleness....etc....Yes...I believe he has a spiritual purpose in life...

Answer 1

The simple answer to your question "Why" is because of the fall.
Deuteronomy 8:4 gives us a little glimpse of how things might have been in the original creation. “Thy raiment waxed not old upon thee, neither did thy foot swell, these forty years.” God is omnipotent and perfectly capable of sustaining and protecting his creation.
When Adam sinned, however, the Lord cursed the universe. In essence there was a change and along with that change God seemingly took away a little bit of his sustaining power and allowed things like suffering and retardation into His creation. Now He permits bad things to happen—and this is a reminder that sin has consequences and that the world needs a Savior. Romans 8:22 says, “For we know that the whole creation groaneth and travaileth in pain together until now.”

God allows these "special" people to come into our lives for a reason. I never really understood that handicapped people could contribute soooooo much love to society until my life was touched by it. My Grandson was born with Downs Syndrome. I cried for two years after his birth, but then finally got over my heartbreak and just started to enjoy him like I have my other grandchildren. He has brought so much love and light into the lives of many people. Somehow, God blesses these children differently than other children. They truly are a "special gift" from God.
I know that all Mothers love their children, but I believe that my daughter was chosen by God to be blessed with this little boy because she has an abundance of love to give.
Society pities and looks down on the handicapped, but I believe that they are a blessing in disguise because of what they can teach us about love.

Answer 2

Since you put this in spirituality I assume you want a spiritual answer.

1) Sin causes degration which causes genetic problems. The sins of the fathers are visited on the children to the 3rd and 4th generation. This is most obvious in things like fetal alcohol.

2)God has a special work for everyone. Some work takes a different way of thinking.

Answer 3

You can learn much from getting to know someone who is living with mental retardation, autism, or other mental or physical disabilities.

Given the circumstances of ones life, how they form their connections, how they try to fit into society, how they make their way, its all a good lesson for those of us who got off easy and got born "normal". I have many friends who have different specialties....one older woman I became very good friends with was bipolar, and hospitalized for many years because of it. I learned more from visiting her in a nursing home than I learned from any one teacher in school. My work has let me get to know some people who are considered "functionally retarded", and they are such happy people, hard workers, loyal friends, sweet, and also have sadness from the way they get mistreated sometimes, but because they are missing some of the elements of a higher IQ, they are also not worrying as much about, have fewer panic disorders, are more content with what they have, don't seem overwhelmed by the nastiness in the world. They see with a childlike view forever. My nephew is autistic, and has never spoken. At age 2, he found a scrabble game and started spelling out the words to what he wanted to say. He has incredible mechanical ability, learns well, but has severe interpersonal communication and bonding problems. He is going to graduate with his class, and his testing scores are way above the other kids on math and science. He designs, draws, was an escape artist as a kid, and is a lot like "rain man" with music, numbers, words. But he will probably never live alone, or be married.

I don't know if God made them this way for us to learn how to be better humans, that is just too out there for me. But I think everyone he creates is unique and has something to offer us. There is a lot to learn from one who has overcome huge obstacles. I also have a nephew who was born four months preemie. He weighed less than 2 pounds. He is now 3, and just a miracle to us. His compassion for others at age 2 was amazing. Usually two year olds are only thinking of themselves, but he notices if another person is hurting, sad, or needs a hug. (He was learning in that first very tough year how important that is.) His little sis was only 4 pounds when she was born, and at a year and a half ,she could put together letter puzzles, and knew about half the alphabet. Both had some difficulty in the first few months, but really great parents, and are thriving. It has given the rest of us a chance to look at our own lives and say, well, if they can do that, what is holding us back?

Answer 4

There are so many reasons for this type of mental suffering and may stem from actions of a past life or it may be some kind of default during pregnancy Some of the ageless wisdom teaching say that some of the people who are now suffering form a mental illness are people who have inflicted mental pain on others in a past life but all in all there are many reasons for this type of suffering.

Answer 5

It is a birth defect. Some is caused by the mother drinking alcohol while carrying the baby....and other reasons I'm sure. If the mother smokes while pregnant her baby will be very small.....

Answer 6

Rain man is a good example of how little science knows about anything! also a good argument against using abortion to rid the world of such people! who Know's how many "gifted" people, who hold the cure for many of our social and medical problems, that have been slain by our abortion mills! spiritually, and morally wrong !

Answer 7

If people weren't "handicapped" by a simplistic reading of religion and had a little scientific education, they would see that God doesn't come into it. Whether he exists or not the world operates on a day to day basis as if he did not. People who believe he spends all his time jerking the puppet strings must have a very weird time figuring out just what is he up to!!

Answer 8

Genetics

Spiritually - I guess you could say that they show us how feeble and fragile we are, how lucky we may be to be as capable as we are, emphathy, love, sacrifice, committment, resposibility, value...

We are not a species above ourselves....not yet anyway...

Answer 9

Purpose? I can't think of a purpose.
My daughter has Autism and I believe it was vaccine induced. I also think I was warned by God before hand and didn't listen!

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Answer 10

Many menthal handicapped have special skills, they can be true genies