Autistic Children Association Chair's Remarks Bring Controversy

[Geordie]

Autistic Children Association Chair's Remarks Bring Controversy - Bianet / English - Bianet

An autistic children association chairperson's remarks on autistic children being atheist enraged families and caregivers across Turkey.

"Autistic children are atheist. They can be converted to faith by therapy," said Fehmi Kaya, chairperson of Adana-based Autistic Children Health and Education Association.

Claiming that autistic children's brains are devoid of faith faculties, Kaya told Ihlas News Agency that they were going to collaborate with a local municipality to offer free therapy sessions to convert autistic children to faith.

Estimates say there are at least 700,000 autistic individuals in Turkey.

Nurşen Han?er, mother and autism center administrator, told bianet that no authority had the right to say such things on autistic children.

"He is an autistic children association chair, but he doesn't know what autism is. Those children can't even take care of themselves. They hardly communicate with others. How can they have religious education? I, myself, am a practicing Muslim. But such task is impossible," she said.

She also added: "Thry must offer more classes at rehab centers in the first place. They must resolve the mixing issue at public schools."

Adem Kuyumcu, A Life Without Disabilities Association chairperson, told bianet that some rehab centers under the umbrella of Turkey's National Education Ministry were recommend to add religion classes in their curriculum.

"These centers offer classes only 8 hours over month. This is not enough at all. There is a variety of things autistic children should learn in these 8 hours. Officials had to change mind upon families' criticism. I have been receiving complaint calls from families. We can't sue the association chair for his remarks, but we fear that the unscientific therapy practice could spread across the country," he said. (NV/BM)

 

[Jacki Cucinotta]

And he's the chairperson of the Autistic Children Health and Education Association?!?!?!?! Unbelievable!

I love how that nurse said it best! He really doesn't have a clue on what it's really like for children with autism. Someone in that position should be much more empathetic that that. In fact, I think empathy for autistic children should be a pre-requisite for that type of job or career.

 

[Douglas_MacNeill]

Autistic Children Association Chair's Remarks Bring Controversy - Bianet / English - Bianet

This smacks of attempts by conservative evangelical Christians to thrust
"conversion therapy" on any child of theirs who happens to be homosexual.
This whole approach presupposes that something has happened to make
the child "turn out wrong," justifying all forms of imposed treatment in order
to make the child "turn out right."

I find this absolutely grotesque, all the more so because I am a mainline Christian
who attends church almost every Sunday and participates in Bible study once a week.
And a person with a diagnosed autism spectrum disorder (DSM-IV Asperger's syndrome).

As for Nursen Hancar, Allah grant her a hundred years of life and great-grandsons to call her "matriarch."
May seventy-two virgin men attend on her in the afterlife to honour a holy warrior worthy of the title.
For truly she stood her ground to oppose an injustice. How dare Fehmi Kaya spout such thrice-damned
nonsense; he did more to harm the cause of Islam than a thousand terrorists.

 

[BK111]

Autistic children are not void of any faculty that allows them to partake in faith and in other religious rituals. And yet I must ask how this man can make the statement he did. :*( It's such a shame to see this said; but it must be noted that even with therapy, children in the end are the ones to decide what to believe in. So what should be taught is not faith or religion in therapy but how to extend themselves out to such higher powers--trust--if they wish to in regard to the supernatural.

I also do have a question for the article, though. What did she mean by "mixing issue in public schools?" I'm assuming it means mixing autistic children with non-autistic children in the classrooms, but if this is the case, then it would be really bad. Autistic children should be able to mix with non-autistic children if it comes to be for their benefit in their particular situations. Not everyone's autism warrants separation...I don't know what these people were even talking about. And for this, sometimes I must wonder where we are coming to.

 

[Geordie]

Yes. I suppose she meant mixing autistic children with non-autistic children in the classrooms. This is also an issue of concern.

Aren't we all human beings?

 

[BK111]

We are. We are human beings. What hurts the most, though, is that she does not contemplate fully how Autistic children are capable of the same things as non-autistic people. It hurts, but that is why we must explain to people how we are capable of such things.

 

[oscar2012]

As well as having a disability we also have the ability to be taught things to i believe. because i teach autistic children and they are awsome

 

[Jacki Cucinotta]

We are. We are human beings. What hurts the most, though, is that she does not contemplate fully how Autistic children are capable of the same things as non-autistic people. It hurts, but that is why we must explain to people how we are capable of such things.

I agree. And thank goodness that there IS awareness that children with autism can do things non-autistic children can do when given the chance.

 

[WildCat]

Wait, we can't take care of ourselves? AND we're devoid of understanding religion, right? Pfft. Some people are just better off keeping their mouths shut rather than spewing absolute nonsense. While I don't consider myself a religious type in my current state, I beg to differ when it comes to Nursen Hancar and her obviously stereotyped view of autistic children. It's also no surprise to me, either, that one of the default opinions of this chairman is that of autistic children as damaged or defective, and as such I don't feel this association is likely to bring any benefit over the long run to any autistic child.

 

[246819733791]

As an autistic atheist, I must say that her statements are (in addition to being offensive to autistic people), very offensive to atheists. It actually kind of scares me when people are so unquestioningly confident about their own religious beliefs that they assume everyone else should think the same way.

 

[Datura]

I recall hearing that atheism is strongly associated with Asperger's, but then learned the number of atheist aspies is estemated somewhere around 33% (if I recall) which would mean that more than half of people with the condition are still religious or spiritual in some capacity. Among those who believe in a creator, however, there is still a greater tendency toward personal belief systems as opposed to organised religion.

Seeing as this story came out of Turkey I suppose the attitude is less surprising than if this were published from somewhere like the U.S. or U.K. Still, it is desturbing that people look at atheism as a symptom that must be "cured." Religious freedom is a fundamental right, but as is all too often the case people with disabilities are often denied these rights.

This reminds me of a trainwreck of an article I read a while back. The author takes some major detours, but essentially argues that autists don't believe in God because they are fundamentally defective human beings. Sadly, it would seem others share his position.

 

[Douglas_MacNeill]

I recall hearing that atheism is strongly associated with Asperger's, but then learned the number of atheist aspies is estemated somewhere around 33% (if I recall) which would mean that more than half of people with the condition are still religious or spiritual in some capacity. Among those who believe in a creator, however, there is still a greater tendency toward personal belief systems as opposed to organised religion.

Seeing as this story came out of Turkey I suppose the attitude is less surprising than if this were published from somewhere like the U.S. or U.K. Still, it is desturbing that people look at atheism as a symptom that must be "cured." Religious freedom is a fundamental right, but as is all too often the case people with disabilities are often denied these rights.

This reminds me of a trainwreck of an article I read a while back. The author takes some major detours, but essentially argues that autists don't believe in God because they are fundamentally defective human beings. Sadly, it would seem others share his position.

That's odd; I happen to be a mainline Christian (Anglican Church of Canada) who found opportunities to question and
deepen his faith within the Anglican tradition. My version of Anglicanism has been called "eclectic," but it is still
well within Christianity as Anglicans understand it.
Note: Canadians quite naturally use Anglican, Anglicans, and Anglicanism; Americans can substitute Episcopal, Episcopalian,
and even Episcopalianism if need be.