"For I Am The Lord And Not a Conjuror"

The Dem-centric web site Politico, no friend, of Sarah Palin, today ran an editorial by Gary Bauer, Trig Palin has divided America.

Mr. Bauer observes that Trig Palin, a Down's child of less than two years of age, has become a symbol of the evil in the heart of the Left.

Money grafs:

A Paliban Daily article titled “Sarah Palin’s Retarded Platform: More Trigs!” interpreted Palin’s outspokenness on disability rights as a political ploy to win votes. Other articles contained subtle but unmistakable eugenic overtones.

Those reactions echoed the hateful response that met Palin when she introduced Trig on the campaign trail last fall. Nicholas Provenzo of the libertarian Center for the Advancement of Capitalism discussed being “troubled” by Trig’s existence because “it is crucial to reaffirm the morality of aborting a fetus diagnosed with Down syndrome.”

Sadly, such hatred reflects a broader societal bias against disability. Polls suggest public support for abortion is highest when the child is likely to have a deformity or a genetic condition.

Yes, yes, and yes. Trig Palin is an in-your-face reminder to those advocating the extermination of the weak through abortion that they are inexcusably, hideously, and cruelly wrong. Trig is a stumbling block to those, particularly on the Left (and the atheist Right) who think that children like Trig should be flushed down an abortionist's toilet and quietly forgotten. (I use the term 'Left' because I refuse to call anyone who wants to kill the retarded a 'liberal'.)

I find Trig-bashing deeply and personally offensive. I have three special needs kids at home: all of whom are autistic--which the doctors (particularly, ahem, the vaccine-producing doctors) are all insisting is entirely a genetic condition, that is, a defect-from-conception like that of Trig. So those who think that Trig should cease to be simply because of a DNA defect, in effect, hold a gun to the face of my children.

I don't like that.

Now, what I find interesting is the level of insideousness of those who think he should be eliminated and his mother silenced. One sarcastic poster at Politico, one Pray4Trig, advocates the following:

I've been so disgusted by the bashing of poor little Trig for all this time, that I finally decided to do something concrete about it instead of just complaining online. On Trig's next birthday (April 18, 2010), there will be a worldwide day of prayer, joining congregations across the globe asking God to make Trig whole. If such a documented miracle doesn't demonstrate God's Majesty to the masses, I don't know what will! A friend agreed to host a website, www.pray4trig.com for me.

Nice, Pray4Trig. You know as well as I do that Trig will not be "healed." That is not God's way.

After it's over, Pray4Trig will then no doubt trumpet God's refusal to heal him as an example of the fact that there is no God and the universe doesn't care if we kill weaklings among us.

But I can also say this: an 'imperfect' child indeed has a role to play in this world, and is no 'useless eater' to be consumed by the State.

And those of us who are raising these special children know that God's ways are not our ways.

This is best illustrated in a novel from the 1990s, Morris West's The Clowns of God. In the final chapter of the book, the risen-and-returned Christ holds a "mongoloid" child in his lap, and speaks as follows:

"I know what you are thinking. You need a sign. What better one could I give you than to make this little one whole and new? I could do it; but I will not. I am the Lord and not a conjuror. I gave this mite a gift I denied all of you – eternal innocence. To you, the child looks imperfect: but to Me the child is flawless; like the bud that dies unopened or the fledging that falls from the nest to be devoured by the ants. This child will never offend Me, as all of you have done. This child will never pervert or destroy the work of My Father's hands. This child is necessary to you. This child will evoke the kindness that will keep you human. His infirmity will prompt you to gratitude for your own good fortune. More! She will remind you everyday that I am who I am, that My ways are not yours, and that the smallest dust mote whirled in the darkest space does not fall out of My hand. I have chosen you. You have not chosen Me. This little one is My sign to you. Treasure her!"

Indeed. Treasure them all. And kill none of them.

Now and forever. Amen.

ADDENDUM 12:30 AM

I've gotten some comments from one "Shirlee", who claims to be Pray4Trig, whom I mentioned above--posted on another thread, as I'd taken this one out long enough to edit it a little bit.

His/her/its comments are worthy of reposting in full with my answer. To wit:

Shirlee said...

I see your little post accusing me of being "sarcastic" has been removed.

Clearly, you are an atheist, who hates God and pretends He doesn't exist. However, the pray4trig website is quite serious.

Jesus promised He would answer the prayers of the faithful. So, why do you think He would not answer a prayer to heal Trig Palin?

This miracle will demonstrate to the world that God is the One True God.

[July 17, 2009 11:17 PM EDT]


Richard L. Kent, Esq. (rkentesqva at yahoo.com) said...

It hasn't been removed. I just wanted to edit it before reposting it.

And I'm not buying your faithfulness for an instant.

My experience--one that has brought me through fields of mass murder victims, to face down His genocidal enemies face to face, to raise children which He has decreed must be 'lessened' by imperfection, to live in a town simmering in hatreds--is that God's way is not to remove suffering but to teach us to be our whole selves through that suffering.

Your advocacy of Trig's "healing" is a mockery. I don't buy it for a nickel (and you know how little a nickel is worth these days).

No, Shirlee, I don't buy you as serious at all. I can smell sarcasm from a furlong away.

BTW, before you call me an 'atheist' (at which I laugh) read this blog -- hey, read this post! -- in its entirety.

[July 18, 2009 12:15 AM EDT]

PS. Dear Shirlee: Christian don't mean 'stupid.'

PPS. "Thou shalt not put the Lord thy God to the test."

ADDENDUM

I have noted that the quote from The Clowns of God above had pronouns changed (this is what I get for going to Google instead of the source text). I have restored the original.