News by email Donate

Suggestions

Top Stories

Most Read

Popular Videos

wheelchair-1595794_960_720_article_image.jpg
UK News

Charity urges people to view disabled people as Jesus did

by Eno Adeogun

The comments follow a poll by charity Scope of more than 1,000 disabled adults which found that more than a quarter believe the London Paralympics failed to have a positive legacy.

Thirty eight per cent of disabled people felt attitudes had not improved towards them since 2012 and three-quarters didn't see improvements in the way members of the public talk to them either.

Dr Mike Townsend, Chairman of Christian Disabled Charity, Through the Roof, and also blind, challenged people's view of disabled people on Premier's News Hour.

He said: "I think when people see me with my guide dog, or someone with a wheelchair, they see the chair and the dog and they don't see me or the person in the chair.

"What we're doing in Through the Roof is attempting to change attitudes. Helping people to see people as Jesus did. I am Mike, I'm not one of 'them', I am me - Mike."

One in six said they had been spoken to in a patronising way since London 2012, with the figure rising to a third for disabled people aged 18 to 34.

Wikimedia Commons

The poll was commissioned for the fifth anniversary of the Games. It comes as Through the Roof is also celebrating 20 years of "transforming lives Through Jesus With Disabled People", as stated on the charity's website.

While Scope's chief executive Mark Atkinson said the findings were "incredibly disappointing" following the "tremendous success" of the London Paralympics, Townsend said he viewed the results more positively.

He said: "Quite a lot of people thought things had changed.

"I believe in our churches we're doing a bit better. We're seeing quite a lot of changed attitudes in church. I go to quite a lot of churches...and sometimes I find them now...much more welcoming of disabled people than they were 20 years ago.

"As a blind person I quite often get people coming up to me if I go to a new church and say 'would you like some brail or can I offer you some large print'?

Townsend however acknowledged that more needs to be done to change people's attitudes towards disabled people.

He said: "Having said that, I've got a very visible disability, I come in with a dog and some people come in with a wheelchair. If you've got a hidden disability such as a mental disability or a learning disability it's much harder a - to spot that and to react to it.

"So I think we need to think about how people behave and how we can welcome people as individuals because everyone if different when they come to church. Some are old, some are young, some have got financial problems, some people have disabilities but we are all people and if we think of people as Jesus did then I believe that changes attitudes."

Listen to Dr Mike Townsend speaking with Premier's Alex Williams:

A Monthly Gift Of $11 Makes A World Of Difference

In a world of fake news there’s never been a greater need for quality Christian journalism. Premier’s mission is to provide the Church with the most up to date and relevant news, told from a Christian perspective. But we can’t do it without you.

Unlike many websites we haven't put up a paywall — we want to keep our journalism free at the point of need and as open as we can. Premier’s news output takes a lot of time, money and hard work to produce. No one in the USA is sharing news like we are across radio, magazines and online so please help us to continue that today.

For a monthly gift of $11 or more we’d also be able to send you a free copy of the brand new Premier Bible, a wonderful Anglicised version of the NLT packed with exclusive bonus content, reading plan and resources to help you get the most out of scripture.

Your monthly support will make a world of difference. Thank you.

Support Us
Continue the conversation on our Facebook page

Related Articles

Sign up to our newsletter to stay informed with news from a Christian perspective.

News by email

Connect

Donate

Donate