I've never had an abortion but I have a disabled child (who happens to be the third child). The church's abysmal treatment of me, because I had the temerity to have a disabled child, was probably a bigger reason for my leaving than my loss of faith, or my subsequent coming out as gay. The latter two situations I could blame on myself, but I knew I had nothing whatsoever to do with my child being born autistic (I've never had an abortion FYI).
I've often wondered if these people are so terrified of disability, they have to make up that sort of cr*p to reassure themselves it couldn't happen to them.
It's just so awful when you meet religious parents at parents support groups, and they are just torturing themselves with "Why did God do this to my child? What sin have I committed?" Many of them are ostracised by their religious communities, especially the Pentacostal/Charismatic churches that believe in miracle healings and prosperity preaching, because they have no explanations and no support for the families. All they will say is stuff like "God will never burden you with more than you can handle" (which is precious little help the 6th night in a row you've been kept up by a screaming, hyperactive child, with no respite).
The false hope that these parents get is dreadful too - I knew a 30 year old man with a heart condition and Down's Syndrome who had been taken to Lourdes every year of his life, and every year, he genuinely believed if he had enough faith, he'd be healed. It's monstrous! I've seen parents weeping and crying to God to save their sick child, only for the child to die, and then feel responsible because they didn't have enough faith.
Meanwhile, churches complain about having to install disabled access and treat disability and sickness as a curse.
