Historical Context

The historical context of discrimination and neglect of people with a disability can be traced back to the times of the Bible. In the Bible, there were numerous connections made between sin and disability. In John 9:1-3, the word states, “As he went along, he saw a man blind from birth. His disciples asked him, “Rabbi, who sinned, this man or his parents, that he was born blind? “Neither this man nor his parents sinned,” said Jesus, “but this happened so that the works of God might be displayed in him.”  In these verses, Jesus himself corrects his disciples and makes it clear that this man’s disability was not due to him sinning or something passed down from his parents' wrongings. This highlights the mindset of people 2,000 years ago, linking this concept of someone with disabilities to sin, evil, and not of God. We will never know why God puts certain people through such tragedies and conditions, but it could simply be for the goodness of the human heart and to have the ability to care for another in need with empathy.