Special Needs Immuned from Accountability?

[Bini]

I have heard people say (LDS and Non-LDS) that individuals with "special needs" were people in the preexistence that were extremely righteous. Because of this, the Lord basically granted them immunity from having to go through life's trials and created them with "special" conditions that made it so they could not be accountable for their actions. Thus, getting a shoo-in through the pearly white gates.

Obviously, I'm not referring to all special needs cases. I'm talking about people born with severe mental afflictions that make them unaccountable for their actions. I worked with a fifteen year old boy that was very low functioning and with severe autism. He had no verbal skills and was extremely aggressive. Many times he hurt himself and hurt others. On one occasion I dialed 911 for medical assistance and help from the police. Even after such an ordeal, I knew all of it came from him being mentally challenged and confused.

So are people with special needs "protected" by their disability placed upon them by God? Do they automatically go to heaven? My knowledge of the Gospel is very basic and my understanding of scriptures and Gospel Doctrine etc etc is pretty much zilch. But I have wondered and was curious if this has been addressed by the Church.

[HEthePrimate]

I have heard people say (LDS and Non-LDS) that individuals with "special needs" were people in the preexistence that were extremely righteous. Because of this, the Lord basically granted them immunity from having to go through life's trials and created them with "special" conditions that made it so they could not be accountable for their actions. Thus, getting a shoo-in through the pearly white gates.

Obviously, I'm not referring to all special needs cases. I'm talking about people born with severe mental afflictions that make them unaccountable for their actions. I worked with a fifteen year old boy that was very low functioning and with severe autism. He had no verbal skills and was extremely aggressive. Many times he hurt himself and hurt others. On one occasion I dialed 911 for medical assistance and help from the police. Even after such an ordeal, I knew all of it came from him being mentally challenged and confused.

So are people with special needs "protected" by their disability placed upon them by God? Do they automatically go to heaven? My knowledge of the Gospel is very basic and my understanding of scriptures and Gospel Doctrine etc etc is pretty much zilch. But I have wondered and was curious if this has been addressed by the Church.

First, I don't know that having challenges like this in our mortal life is any indication of one's righteousness in the pre-existence.

Second, I think it's obvious that some people are not accountable, or have different degrees of accountability.

Third, the Church recognizes this and sees no need to baptize such people. After all, if they're not accountable, they have no need to be cleansed of their sins. Furthermore, unbaptized "special needs" people are also sometimes allowed in the temple. Again, they are innocent, and so there is no reason they shouldn't enter the temple.

Of course, if they're dangerous, steps should be taken to protect people (and to keep them from hurting themselves, for that matter), but they are not morally culpable.

HEP

[Celica]

I work in the disability sector, I feel that all people are held resonable for their own actions including persons with disabilities. Example: A disabled person does something illegal does not mean they are exempted from a court of law or criminal charges.

Then again I'm talking about here on earth, I really don't know what will happen to disability persons in the afterlife. Since we're all childern of God and he is our father, I think he'll treat us all the same.

[Guest]

First, I don't know that having challenges like this in our mortal life is any indication of one's righteousness in the pre-existence.

Second, I think it's obvious that some people are not accountable, or have different degrees of accountability.

Third, the Church recognizes this and sees no need to baptize such people. After all, if they're not accountable, they have no need to be cleansed of their sins. Furthermore, unbaptized "special needs" people are also sometimes allowed in the temple. Again, they are innocent, and so there is no reason they shouldn't enter the temple.

Of course, if they're dangerous, steps should be taken to protect people (and to keep them from hurting themselves, for that matter), but they are not morally culpable.

HEP

About that being baptized... I would think they'd still want to be baptized just like Jesus got baptized even free from sin. But then, I don't know the church position on this. Just my own thoughts.

[NeuroTypical]

Some folks with severe mental handicaps don't get baptized, because they're not capable of making covenants.

But yes, there is a wide range of disabilities. I'm occasionally around groups of these great kids. Yes indeed they are capable of learning right from wrong. It gets expressed in different and maybe more extreme ways, but the same issues with learning to share, not to hit, to be nice, to help, to stop being mean - same stuff going on as with any other group of kids.

LM

[skippy740]

I work in the disability sector, I feel that all people are held resonable for their own actions including persons with disabilities. Example: A disabled person does something illegal does not mean they are exempted from a court of law or criminal charges.

Then again I'm talking about here on earth, I really don't know what will happen to disability persons in the afterlife. Since we're all childern of God and he is our father, I think he'll treat us all the same.

I think we're talking about those who are very low functioning - who can't really take care of themselves, let alone do anything illegal.

Those who can do something illegal are able to make decisions and choices between right and wrong, and I don't think we're talking about those people in this thread.

I'm thinking of those who are essentially paralyzed by their disorders - needing a special chair, etc. Not that the church has come out with an official statement on what conditions the person needs to be in in order to be considered "extra valiant" in the pre-mortal life.

I've also heard the "Mormon folklore" about the disabled person who wanted a patriarchal blessing and was told that they personally cast out Lucifer from our HF presence. Again, I consider it "Mormon folklore", but it does emphasize what we're talking about.

[havejoy]

My son is 29 years old, has Down syndrome and is autistic. He has a testable IQ of a little over 20. He obviously cannot decide what is right or wrong, make covenants, or be held accountable for his actions. He is verbally extremely low functioning and spends most of his free time spinning a gyroscope or rolling a ball or playing with his barrel of monkeys. Yet there is something very special and spiritual about him. My home feels better when he is in it.

Did he do something pretty cool in the pre-existence? I don't dread death the way a lot of people do because I can hardly wait to find out what it was.

[Bini]

First, I don't know that having challenges like this in our mortal life is any indication of one's righteousness in the pre-existence.

Second, I think it's obvious that some people are not accountable, or have different degrees of accountability.

Third, the Church recognizes this and sees no need to baptize such people. After all, if they're not accountable, they have no need to be cleansed of their sins. Furthermore, unbaptized "special needs" people are also sometimes allowed in the temple. Again, they are innocent, and so there is no reason they shouldn't enter the temple.

Of course, if they're dangerous, steps should be taken to protect people (and to keep them from hurting themselves, for that matter), but they are not morally culpable.

Thank you, HEP. I did not know this.

Some folks with severe mental handicaps don't get baptized, because they're not capable of making covenants.

But yes, there is a wide range of disabilities. I'm occasionally around groups of these great kids. Yes indeed they are capable of learning right from wrong. It gets expressed in different and maybe more extreme ways, but the same issues with learning to share, not to hit, to be nice, to help, to stop being mean - same stuff going on as with any other group of kids.

They are great kids :]

The boy I worked with though does not fit the description you refer to. He did not know right from wrong, despite continuous efforts to correct and redirect certain behaviours. All his actions were instinctual, much like an animal, as harsh as that may sound. He wasn't baptized but then again he was not a member of the Church either. There were times when I was with him that I wished someone could bless him and place a calm on him. Even if it were only for one night. Then maybe he might be able to sleep peacefully instead of being in a state of confusion and torment. He cried so much :[

I think we're talking about those who are very low functioning - who can't really take care of themselves, let alone do anything illegal.

Those who can do something illegal are able to make decisions and choices between right and wrong, and I don't think we're talking about those people in this thread.

I'm thinking of those who are essentially paralyzed by their disorders - needing a special chair, etc. Not that the church has come out with an official statement on what conditions the person needs to be in in order to be considered "extra valiant" in the pre-mortal life.

I've also heard the "Mormon folklore" about the disabled person who wanted a patriarchal blessing and was told that they personally cast out Lucifer from our HF presence. Again, I consider it "Mormon folklore", but it does emphasize what we're talking about.

This is very interesting! I have not heard this one. What a neat thought if it were true :]

My son is 29 years old, has Down syndrome and is autistic. He has a testable IQ of a little over 20. He obviously cannot decide what is right or wrong, make covenants, or be held accountable for his actions. He is verbally extremely low functioning and spends most of his free time spinning a gyroscope or rolling a ball or playing with his barrel of monkeys. Yet there is something very special and spiritual about him. My home feels better when he is in it.

Did he do something pretty cool in the pre-existence? I don't dread death the way a lot of people do because I can hardly wait to find out what it was.

I currently teach and care for a little boy that does pretty much the same thing your son does :] He is very content sitting on his beanbag and squeezing his squish ball. He doesn't talk and when he "wants" something it's often very challenging to pinpoint what that is. But there is something very special about him. Something that I have not really felt from other individuals that I have worked with.

[rayhale]

I’ve heard this too, I don’t know if it is true, but it brings the question that if extremely handicapped people were so valiant in the Pre-existence that they were spared being tested on earth, then what about all the prophets throughout time, especially Adam/Michael the Archangel? They were EXTREAMLY valiant in the Pre-existence but were NOT spared being tested here on earth.

On a side note, I saw an obituary of a ‘special needs’ person that said that he went to a ‘special needs’ ward, it said, all the leaders, and teachers, of this ‘special’ ward, are experts on ‘special needs’ people.

I can't help to think that this helps teaching them better, since otherwise they get stuck with being taught like children, which, the ones that are adults, are not, and they don’t learn the same way. I wonder if this is a Church-wide thing, or a local one, that the Church has approved?