The religious model of disability.
It doesn’t just belong to one faith. But it continues to do real harm across many.
In Western contexts, Christianity has been especially influential, framing disabled people as cursed, sinful, or sent to “teach others” something. We’re turned into metaphors. Our lives become spiritual object lessons.
But this model appears in other traditions too.
In some interpretations of Islam, disability is seen as a test from Allah, a reason to be patient or a way to bring others closer to faith. Compassion is encouraged, but pity still lurks.
In Hinduism, karma is sometimes used to explain disability as a consequence of past-life actions, fueling stigma and shame, even when combined with stories of divine difference.
Buddhist views can also frame disability as a karmic result or a path toward detachment, encouraging compassion but still casting us as passive or burdensome.
Judaism has both exclusionary laws and powerful teachings about justice and dignity, some texts limit full participation, but modern re-readings challenge that.
Even in Indigenous and global faiths, disabled people might be seen as sacred in one context and shunned in another. Culture and theology shape how our bodies are read.
So it’s not just about belief. It’s about power.
When religion teaches that some bodies are purer, more sacred, or closer to enlightenment than others, it makes it easier to ignore injustice. It’s not enough to preach compassion while voting for cuts. Or pray for healing instead of fighting for access.
But I respect the many people of faith who build real community, who fight inequality, and who welcome difference without trying to fix it. That solidarity matters.
But we have to name the harm too.
We don’t need to be healed.
We need to be heard.
