{"id":1678,"date":"2023-09-14T20:55:51","date_gmt":"2023-09-14T20:55:51","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/cccfornews.com\/index.php\/2023\/09\/14\/resignation-of-missouri-pastor-who-described-autism-as-a-demon\/"},"modified":"2023-09-14T20:55:51","modified_gmt":"2023-09-14T20:55:51","slug":"resignation-of-missouri-pastor-who-described-autism-as-a-demon","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/cccfornews.com\/index.php\/2023\/09\/14\/resignation-of-missouri-pastor-who-described-autism-as-a-demon\/","title":{"rendered":"Resignation of Missouri Pastor Who Described Autism as a &#8216;Demon&#8217;"},"content":{"rendered":"<p> <br \/>\n<\/p>\n<div id=\"article_content\">\n<header>\n<div class=\"article-byline has-tools\">\n<div class=\"article-tools\"><a href=\"#cp-talk\" class=\"has-number talk-cp-255540\" data-scrollto=\".viafoura\" aria-label=\"Go to comments\"><img decoding=\"async\" src=\"https:\/\/cdn.christianpost.com\/assets\/img\/icon\/chat-rect.svg\" alt=\"\"\/><span class=\"number\"\/><\/a><a href=\"\" class=\"js-share\" aria-label=\"Share\" id=\"share-btn\"><img decoding=\"async\" src=\"https:\/\/cdn.christianpost.com\/assets\/img\/icon\/share-outline.svg\" alt=\"\"\/><\/a><\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/header>\n<figure class=\"img-box align-center center\" itemscope=\"\" itemtype=\"https:\/\/schema.org\/ImageObject\"><picture width=\"760\" height=\"474\"><source type=\"image\/webp\" srcset=\"https:\/\/cdn.christianpost.com\/images\/cache\/image\/15\/03\/150319_w_760_474.webp\"><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" src=\"https:\/\/cdn.christianpost.com\/images\/cache\/image\/15\/03\/150319_w_760_474.png\" class=\"type:primaryImage\" width=\"760\" height=\"474\"\/><\/source><\/picture><figcaption class=\"caption\"><span class=\"photo-des\">Pastor Rick Morrow of Beulah Church in Richland, Missouri.<\/span> | <span class=\"credit\">Screengrab: YouTube\/Beulah Church<\/span><\/figcaption><\/figure>\n<p>A Missouri pastor who recently told his congregation that autism is a demon that can be cast out by Christians and pointed to many examples of this recorded online, has resigned as a member of the board of the <a href=\"https:\/\/www.stoutlandschools.com\/vnews\/display.v\/ART\/5148b5095753e\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\">Stoutland School District<\/a> after backlash over his comments.<\/p>\n<p>An official at the school district\u2019s office in Stoutland confirmed with The Christian Post on Thursday that Pastor Rick Morrow of Beulah Church in Richland submitted his resignation Tuesday, more than two years ahead of 2026 when his term on the board was expected to expire.<\/p>\n<p>Morrow\u2019s comments stem from a Bible study session at his church on Sept. 6, where he was teaching about deliverance.<\/p>\n<p>Shortly after his session began, Morrow spoke about autism which \u201crefers to a broad range of conditions characterized by challenges with social skills, repetitive behaviors, speech and nonverbal communication\u201d according to <a href=\"https:\/\/www.autismspeaks.org\/what-autism\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\">Autism Speaks<\/a>.<\/p>\n<p>\u201cI know a minister who has seen lots of kids that are autistic, that he cast that demon out, and they were healed. And then he had to pray and their brain was rewired, and they were fixed,\u201d Morrow told his congregation, noting that they could go online and see \u201clots of examples of it.\u201d<\/p>\n<div class=\"jeg_video_container jeg_video_content\"><iframe loading=\"lazy\" title=\"BOY SET FREE FROM AUTISM (BOY &amp; MOM TESTIFY)\" width=\"500\" height=\"281\" src=\"https:\/\/www.youtube.com\/embed\/uEI8jmxeEVI?feature=oembed\" frameborder=\"0\" allow=\"accelerometer; autoplay; clipboard-write; encrypted-media; gyroscope; picture-in-picture; web-share\" allowfullscreen><\/iframe><\/div>\n<p>Indeed, a <a href=\"https:\/\/www.youtube.com\/results?search_query=casting+out+spirit+of+autism\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\">cursory search on YouTube<\/a> presented multiple testimony videos of individuals claiming they were delivered from autism, which affects about 1 in 36 children in the United States.<\/p>\n<p>\u201cIf it\u2019s not demonic, then we have to say God made them that way,\u201d Morrow continued in his comments. \u201cLike that\u2019s the only other explanation. \u2019Why does my kid have autism?\u2019 Well, either the devil has attacked them, he\u2019s brought this infirmity upon them, he\u2019s got them where he wants them, and\/or God just doesn\u2019t like them very much and He made them that way.<\/p>\n<p>\u201cWell, my God doesn\u2019t make junk. God doesn\u2019t make mess ups. God doesn\u2019t make people that way. So let\u2019s quit being nice and putting a Band-Aid on stuff and giving it medicine,\u201d he added. \u201cHow about you just cast the demon out?\u201d<\/p>\n<p>Morrow\u2019s comments quickly began making the rounds on social media, sparking a barrage of backlash from members of the Stoutland community and beyond, like <a href=\"https:\/\/www.change.org\/u\/1316179744\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\">Jessica Loveland<\/a> who started a <a href=\"https:\/\/www.change.org\/p\/remove-rick-morrow-from-stoutland-school-board-for-offensive-comments?original_footer_petition_id=35889553&amp;algorithm=promoted&amp;source_location=petition_footer&amp;grid_position=15&amp;pt=AVBldGl0aW9uAE%2B%2BOgIAAAAAZQEJIN4olXM0MTAxYTQ2MA%3D%3D\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\">change.org petition<\/a> to have the pastor removed from the school board hours before his resignation on Sept. 12.<\/p>\n<p>\u201cIt is disheartening to know that someone like Rick Morrow holds a position of power within our school district while harboring such discriminatory views towards individuals with disabilities,\u201d Loveland wrote. \u201cMorrow&#8217;s comments have not only caused immense distress among parents like myself but also pose a significant threat to the inclusivity and acceptance we strive to foster within our community. It is crucial that we take action now to ensure that our children are provided with an environment free from prejudice and discrimination.\u201d<\/p>\n<p>Those comments came from Loveland despite Morrow providing further explanation of his comments in his <a href=\"https:\/\/www.facebook.com\/100068049451167\/videos\/831654321667157\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\">sermon on Sunday<\/a>. He maintained that his comments were misinterpreted.<\/p>\n<p>\u201cI made a statement Wednesday night talking about demons, and we&#8217;re going to keep talking about them on Wednesday night. &#8230; I said, let&#8217;s talk about something demonic, and I said autism. And then I said, God doesn&#8217;t make junk. Those of you who know me know that I love people and I would never say that people are junk,\u201d he said.<\/p>\n<p>\u201cIt has been perceived that I&#8217;m evil, that I am full of the devil, that I am possessed myself because I said kids with autism are junk. That&#8217;s what has been perceived. What was intended was autism is junk. People that have it, are loved by God, and loved by me,\u201d he explained.<\/p>\n<p>Morrow said he has made attempts to clarify his comments with some of the \u201cmob mentality\u201d currently attacking his church for his statement on autism but lamented, \u201cI can\u2019t get anywhere.\u201d<\/p>\n<p>\u201cI have been told that autism is a blessing from God. I have been told that I&#8217;m the evil one. But you know what? If I was to stand up here and say cancer is junk, people would agree. If I were to stand up here and say addiction is junk, people would agree. But for some reason, when I shine the light on this subject, it has been blown so far out of proportion,\u201d Morrow continued.<\/p>\n<p>The Missouri pastor apologized to anyone who has been hurt by the mischaracterization of his comments but maintained his conviction that autism is a demonic affliction.<\/p>\n<p>\u201cFor those of you who are having to deal with this thing, I apologize. I am not apologizing, that I want to see people set free from things. I&#8217;m not apologizing. I want to see people healed,\u201d he said. \u201cI&#8217;m apologizing if you&#8217;ve had to deal with the misperception of my intention.\u201d<\/p>\n<div class=\"article_credit\">\n<p>Contact: <a href=\"https:\/\/www.christianpost.com\/news\/mailto:leonardo.blair@christianpost.com\">leonardo.blair@christianpost.com<\/a> Follow Leonardo Blair on Twitter: <a href=\"http:\/\/twitter.com\/leoblair\">@leoblair<\/a> Follow Leonardo Blair on Facebook: <a href=\"https:\/\/www.facebook.com\/LeoBlairChristianPost\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\">LeoBlairChristianPost<\/a><\/p>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<div id=\"eoa_freedom_post\">\n<h2><span>Free<\/span> Religious Freedom Updates<\/h2>\n<p>Join thousands of others to get the <strong>FREEDOM POST<\/strong> newsletter for free, sent twice a week from The Christian Post.<\/p>\n<\/div>\n<p><script async src=\"\/\/platform.twitter.com\/widgets.js\" charset=\"utf-8\"><\/script><br \/>\n<br \/><br \/>\n<br \/><a href=\"https:\/\/www.christianpost.com\/news\/missouri-pastor-who-called-autism-a-demon-resigns.html\">Source link <\/a><\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"<p>Pastor Rick Morrow of Beulah Church in Richland, Missouri. | Screengrab: YouTube\/Beulah Church A Missouri pastor who recently told his congregation that autism is a demon that can be cast out by Christians and pointed to many examples of this recorded online, has resigned as a member of the board of the Stoutland School District [&hellip;]<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":1,"featured_media":1679,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"open","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"footnotes":"","jnews-multi-image_gallery":[],"jnews_single_post":[],"jnews_primary_category":[]},"categories":[43],"tags":[],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/cccfornews.com\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/1678"}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/cccfornews.com\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/cccfornews.com\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/cccfornews.com\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/1"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/cccfornews.com\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=1678"}],"version-history":[{"count":0,"href":"https:\/\/cccfornews.com\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/1678\/revisions"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/cccfornews.com\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media\/1679"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/cccfornews.com\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=1678"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/cccfornews.com\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=1678"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/cccfornews.com\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=1678"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}