[Blindtlk] an awkward experience

Mon Feb 10 19:46:34 UTC 2014

Good morning, Gloria and everyone,

         Yeah. I hate it, upon boarding a bus or doing some other 
business as usual chore, when,  they say something to the effect of 
"You're doing great..." Yet, although I hate it, I remain touched by 
people's taking time to point out something they find to be extremely 
relevant and experience-changing.Also, Ignorance of blind peoples' 
struggle remains pervasive. So, how can one act defensive or 
resentful of people who, for all we know, have never themselves 
incountered a blind person? Personally, upon hearing of blind people 
like, dressing someone down or shaming them for mere ignorance, I 
can't believe that shit is out there. Remember, everyone, they know 
not what they do, so lighten up!
for today, Car
cell: 408-209-3239
57 PM 10/8/2013, Brandon Olivares wrote:
>I had a friend in college who often walked with me to class. One 
>time some guy, he may have been a professor though neither of us 
>quite knew, walked up to him and whispered in his ear, so that I 
>would not hear it, something to the effect of, "How nice it is that 
>you are doing this." Implying that my friend was only doing it 
>because I needed it, not because he was just my friend. Boiled both 
>of our blood, but he was so shocked he couldn't say anything.
>
>On Oct 8, 2013, at 8:51 PM, "Gloria Whipple" <glowhi at centurylink.net> wrote:
>
> > Or another thing is, oh you poor thing, for being the way you are, you do
> > such a good job getting around and taking care of yourself. I just want to
> > cringe!
> >
> > Gloria Whipple
> >
> >
> > -----Original Message-----
> > From: blindtlk [mailto:blindtlk-bounces at nfbnet.org] On Behalf Of Brandon
> > Olivares
> > Sent: Tuesday, October 08, 2013 17:43
> > To: Blind Talk Mailing List
> > Subject: Re: [Blindtlk] an awkward experience
> >
> > OH,I so know how being smothered is. When I was in college, I would be
> > standing 3 feet from the elevator and be asked if I needed help getting
> > there. It was well-intentioned, but still a bit too much.
> >
> > On Oct 8, 2013, at 8:36 PM, "Gloria Whipple" 
> <glowhi at centurylink.net> wrote:
> >
> >> Hi Christine,
> >>
> >> First, welcome!
> >>
> >> My name is Gloria Whipple and I am Catholic.
> >>
> >> I also had people try to pray over me and didn't really like it, and told
> >> them so in a nice way. If God wants me to see, he will make it happen.
> >>
> >> I am also happy with my adaptive technology.
> >>
> >> I have some women in the church who try to smother me because of my
> >> blindness. I try to tell them I can get along without them trying to
> > smother
> >> me. I think I got the point across without being snotty about it.
> >>
> >> Again, welcome to the list.
> >>
> >>
> >>
> >> Gloria Whipple
> >>
> >> -----Original Message-----
> >> From: blindtlk [mailto:blindtlk-bounces at nfbnet.org] On Behalf Of Christine
> >> Olivares
> >> Sent: Tuesday, October 08, 2013 17:10
> >> To: Blind Talk Mailing List
> >> Subject: Re: [Blindtlk] an awkward experience
> >>
> >> Hi everyone,
> >> I just joined today, but my husband sent the experience you had, Michael.
> > I
> >> may have a different opinion than you guys do, but then again I haven't
> > had
> >> quite the same experience except for once. I was standing in line at
> > Church
> >> waiting to sit down, when this random guy came behind me and turned to my
> >> left. All of a sudden I felt his left hand on my eyes. He said nothing,
> > but
> >> I new what he was doing. He should have asked me if he could have prayed
> >> over me since I would have said of course.
> >>
> >> I grew up in the Catholic charismatic Renewal, so I do believe in healing
> > of
> >> all kinds. I have been prayed over many many times for my miracle, and I
> >> believe it will happen. My visual impairment is more medical since I have
> >> congenital glaucoma and have to go for eye appointments and surgeries
> > often.
> >>
> >> If someone were to come up to me in a store, most likely I would accept
> >> because I grew up with it. However, there must be some tact. I am not a
> >> "poor child" because of my visual impairment, for it is just an
> >> inconvenience. However, that doesn't mean I don't have hope for a miracle
> >> someday. Until then, I use adaptive technology and am happy with it until
> >> that day comes.
> >>
> >> Michael, I am sorry for what happened to you. I think this person who
> > prayed
> >> for you should have been a little more tactful. At least she didn't touch
> >> your eyes. :)
> >>
> >> God bless,
> >> Christine
> >> On Oct 8, 2013, at 7:17 PM, "justin williams" <justin.williams2 at gmail.com>
> >> wrote:
> >>
> >>> It's not off topic; John 9 is awesome.  Why is it that people forget
> > that.
> >>> Seems like they harcon back to old testament when the blind profit fell
> >> dead
> >>> when he found out that his sons died, or when the man rose from the
> >>> wheelchair after jesus laid hands on him.  Or any number of other
> >> instances.
> >>> The one in John nine seems like that would be the deciding factor as that
> >> it
> >>> is in the new testament.
> >>>
> >>> -----Original Message-----
> >>> From: blindtlk [mailto:blindtlk-bounces at nfbnet.org] On Behalf Of Brandon
> >>> Olivares
> >>> Sent: Tuesday, October 08, 2013 6:58 PM
> >>> To: Blind Talk Mailing List
> >>> Subject: Re: [Blindtlk] an awkward experience
> >>>
> >>> James,
> >>>
> >>> Wow, I'm so sorry to hear that. As a Catholic, I don't get that kind of
> >>> thing within the Catholic Church, thank God. It brings to mind this
> >> passage:
> >>>
> >>>> As he passed by, he saw a man blind from his birth. And his disciples
> >>>> asked him, "Rabbi, who sinned, this man or his parents, that he was
> >>>> born blind?" Jesus answered, "It was not that this man sinned, or his
> >>>> parents, but that the works of God might be made manifest in him."
> >>>> (John 9:1-3 RSVCE)
> >>>
> >>>
> >>> A bit off topic, but that came to mind.
> >>>
> >>> On Oct 8, 2013, at 6:33 PM, "James Kelm" <jameskelm at earthlink.net> wrote:
> >>>
> >>>> Hello there...
> >>>>
> >>>> I just thought that I would throw my own thoughts into this discussion.
> >>>>
> >>>> As many of you on this list already know, I am a Christian pastor.  I
> >>> have a church, and work fulltime within this position.  I mention this
> >> only
> >>> to say that I have perhaps a bit more familiarity with the Bible than a
> >> lot
> >>> of people, and have a recognized commitment to its teaching.  But this
> >> still
> >>> does not prevent those who are rude, ignorant, or just plain goofy from
> >>> expressing themselves to me on the subject of my blindness.  I don't
> > think
> >>> that this is because they are any particular religion, belief system,
> > etc.
> >> I
> >>> just think that they are rude people, and would be rude regardless of
> >> their
> >>> own justification.
> >>>>
> >>>> A few weeks ago, I had a woman visit my church.  A few days after her
> >>> visit, she came to my home.  After I had answered the door, she promptly
> >>> said that she had to talk to me right away, and that it was very
> >> important.
> >>> This is not uncommon for a pastor, so thinking that she had some kind of
> > a
> >>> personal emergency, I invited her in.  After we had sat down, she began
> >>> telling me that she really liked our church, and thought that I was a
> > very
> >>> good pastor/teacher.  She then proceeded to tell me that although she
> >> liked
> >>> our church, she could not regularly attend our services because as our
> >>> church's leader, I had so much unrepented sin in my life!  I have dealt
> >> with
> >>> this kind of thing before, so had a good idea where she was going with
> > it.
> >> I
> >>> asked her to please explain herself to me.  She then went on to explain
> > to
> >>> me that unrepented sin was the only reason that I was blind.  I went on
> > to
> >>> gently explain to her that she was not understanding Scripture properly.
> >> I
> >>> was actually quite shocked when she then told me, "I don't care what the
> >>> Bible says...  I know what I know, and God has revealed things to me
> >>> directly".  She went on to explain to me that I shouldn't be allowed to
> >> lead
> >>> a congregation, until I addressed the sin that was obviously within my
> > own
> >>> life!
> >>>> So I guess the moral of my story is, that some people are just stupid,
> >>> and sometimes even our Lord's teaching can't help stupid!
> >>>>
> >>>>
> >>>> Respectfully,
> >>>> Pastor James Kelm
> >>>>
> >>>>
> >>>> -----Original Message----- From: o
> >>>> Sent: Tuesday, October 08, 2013 5:07 PM
> >>>> To: blindtlk at nfbnet.org
> >>>> Subject: Re: [Blindtlk] an awkward experience
> >>>>
> >>>> Oh Marion - you have made my day!
> >>>>
> >>>>
> >>>>
> >>>> -----Original Message-----
> >>>> From: National Association of Guide Dog Users <blind411 at verizon.net>
> >>>> To: 'Blind Talk Mailing List' <blindtlk at nfbnet.org>
> >>>> Sent: Tue, Oct 8, 2013 5:04 pm
> >>>> Subject: Re: [Blindtlk] an awkward experience
> >>>>
> >>>>
> >>>> Michael,
> >>>> I once went to my local grocery store and the person assigned to help
> >>>> me shop asked me if I believed in Jesus Christ as my Lord and Savior.
> >>>> I replied that I did, but probably not with the same understanding he
> >>>> has. He told me that, if I believed, I could be healed. I replied that
> >>>> I had already been healed of the false perceptions of blindness and
> >>>> that my blindness was actually a source of healing for others as I
> >>>> share my philosophy of independence and self-determination. He became
> >>>> a little indignant and said he was referring to me getting my sight
> >>>> back. I asked him why he thought that was important and he told me
> >>>> blindness wasn't normal. I asked him when he was going to be healed.
> >>>> He became a little puzzled and asked me what I meant. I told him that
> >>>> he was shorter than normal and black, not something that is normal in
> >>>> our town, so, given his logic and definition, he needed healing! Was
> >>>> Jesus going to heal him of his shortness and blackness? He told me I
> >>>> didn't understand what he was saying. I told him it was more that he
> >>>> did not understand what I was saying. He said, "God bless you!' and I
> >>> replied, "She does!" The conversation ended quite abruptly!
> >>>>
> >>>> Peace!
> >>>> Marion
> >>>>
> >>>>
> >>>>
> >>>>
> >>>> -----Original Message-----
> >>>> From: blindtlk [mailto:blindtlk-bounces at nfbnet.org] On Behalf Of
> >>>> Michael
> >>>> Sent: Tuesday, October 08, 2013 9:24 AM
> >>>> To: Blind Talk Mailing List
> >>>> Subject: [Blindtlk] an awkward experience
> >>>>
> >>>> Good morning folks,  I lost my sight six years ago and went through a
> >>>> very dark time for a couple of years and eventually became comfortable
> >>>> with who I am and have since then gone on to do most of what I did
> >> before.
> >>>>
> >>>> But I had an experience yesterday that I didn't know how to handle.  I
> >>>> was at the gym and had just completed an hour of cardio.  I was
> >>>> sitting at a table located in the center of the gym floor cooling down
> >>>> when a woman began a conversation with me.  She said that she was
> >>>> sitting at the table also (which I
> >>>> doubt) and that God had put her there to talk to me and that she was an
> >>>> evangelist.   She asked if she could talk to me.  When I answered in the
> >>>> affirmative she stood next to me, took my hand in both of her hands,
> >>>> and began praying over me.  She asked God to help this poor  child,
> >>>> saying that Jesus had healed the sick, cured the blind, and raised the
> >>>> dead.  She prayed for over a minute (at least it felt like), using
> >>>> verbage that I only hear on Sunday morning.  Then she finished and
> >>>> left me sitting there.  I was shocked and didn't know what to say.  I
> >>>> let her do her thing thinking that I had probably made her feel
> >>>> positive about herself by helping "this poor child".  Understand that
> >>>> I am a christian but have never had such an embarrassing display since
> >>>> losing my sight.  Has this happened to others, and how did you handle
> >> such
> >>> a display?
> >>>>
> >>>> Michael
> >>>> _______________________________________________
> >>>> blindtlk mailing list
> >>>> blindtlk at nfbnet.org
> >>>> http://nfbnet.org/mailman/listinfo/blindtlk_nfbnet.org
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> >>>> on.net
> >>>>
> >>>>
> >>>> _______________________________________________
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> >>>>
> >>>>
> >>>>
> >>>> _______________________________________________
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> >>>>
> >>>>
> >>>>
> >>>> Respectfully Yours in Christ,
> >>>> Pastor James Kelm
> >>>> True Hope Church of Duluth
> >>>> Phone: (218) 727-4186
> >>>> Church Office E-mail: office at thcduluth.org Pastor's Direct E-mail:
> >>>> jameskelm at thcduluth.org Web Site: www.thcduluth.org
> >>>>
> >>>> _______________________________________________
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> >>>
> >>>
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> >>
> > 
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> >>> il.com
> >>>
> >>>
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> >>
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> >>
> >>
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> >>
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