A Baptist pastor in Missouri is under fire for saying autism is caused by “demonic” forces because “God doesn’t make junk.”
Pastor Rick Morrow of Beulah Church in Richland made the comments during his sermon on September 6, according to the Kansas City Star.
Morrow told congregants that autism is caused by demons and therefore can be treated by “just cast[ing] the demon out.”
“If it’s not demonic, then we have to say God made them that way. Like that’s the only other explanation,” Morrow said according to video of his sermon on the church’s Facebook page. “Well either the devil has attacked them, he’s brought this infirmity upon them, he’s got them where he wants them, and/or God just doesn’t like them very much, and he made them that way.”
“Well my God doesn’t make junk,” Morrow continued. “God doesn’t make mess ups.”
Following Morrow’s comments an online petition was launched calling for him to be removed from his position on the Stoutland Schools Board of Education. Morrow resigned Tuesday.
Stoutland Schools also released a statement saying Morrow’s comments do “not speak for the Board of Education as a whole, nor the district itself.”
Morrow defended his remarks in an interview with KY3. He told the outlet that he was referring to the disorder as “junk” and not the children. But, he doubled down on his belief that autism is caused by demons.
“When I say a demon, you people want to, like I said, they want to get that Hollywood description of what a demon is this nasty, so ugly and, and that’s not the case, it’s just an evil presence. It’s just the presence of evil,” Morrow said.
Autism spectrum disorder (ASD) is a developmental disability related to brain development, according to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. There is no cure for ASD, but symptoms can be treated to improve daily functioning and quality of life.