In this blog post about a Time magazine article on Down syndrome and prenatal testing, Amy Julia Becker talks about her own experience being interviewed for the article and her appreciation for the article’s balance. It's a fascitnating reading about being on the back side of an interview. But also, Becker raises a really good question. Her interest in Down syndrome is not academic. Her first child, Penny, has Down syndrome. Becker wonders about Penny’s life,
Can she live a full life without ever solving a quadratic equation? Without reading Dostoyesvsky? I’m pretty sure she can. Can I live a full life without learning to cherish and welcome those in this world who are different from me? I’m pretty sure I can’t.
I pray that that question settles deep into the souls of all of us who call ourselves Christian. If we would let that question root out our biases and inconsistences, if we took time in our public confession to reflect on this question, if we let this question prick our consciences each time we feel smug toward another person, the body of Christ would become stronger, healthier, and more loving. “Can I live a full life without learning to cherish and welcome those in this world who are different from me?”