Religious show presenter raises ire over absurd claim that autism can be cured

Singer, TV presenter and Born Again Christian Phyllisienne Brincat has enraged parents of children with autism after broadcasting a video purporting to show a child who was ‘cured’ from autism.

The feature was broadcast on Brincat’s religious show called Il-Verita on F-Living. The show was advertised on the programme’s Facebook page.

The programme broadcast a feature claiming that a child was cured of autism

The Facebook wall was inundated with the angry reactions from parents of children with autism, who felt offended by the post and its absurd claim that autism could be cured.

They insisted the condition was not a disease and the programme was disseminating incorrect information.

“What utter bullshit. You can’t cure autism. Stick to what you know,” one parent wrote.

Another woman, who identified herself as a Born Again Christian, asked the programme producers to think before broadcasting such programmes. “Don’t make people think that this is something that needs curing. Autism needs understanding, acceptance and most of all love,” she said, explaining that autism was a condition of the brain.

Parents of children with autism were offended and angered by the outlandish claim that autism can be cured

“As a Born Again Christian myself I pray to God to given me the strength and patience to understand how my son functions and to find the best ways how we can support him. My son is the fruit of me and my husband's love and God has gifted us immensely with him,” she added.

Another parent demanded an apology for the “ignorance” peddled by the TV show.

She added: “Instead of teaching society how to accept individuals with autism, you are telling society that autism is a disease and can be cured. This is unacceptable. We spend countless nights crying trying to figure out ways to help our child. Individuals with autism are a blessing. Why do we still have to fight this ignorance in 2019. This is an insult to us parents and guardians that live this life that none of us have chosen… we need support from society.”

Another woman, who works with children on the autism spectrum, did not hide her revulsion at the programme producers.

“Disgusted is too mild a word to describe how I feel after reading the post above! This is hurtful and so wrong on so many levels,” she said.

The woman added: “To watch the struggles they face and the commitment of the parents, fills me with hope. They are the real heroes who do their utmost for their children.”

Other people reacted by calling on the Broadcasting Authority to stop the programme.

A defiant Brincat insisted she knew autism was not a disease but 'her God is able to do miracles'

But a defiant Brincat replied back, insisting she studied the different types of autism and knew it was not a disease. She added that her departed sister had Down’s Syndrome.

“I'm not ignorant in this topic… But I believe that my God that made the world and all things therein, seeing that he is Lord of heaven and earth, is still able to do miracles. Now it's your choice if you want to believe or not. Only by faith prayers are heard,” Brincat rebutted.

She insisted that the feature was hope and had no intention of offending anyone. “I'm not an expert but my God is! May God, bless you,” she concluded her post.