--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: I have two young children with autism…" description: "\"I have two young children with autism. What could they have ever done to deserve that? What kind of a God allows the innocent to suffer? It's a mystery..." image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/3e0/fred-melamed-25861_autism_i-have-two-young-children-with-autism-wh_2238175.jpg" --- # I have two young children with autism. What could they… ![“I have two young children with autism. What could they have ever done to deserve that? What kind of a God allows the innocent to suffer? It's a mystery. Yet still, I believe in God.” quote by Fred Melamed](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/3e0/fred-melamed-25861_autism_i-have-two-young-children-with-autism-wh_2238175.jpg) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/3e0/fred-melamed-25861_autism_i-have-two-young-children-with-autism-wh_2238175.jpg) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/3e0/fred-melamed-25861_autism_i-have-two-young-children-with-autism-wh_2238175.jpg) > “I have two young children with autism. What could they have ever done to deserve that? What kind of a God allows the innocent to suffer? It's a mystery. Yet still, I believe in God.” [Fred Melamed](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/fred-melamed/) ## About This Quote This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation. A parent questions why a benevolent deity would allow suffering, yet maintains faith despite the mystery. **In simple terms:** Struggling with why bad things happen to good people. Key Takeaway Hold onto faith while acknowledging mystery. Themes faith suffering theodicy Mood somber hopeful Type spiritual philosophical When to use this quote - grief counseling - support groups Key Concepts existential doubt spiritual resilience Questions to Reflect On - How do you reconcile faith with hardship? - What comforts you in uncertainty? ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ No ratings yet [Autism](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/autism/) [Autism Deserve](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/autism-deserve-3707785/) [Believe](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/believe/) [Believe God](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/believe-god/) [Believe in god](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/believe-in-god/) [Children](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/children/) [Children Autism](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/children-autism-245546/) [Children with autism](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/children-with-autism/) [Deserve](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/deserve/) [Done](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/done/) [I believe](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/i-believe/) [I believe in](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/i-believe-in/) [I believe in god](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/i-believe-in-god/) [Innocence](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/innocence/) [Innocent](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/innocent/) [Kind](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/kind/) [Kind God](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/kind-god/) [Mystery](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/mystery/) [Stills](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/stills/) [Suffering](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/suffering/) [Two](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/two/) [Young](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/young/) [Young children](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/young-children/) ## Related quotes > [We can either continue to collectively stand on the sidelines and debate what is causing autism and if it is an epidemic or we…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jenny-mccarthy/we-can-either-continue-to-collectively-stand-on-the-sidelines-and/) [Jenny McCarthy](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jenny-mccarthy/) > [The thing is, autism is all different, you know, variables. And you start out with a certain amount of, you know, the point where…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/temple-grandin/the-thing-is-autism-is-all-different-you-know-variables-and-you-start/) [Temple Grandin](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/temple-grandin/) > [What is missing from today's dialogue is the effect autism is having on families, our society and what the unknown factors are. The 300lb.…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jenny-mccarthy/what-is-missing-from-today-s-dialogue-is-the-effect-autism-is-having/) [Jenny McCarthy](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jenny-mccarthy/) > [The worst thing you can do is nothing. (re: teaching children with autism)](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/temple-grandin/the-worst-thing-you-can-do-is-nothing-re-teaching-children-with-autism/) [Temple Grandin](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/temple-grandin/) > [Working with children with autism has provided me with an opportunity to see the world in a different way. I see them strive to…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/clay-aiken/working-with-children-with-autism-has-provided-me-with-an-opportunity/) [Clay Aiken](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/clay-aiken/) > [Children with Autism aren't missing. Instead, they are off making discoveries](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jacob-barnett/children-with-autism-aren-t-missing-instead-they-are-off-making/) [Jacob Barnett](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jacob-barnett/) > [Our loved ones and neighbors with intellectual disabilities and autism deserve to live with dignity and the supports they need to succeed.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/josh-shapiro/our-loved-ones-and-neighbors-with-intellectual-disabilities-and/) [Josh Shapiro](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/josh-shapiro/) > [Schools connect children to their communities. Jobs connect adults to their societies. Persons with autism deserve to walk the same path.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ban-ki-moon/schools-connect-children-to-their-communities-jobs-connect-adults-to/) [Ban Ki-moon](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ban-ki-moon/) > [Don't think that there's a different, better child 'hiding' behind the autism. This is your child. Love the child in front of you. Encourage…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/claire-lazebnik/don-t-think-that-there-s-a-different-better-child-hiding-behind-the/) [Claire LaZebnik](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/claire-lazebnik/) > [What it boils down to is that parenting a child with autism is a difficult job; writing about it is far easier.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/elizabeth-moon/what-it-boils-down-to-is-that-parenting-a-child-with-autism-is-a/) [Elizabeth Moon](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/elizabeth-moon/) > [If you ask 99.9 percent of parents who have children with autism if we'd rather have the measles versus autism, we'd sign up for…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jenny-mccarthy/if-you-ask-99-9-percent-of-parents-who-have-children-with-autism-if/) [Jenny McCarthy](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jenny-mccarthy/) > [If you have a 2 or 3 year old who is not talking, you must start an early intervention program. The worst thing you…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/temple-grandin/if-you-have-a-2-or-3-year-old-who-is-not-talking-you-must-start-an/) [Temple Grandin](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/temple-grandin/) > [If you've met one person with autism, you've met one person with autism.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/stephen-shore/if-you-ve-met-one-person-with-autism-you-ve-met-one-person-with-autism/) [Stephen Shore](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/stephen-shore/) > [If you can't see the gift in having a child with autism, you're focusing too much on the autism and not enough on the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/stuart-duncan/if-you-can-t-see-the-gift-in-having-a-child-with-autism-you-re/) [Stuart Duncan](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/stuart-duncan/) > [Winning isn't the end of the world](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/david-pleat/winning-isn-t-the-end-of-the-world/) [David Pleat](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/david-pleat/) ## More by Fred Melamed > [Well, because I have twin seven-year-old boys, I enjoy the gift giving stuff a great deal. We do both Hanukkah and Christmas, so it…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/fred-melamed/well-because-i-have-twin-seven-year-old-boys-i-enjoy-the-gift-giving/) [Fred Melamed](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/fred-melamed/) > [In my career, I've had kind of a strange trajectory as an actor. I started out doing movies and theater and stuff, but then…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/fred-melamed/in-my-career-i-ve-had-kind-of-a-strange-trajectory-as-an-actor-i/) [Fred Melamed](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/fred-melamed/) > [I'd always admired Diane Keaton, but I'd never met her.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/fred-melamed/i-d-always-admired-diane-keaton-but-i-d-never-met-her/) [Fred Melamed](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/fred-melamed/) > [We must agree to live in this world, with all that is unfair about it, without knowing why, if we wish to have a…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/fred-melamed/we-must-agree-to-live-in-this-world-with-all-that-is-unfair-about-it/) [Fred Melamed](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/fred-melamed/) > [The word "hedonistic" to me means pleasure above all else. My pleasure above all else.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/fred-melamed/the-word-hedonistic-to-me-means-pleasure-above-all-else-my-pleasure/) [Fred Melamed](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/fred-melamed/) > [I haven't appeared on stage in quite a long time and I don't have any immediate plans to do so, but I'm always interested…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/fred-melamed/i-haven-t-appeared-on-stage-in-quite-a-long-time-and-i-don-t-have-any/) [Fred Melamed](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/fred-melamed/) > [In general, I'm always interested in characters who have kind of extreme aspects to them, who are in some ways larger than typical people.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/fred-melamed/in-general-i-m-always-interested-in-characters-who-have-kind-of/) [Fred Melamed](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/fred-melamed/) > [It probably goes without saying that I enjoy the potato pancakes, delicious hams and so forth that maddeningly turn up at this time of…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/fred-melamed/it-probably-goes-without-saying-that-i-enjoy-the-potato-pancakes/) [Fred Melamed](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/fred-melamed/) > [It's funny, but three of my early films were with Liam Neeson, before Liam Neeson was a big star.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/fred-melamed/it-s-funny-but-three-of-my-early-films-were-with-liam-neeson-before/) [Fred Melamed](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/fred-melamed/) > [I've always thought that, in a sense, the more specific and sometimes even the smaller the world of a movie is, the more universal…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/fred-melamed/i-ve-always-thought-that-in-a-sense-the-more-specific-and-sometimes/) [Fred Melamed](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/fred-melamed/) > [Though I acted in hundreds of productions, appeared at the Guthrie Theatre and on Broadway in Amadeus, I discovered in my thirties that I…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/fred-melamed/though-i-acted-in-hundreds-of-productions-appeared-at-the-guthrie/) [Fred Melamed](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/fred-melamed/) > [I am tolerably ignorant about Judaism, and much of what I do know about it seems hard to swallow, because it is so grounded…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/fred-melamed/i-am-tolerably-ignorant-about-judaism-and-much-of-what-i-do-know/) [Fred Melamed](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/fred-melamed/) > [There are some directors who don't like the set much. They like post-production, where you have all the ingredients in the can - you've…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/fred-melamed/there-are-some-directors-who-don-t-like-the-set-much-they-like-post/) [Fred Melamed](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/fred-melamed/) > [I always did plays in school because I thought it was fun, but it just never occurred to me as a thing to do.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/fred-melamed/i-always-did-plays-in-school-because-i-thought-it-was-fun-but-it-just/) [Fred Melamed](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/fred-melamed/) > [I have a secret aspiration to be considered for a part where it doesn't matter what you look like to play it.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/fred-melamed/i-have-a-secret-aspiration-to-be-considered-for-a-part-where-it-doesn/) [Fred Melamed](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/fred-melamed/) [Explore all 22 Fred Melamed quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/fred-melamed/) ## More Autism quotes > [“We know that children with autism like order, that they are often very visual and that they can be quite literal. They deserve beautiful…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/adele-devine/we-know-that-children-with-autism-like-order-that-they-are-often-very/) [Adele Devine](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/adele-devine/) > [In fact, when we as neuro-typical people encounter a person with autism spectrum syndrome who's always been that way it is that we have…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/tamlyn-tomita/in-fact-when-we-as-neuro-typical-people-encounter-a-person-with/) [Tamlyn Tomita](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/tamlyn-tomita/) > [If you give us a safe vaccine, we'll use it. It shouldn't be polio versus autism.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jenny-mccarthy/if-you-give-us-a-safe-vaccine-we-ll-use-it-it-shouldn-t-be-polio/) [Jenny McCarthy](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jenny-mccarthy/) > [Autism is a big continuum, going from someone who remains nonverbal, all the way up to geniuses on Silicon Valley. And some kids are…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/temple-grandin/autism-is-a-big-continuum-going-from-someone-who-remains-nonverbal/) [Temple Grandin](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/temple-grandin/) > [Metaphor isn't just a fancy turn of speech. It shapes our thoughts and feelings, reaches out to grasp new experience, and even binds our…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/james-richardson/metaphor-isn-t-just-a-fancy-turn-of-speech-it-shapes-our-thoughts-and/) [James Richardson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/james-richardson/) > [The position of Autism Speaks has been for quite awhile that we need to find out what's happening. We know there's a genetic component,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/elizabeth-emken/the-position-of-autism-speaks-has-been-for-quite-awhile-that-we-need/) [Elizabeth Emken](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/elizabeth-emken/) > [Some people with autism who don't talk, all they hear are vowel sounds. Like if I said 'cup,' they might just hear 'uh.'](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/temple-grandin/some-people-with-autism-who-don-t-talk-all-they-hear-are-vowel-sounds/) [Temple Grandin](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/temple-grandin/) > [Children must be taught how to think, not what to think.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/margaret-mead/children-must-be-taught-how-to-think-not-what-to-think/) [Margaret Mead](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/margaret-mead/) > [Mild autism can give you a genius like Einstein. If you have severe autism, you could remain nonverbal. You don't want people to be…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/temple-grandin/mild-autism-can-give-you-a-genius-like-einstein-if-you-have-severe/) [Temple Grandin](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/temple-grandin/) > [“The autistic mind is not the wave at the surface of the ocean, but the whole world that exists below.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/krissy-bells/the-autistic-mind-is-not-the-wave-at-the-surface-of-the-ocean-but-the/) [Krissy Bells](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/krissy-bells/) > [In the person with autism, the brain may already be seeing the part and be less distracted by the whole, and in the person…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/simon-baron-cohen/in-the-person-with-autism-the-brain-may-already-be-seeing-the-part/) [Simon Baron-Cohen](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/simon-baron-cohen/) > [I think that the definition of autism is too broad. You got to remember, autism definition is a behavioral profiling.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/temple-grandin/i-think-that-the-definition-of-autism-is-too-broad-you-got-to/) [Temple Grandin](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/temple-grandin/) > [There is a small segment of people with autism that have savant skills, where they can memorize entire maps of whole entire city. They…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/temple-grandin/there-is-a-small-segment-of-people-with-autism-that-have-savant/) [Temple Grandin](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/temple-grandin/) > [When you have autism or aspergers, it's so hard to get a social life but trust me, in the end everyone can achieve at…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/lia/when-you-have-autism-or-aspergers-it-s-so-hard-to-get-a-social-life/) [Lia](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/lia/) > [“Unfortunately, by this time it didn't matter. Self-diagnosed autistics and fakers were asking diagnosed autistics whether or not they had a diagnosis, and if…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/thomas-d-taylor/unfortunately-by-this-time-it-didn-t-matter-self-diagnosed-autistics/) [Thomas D. Taylor](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/thomas-d-taylor/) [Browse all 621 Autism quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/autism/) ```json { "@context": "https://schema.org", "@graph": [ { "@type": "Quotation", "text": "I have two young children with autism. What could they have ever done to deserve that? What kind of a God allows the innocent to suffer? It's a mystery. 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