The church I was raised in taught that “retarded” people, were special children of God. Since they are not accountable for their sins because of their limited intellectual capacity to distinguish right from wrong, they will not be judged as we will in the next life. Rather, they will sit “at the right hand of God.” I hope this is true, for it seems right. What is your take on this?
Everything you said about the mentally handicapped is consistent with Scripture except the part about sitting at the right hand of God. That’s where Jesus is seated today. No one knows who will be seated there when he assumes his own throne. As for the Church, to which these special children of God belong, we’ll be seated with the Lord Jesus on His throne, (Ephes 2:6) not at God’s right hand on His.
Concerning our being judged in the next life, it’s only our works here on Earth after we became believers that will be judged (1 Cor. 3:10-15), and then only to determine whether they’re worthy of special recognition (crowns). Where our sins are concerned, Jesus was judged on our behalf and paid our penalty in full. Because of that we’ve been pardoned and are no longer destined for judgment. (Col. 2:13-14)