The Church (In General) & Aspies

Post Reply New Topic

I am in a baptist church that I have found to be very accpeting of all people who have ever chosen to be a member of their community, regardless of what disabilities they have, and by member, I mean anyone that would attend so much as 1 event held by the church, whether it be a service, study, or organized event.

I was raised Methodist and surprisingly, church is one of my best memories of childhood. After all, they were supposed to be nice to you there. And some of them (especially the adults who volunteered to work with kids) were great people to be around and learn from. I've done sporadic church shopping as an adult, and am thinking of trying the Episcopal church, though mostly as a dilettante. I'm trying to figure out if I should tell them about AS.

I'm afraid neither of those religions really qualifies as "spirit-filled" however.

I've always had negitive expirences with church and general Christian worship venues. People found me odd and would make fun of me behind my back and sometimes to my face. DURING the service. Even kids twice my age gaked at me. At a Vacation Bible School kids from school reconised me (even after I had been taken out to be homeschooled) and insulted me mercisily. Naturaly I quit going and when everybody asked me why, I told them and they told me I needed to ignore it and contiune to go to church. Why couldn't the stupid preacher adress the issue? I should feel comfortable in a church setting not like everywhere else where people treat me as if I am somesort of side show attraction. The damage has been done. I simply do NOT do church anymore.

I'm Catholic. I admit that I don't attend mass regularly; so I haven't gotten the chance to mingle with other people who share my faith. But the brief interactions that I've had with priests and deacons have always been positive. They always have the most gentle, serene looks on their faces, and a kind word to give.

I too belong to a Church of Scotland. And since this is an Asperger site and the church is not Aspie friendly I don't mind naming the church: Liberton Northfield Parish Church.

Although it is a Church of Scotland, the minister and members of the congregation have created a situation where it can be, at times, more charismatic. Which is not what I'm comfortable with and is the reason I was harassed into healing at what was a charismatic event.

I've found that even in the so-called "ecumenical" churches, there is a distinct social hierarchy, and it is usually based on appearance, financial status and/or "Spiritual Gifts."

While good looks and money are the primary factors in determining who the church leaders are, the thing that puts people over the top is whether or not they can "Speak in Tongues." Just because a person can blather on for minutes at a time uttering nonsense syllables, you'd think that they were God's own prophet on Earth, when it's more likely that they are merely mimicking the sounds of an infant or toddler.

Yet, when I approach these "gifted" people for spiritual enlightenment, I find them to be just as vain, shallow, and rude as any street person.

I've attended several services at local churches, and tried to speak with the pastor to find out wht the church's foundational beliefs are. Each time, almost as soon as we exchange names, someone else will inturrupt the pastor and I with "urgent business," and I ever get to finish the conversation. Of course, this occurs only if the pastor is accessible in the first place.

Religion ... PFEH!! !

From what I saw in the responses so far, I think a lot of people people here would be comfortable in a megachurch. Due to their large size, their communities are far less cliquish, and you have higher odds of finding people like yourself. While they might be some cliques that know each other outside the church, they'll be drowned in a sea of other attendees, and you won't feel their toxic effects. Megachurches in general tend to use more positive messages during services, such as inspiration and glory, rather than hellfire and damnation. I haven't attended a megachurch service, but I'm Jewish, and my religion has strict rules about visiting other houses of worship. But I know people who have, and they said some great things.

Most megachurches are in the US, and the vast majority of them are Protestant. There are a few Catholic ones too. Read this article: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Megachurch for more information.

Exactly. However much a church might strive to be egalitarian, it is like anywhere else a community, a social group. And social groups, no matter what they are, will form a hierarchy. Where at, say, high school, higher places on the hierarchy might be afforded to say 'jocks', or cheerleaders, or such like - this is simply replaced in a church by something else which is likely to be spiritual gifts, yes.

I have heard a lot of stories from Korea too, about megachurches there that have up to 20,000 attending.

They haven't taken off quite as much in the UK. Edinburgh has some churches that while not megachurches, stand out in size. There is Charlotte Baptist Chapel with about 800-1,000 every Sunday, then there is Destiny church with two 'branches' in the city, though they're supposed to be a very charismatic church.

First off I'm an adult convert to Catholicism. I was "nothing" before. I would never, ever refer to myself as "Spirit-filled." That's just obnoxious piety, and piety is no substitute for genuine faith. Plus it's obnoxious.

Second, your username is likewise obnoxious. Your profile lists you as a "full-time college student," and not something like "minister" so I'm going to assume that's just pretentious BS.

So, now that you've gotten off to a wonderful star with me....



I have needs but I'm not needy. And I certainly don't need "special" treatment. I'm rather offended you suggest I should. I don't expect my fellow parish members to treat me any differently and they don't. I don't expect the priests to minister to me any differently either. They are inclusive towards me, but no more than they are toward anyone else. Any parish lay ministry is open to me.

Occasionally, a random overly friendly member may be a little put off that I am uncomfortable sitting in a crowded pew or that I don't hand hands during the Our Father, but whatever. There's no need for me to explain myself.



I usually sing in the choir. A good way to exercise my savant skills AND avoid sitting in crowded pews where some random, overly friendly person might want me to hold hands during the Our Father.

On occasion, I am a reader too.



No. There's ministries to people who actually need special treatment, like the elderly and the chronically ill, but I'm currently not involved with them.

If by chance you are fishing for something autism-related: I don't think by and large autistics require special treatment within any religious organization, unless there were parents for severely LFA children perhaps. The rest of us really need to see ourselves are simply part of the community. This suggestion that we ought to expect more for our religious community than the average, NT members is wrong on so many levels. Within a religious community, unity and acceptance need to be emphasized, not difference and division.

To be frank, there's a point in every autistic's life where they just need to get over themselves and realize that, while, our differences and challenges are real, they really don't make us that different from those other people, especially spiritually. That takes a lot of maturity, spiritually, emotionally and intellectually. Religion ought to encourage an autistic to develop that mature perspective, not hinder that essential personal growth.



Well, of course, I'm an Aspie. That's what I do: give honest, unfiltered responses. And while I'm at it, I suppose I can also add that I am very dubious about your claim that you has dx'd AS. Also, I question your motives for being here. My Aspie gut in telling me you're a fraud who sees us as a group to easily exploit for your own narcissist inclinations and this seemingly nice gesture is really just a scam to fish info out of us so you can better exploit us.

I do hope I'm wrong about that., but in case I am right -- and with me being an Aspie, chances are I'm on to something -- consider yourself on notice, "Pastor." I've been around AS forums for quite some time now, and I don't take kindly to the creeps and parasites that occasionally come in a try to leach off my fellow Aspies' gullibility and honesty for their own narcissistic fix.

I am not officially an Aspie, but I am quite obviously socially inept and was a Catholic even until about a year ago... So, I can speak about this a little.

The Church, like most institutions is very hard on people that are not sociable, getting my "Confirmation" sacrament was one of the most stressful things I had to do, because for some reason, in order to get it you had to go to camps and spiritual retirements in which a person like me would pretty much be screwed up. I am not the kind of guy to sleep in a room shared by other 30 guys, really.

Right now, when I think back, the Church was excessively alienating against people like me. And for no reason, if confirmation was about saying that you buy the whole Christian God and Catholic dogma stuff, it shouldn't have anything to do with socializing with a bunch of teenage kids...

Mr Nate.....

First off I don't know if your a real pastor so your getting the title Mr from me. I've seen way to many trolls in my days on here and your touching a topic I've seen plenty of trolling on.

Secondly - The church i'm in accepts me for me, but there are people who will openly say that I'm "spirtually oppressed" or some crap like that and the church leadership does not say crap to them about it... I find that frustrating.

I'm a Lutheran, and people have been very accepting of me.

I agree with Fnord on a religious issue? I must be ill! *takes temperature, checks pulse*

Seriously, this is why I gave up on organized religion. I have found all churches to be cliquish and hostile to anyone not like the majority, whether they be Aspies, disabled people, a different race, bikers, etc. Churches are also very money-oriented. They seem to have forgotten that "the love of money is the root of all evil." They also seem to think that it is their mission to force everyone to think exactly like them.

However, I have not given up on Jesus or God. I simply prefer to read the Bible and pray, and listen to what God says -- not what men say. I try to follow God's commandments to the best of my ability, and I answer any questions anyone might have about Christianity. I don't adopt a holier-than-thou attitude or try to cram my religion down others' throats.

Someone agrees with me?! !

Wow

Maybe there IS a God!