Autism in Church

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I don't identify with the boy but it's good to see the congregation cares.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=hR2Wa8C3QXM

I dont do well with churches every church I been to was evangelical and forced YEC down our throats, if you dont believe in a young Earth and go by actual scientific studies your going to hell and stuff like all modern science and medicine are lying to you. Kinda the reason I became a somewhat anti religion athiest.

^
Thats unfortunate.

Ive been involved with Unitarian churches which (obviously) dont push YEC, but there are also Protestant Congregations in my area of both kinds (those that do push YEC, and those that dont) to choose from. The last several Popes have each left it up to the individual worshipper to pick between evolution and YEC so Catholic churches probably dont push it either.

Getting involved in a little community like a church congregation is not per se bad for aspies. In fact its good. Back years ago I was involved in social planning commitee, and also got on stage and did a stand up comedy routine at a big church function. Stretched my young aspie wings in several ways I wouldnt have normally done.

My daughter has been diagnosed with PDD-NOS, and while it can be trying at times, she (and my wife and I) get a lot of support at our church. Unfortunately, there are those individuals who take a rather Un-Christian attitude toward both my little girl and our parenting. These last individuals are thankfully the minority.

While the leadership of my church body, which is based in the very red Midwest, tends to support the YEC nonsense, and while there are individuals in my home congregation who also do, I in no way shy away from expressing my disagreement on that topic. Thankfully, the people I worship with aren't fundamentalists, and so my opinions are respected, and no one damns me to hell.

I attend a Lutheran church, and the people who know I am an Aspie don't make any big deal about it. Their usual response is " Oh, there goes Jeff again!". Some people who don't know I am on the spectrum think I'm a little odd, but I am accepted by the members of the congregation for who I am.

Pretty much my life long experience in my own Lutheran church, as well.

I have two points to make. 1. I do not think that parents should be imposing their religious faith upon their impressionable children. Children , like anyone else , should be free to make up their own minds as to which faith if any to follow. 2. I do not appreciate how he's condescendingly lumped in with the special needs children . People should learn that Asperger syndrome is not like Down syndrome . We are not mentally ret*d. I think that this might hurt his self esteem . And on a similar matter http://abcnews.go.com/TheLaw/story?id=4885322&page=1

I to have been blessed in that my Church is fully compatible with science and was willing to make room for an odd child.

I know a Pentecostal couple who believe that Autism is demonic possession.
Not surprisingly, we don't see eye to eye.

Well....

Maybe you could offer yourself up to that couple as a guinea pig. They can watch you being "excorcised" in church to see if your aspergers goes away, just to test their theory.

As a Christian, I feel I must apologize for those of my brethren who are more of the... Bible belt persuasion.

Sometimes I wish that my childhood church was fully operational and not part of some retirement community.
However, although there are people at my current Catholic church who are kind and caring, the majority of people there are stuck-up snobs who treat the parish like a VIP club.

Maybe they can rub some Holy Ghost on me!! Hallelujahhhhh!! ! Glory ta Goddd!! !! AAAmen!! !
Can I get a witness?!?!

No need, but I appreciate the sentiment.

Pentecostals aren't known for being brainy* and for being weird.

In contrast are more mainstream Churches which not only recognize autism but may been founded by people with Aspergers.

* Some are clearly more intelligent than I. https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Robert_T._Bakker