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Hello,

Some years ago, when I first learned about asperger's, I seemed to fit, more or less, so I did a couple of those online tests, and it turned to show I could indeed have the thing. Anyway, I didn't pay much attention to it because, well, you know, it was just an online test. Life was OK, I was working in court doing paperwork and stuff like that. School used to be much worse.

I didn't have much of a social life, but not that I missed it, or miss it. Even though nobody seemed to understand that.

Any, fast forward. I had studied Theology, done extremely well, and "applied" --if you can say so-- to become an Episcopalian minister (a priest in the Church of England, to be precise). I chose that because there is almost no Episcopalians in my country. So I knew there were to be some difficulties, dealing with language and such, as I am not British nor a native of any English speaking nation. I was also ready to accept that I was a bit too old (I'm 40) or that I pray too un-often, or that I don't seem to make up my mind theologically-wise and all sorts of stuff. I was very well prepared to receive a polite "no".

But, then, I was invited to England. I passed the first "filter", so to speak, but then, I went to the diocesan panel (that's two local bishops and a bunch of veteran priests of both genders). I had to do a lot of essays, which I feared would not be good enough ---you know, English language--- and a presentation ---which turned out to be OK. I can communicate well when delivering a presentation and stuff like that. And then I had to pass through the interviews, with some hard questions. And to my surprise everybody seemed happy with my answers.

But then, there was a priest who actually had asperger's. They didn't tell me whom, but the thing this priest thought I had asperger's after having read my autobiography and having interviewed me. And the asperger's thing came again in the tests I had done (you have to go through some personality tests to be considered for priesthood).

However, what still puzzles me, is that I generally seem to fit well in the definition of asperger's but there are a few rough spots that don't fit all that well.

Welcome to WP.

As autism is a spectrum, anyone on the spectrum can have their own blend of the traits, you don't have to have every single trait to be clinically diagnosed.

Congratulations on achieving your goal of becoming an Episcopalian minister.

Are you saying that you think they accepted you because of possibly having Asperger's? If this has any truth, maybe they think you would be well suited to the life because of socialising issues meaning you would be more likely to devote yourself to the role?

No, I actually, I wasn't "accepted", as you say. They did say it was _not_ because of Asperger's alone; but combined with other things like immigration, adjusting to a new culture, and a large church instead of the small chapels I am used to... all that, it would mean too a steep a slope for me to climb. Anyway, I do not see becoming a priest as an objective. I just offered myself up and, to be honest, it meant going out of my sunny, summer-land to England where I have virtually no ties beyond the Church.

Anyway, I'm not really that concerned with becoming a priest. I don't want to push the issue, nor I want to present it as a rights issue. I mean nobody has a "right" to become a minister. And there's a million ways to be a Christian and just a good, honest person. All I want to do is to explore if I could be an "aspie" too and share my feelings and thoughts.

Oh. Because you said:

Welcome!

You sound like a very interesting person.