Aspies in Religious Services

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I've been debating trying to go join a synagogue. I generally dislike attending services and social events, though, as I really don't know what to talk about and don't relate well to other people there. I hate sitting in services for two or three hours reciting stuff without actually going over what it actually means. I do like Bible study classes, though. And joining a synagogue can be a chance to meet new people and maybe to improve my social skills a little bit. Plus I feel a little bit of familial duty since I'm probably the most religious of my sisters (who are both either agnostic or atheist), sad though it may be, since I'm not terribly observant. I haven't really attended a synagogue regularly in years, since after my parents decided to switch synagogues, I got upset, and (though I'd like to think I've matured since) kept throwing fits whenever they took me to the new place. This would be a place of my choosing, though, so I'm not worried about that, and like I said, I've matured since.

So, um, does anyone else attend a place of worship? How do you relate to people there?

I checked "Other / Other" because I consider myself fairly religious, as I like to study the Bible, and my TONS of Bible study books, but I DON'T attend church service. I feel most people who attend church, it seems, are putting-on an act, and I'm all about honesty and open-ness, not playing games.

Ditto. I would choose to attend an Episcopal Church service, but with so many conditions of attendance including their fixation on current events and less on Bible concepts, I find it to be underwhelming. So, I end up reading my Bible and Episcopal Church Book of Common Prayer, and enjoying that more. Besides, Jesus hated organized religion and never did get around to starting his own physical church, so it mustn't have been as high on his To Do list as creating a spiritual church.

Last edited by AspieUtah on 01 Aug 2014, 6:13 pm, edited 1 time in total.

I am your garden-variety agnostic, though I'm not an activist about it.

My views on religion: To each his/her own.

What makes you think that? I'm not disputing you----just tryin' to learn......

am LFA,not aspie and am hoping to one day convert to reform judaism with the right rabbi,am yet to find one who has the understanding and experience to teach intelectualy disabled people.

Well, His famous meltdown with the money changers at the Temple of Solomon, His defiance of the laws against work (healing) on the Sabbath, His claim to be the messiah when he read the prophecies to the synagogue congregation (which provoked an attempt on his life), and His constant challenging of the Sadducees' and Pharisees' beliefs, statements and actions. I admire all His actions, but, He was clearly showing how organized religions had created these man-made problems within themselves and were very wrong.

Thanks for asking. What is your opinion?

I've been to all sorts of Church services and had differing opinions with most of them. My current Church is Protestant, but I have an Episcopal side to myself.

I've attended Mass on certain occasions to see what it was like, and similar to what Campin_Cat said, it's too flashy and there are conspiracy theories surrounding the Roman Catholic Church, so better to stay away from them. Not that I have anything against Catholics, but seriously, they teach the Bible, but forbid you from reading it??? That doesn't make any sense.

I was raised Catholic, attended Catholic schools and have a degree from a Catholic college which required two semesters of theology. I was never told by anyone that I was forbidden to read the bible.

I'm no longer Catholic, but the misinformation and outright myths that people attribute to Catholicism never cease to amaze me.

I consider myself an agnostic atheist, and I don't regularly attend religious services, but I've sat through a few when my relatives have gotten married just out of respect. I don't particularly like them though, and there are a ton of other things I would rather do with my time. Actually, a part of the reason why I developed a disdain for religion at a young age is just because I found church services to be incredibly boring. What really gets me about them now is their preachiness. I hate sitting in a room where some guy goes on a tangent about how everything I believe is wrong,

I put yes, other, because although I go most Sundays I usually don't enjoy it and I didn't want to
give the impression that I did.

Ah, yes..... I am very familiar with all the examples you cite----I, however, interpret them differently.....

I gathered, generally speaking, that it wasn't that He was against "organized religion", it was that He was against how people who call themselves religious, were acting. The turning-over the tables thing, for instance, was, IMO, because He was extremely angry that the men would desecrate His father's house. If the men had, indeed, been religious, they would've never dreamed of doing such things in the Temple. I feel His feelings toward the Pharisees / Sadducees was the same as the men in the Temple. He saw them as wolves in sheep's clothing, so-to-speak----on the outside seemingly religious----but, He could see their soul, and felt they didn't really believe. (I heard somebody say, once, that there's a difference between being a believer, and being a follower. Lots of people can believe in God / Jesus, but following is much more involved, much more work, much more faith, etc.)

As for His defiance of the law that says one shouldn't work on the Sabbath.....

He knew He had alot of work to do----so MANY people were suffering----He knew His time was limited, He knew the work His father had set Him----He wasn't defying His father, like the aforementioned men were, He was obeying Him. Jesus even said something to the effect of "People don't stop hurting on the Sabbath, I must continue to help them....."

Eric Hoffer said that every great movement becomes a business and then a racket.

Jesus had an interesting way of dealing with those in supposed religious authority. He was asked by the scribes by what authority he performed his miracles. These people by virtue of the office they held had a legitimate reason to ask. However, instead of answering directly Jesus asked them a question. He asked if the baptism of John was of heaven or of men.

They deliberated for a few minutes and returned a verdict. They said they didn't know. Jesus said neither will I tell you. In a way Jesus tested them and they failed the test. The failure was not that they didn't know the truth. They failure was that they didn't care about the truth.

We are Christian but do not attend regular church for the simple reason that we have never found one that cares more about truth than protecting their denominational franchise.

For the OP, you might want to avail yourself of other services the synagogue may have to offer. Classes on Torah, Hebrew, or even a tour of Israel, may give you the opportunities for social connection without having to pay the price of "sitting in services for two or three hours reciting stuff without actually going over what it actually means".

I am Catholic and attend church services weekly.