Religion and Aspergers?

Post Reply New Topic

I believe that organized religion can be helpful to many people who don't really have alot in life and are lacking security and support. But as far as truth goes, it is greatly fiction and certainly should not be taken as seriously as it is... every single religion shares many of the same aspects of a cult, no matter which way you put. It could be a cult full of very nice and loving people... but still a cult. In the end it's not there for your best interest, it's there to keep people in line. That was pretty much the sole function of religion before we had law enforcement and established governments. You won't missbehave and dissobey the rules if you know you're being watched and will be punished in the after-life...

I would say I'm agnostic over atheist though because I do believe that there IS something out there, because our world and especially the universe as a whole is just wayyy to complex and absolutely amazing to come out of nowhere. But any higher power of any kind would not be a mortal or even immortal BEING, I think it would be more like an intelligent energy or invisible entity that is just as apart of the universe as we are. But there certainly isn't any ridiculous rules or guidelines for us to follow, everything is subjective anyway. Humans, for the most part, have an equal understanding and value of what we believe are morals to live by, discovered over time by common sense.

*What I don't understand is how the better part of society that do have a religion, believe in a male figure as their "god" with views and ideas that favour one gender over another. Why would a god favour one gender over another? It seems pretty clear that MAN participated in the creation of the bible based on the favouring views toward them and their life style at the time. Over the years since, there have also been several new additions to the bible (the New Testament and others) clearly during the time of established socities... We noticed some things were out dated, so we re-wrote them. How is this book so widely followed as truth from an immortal being who created the world?

I believe in God and a lot of Christian teachings, but I've had so many negetive expirences with so called "Christians" who aparently are only Christians on Sunday, I am relctant to call myself a Christian and when I find out someone is a Christian, I want to run away screaming. I once saw a stamp on Deviant Art that said something like: "With Christians like you, Hell seems like fun". I told my parents about that because I thought it was funny, they were shocked that I felt that way. I just don't think understand how bad those so called Christians damaged me. I'm always being told I need to forgive them but I wish my own parents would actualy acknoledge my feelings once in a while instead of telling me it wasn't as bad as I remember it or tell me I had it coming.

I REFUSE to step foot in a Church. I'm 24 now so it's not like my parents can force me or make threats like they did when I was a kid. Maybe if they acknoledged my feelings, I might be willing to give it a try.

Damn straight, my friend. That's the main thing that I never understood about all of the religious crap. There's this all powerful all knowing god that creates us and makes us the way we are. He makes people like me who are skeptical and like to question things all the time, then he expects me to take the word of these imperfect beings he created who we(and he) know lie, cheat, steal, and do terrible things to each other all the time, and if I DON'T believe them(why the hell should I, I'm already skeptical, and they don't have a good track record), I'm going to hell to burn and suffer for eternity??? BUT HE LOVES ME??? Someone PLEASE make sense of that. Why, if god exists, can he not just prove his existence, communicate to us directly what he wants from us/how he wants us to behave? And what's so damn hard about "treat others as you want to be treated?"

Here I am trying to imagine the best scenario that puts myself in similar shoes... Let's say I'm a manager in an office, or wherever, it's not important. Okay, so I have a new rule I wish to implement. I no longer want employees to park in a certain section of the parking lot, so I tell Steven about it. Steven goes and tells one section of the office, and those people distribute the information to everybody else. By the end of the day, some people will think they can't drive to work at all, others will think I made up some other random crazy ass rule that has nothing to do with driving or parking. People are dumb and can't remember things, and some of them simply change things on purpose, or they misinterpret what I meant... Why would anyone use this method to spread information? it's stupid and illogical. If this were a real scenario, I would go tell the people myself, either at a meeting of some sort, or by sending out an e-mail to EACH AND EVERY EMPLOYEE PERSONALLY to make sure they know. I would also tell them that any questions are welcome... God doesn't do this. God uses the first method. If God can't see the folly of such a method, then he is in no way perfect or all knowing. Therefore, he is not god. If god can't use logic, then humans are better than god, rendering the term god meaningless. So at the very least, we can conclude that there can't possibly be a god as described by christians in the holy bible.

Also, if you're gonna be a christian, then be a christian. Don't sit there and preach love thy neighbor and then turn around and treat him like s**t. Most christians don't practice what they preach, and I'm more christian(in practice) than most who call themselves christians.

Oh, and one last thing, while we're on the subject of religion... I absolutely HATE when religious people go "lol, evolution is just a THEORY," as though they're suggesting that because it's a theory, it must be bunk... I have a huge problem with this because the very fact that they called it a theory means that they're willing to entertain the idea that they're not right. A theory is tested and tested and tested and tested until it is proven without a doubt, that 100% of the time, what the theory suggests actually happens. Then, and ONLY THEN is it called a FACT.

Religion, on the other hand does not propose theories. It proposes everything as fact with absolutely ZERO evidence, and if I question any of it, I'm told I'm a heathen or whatever, OR I'm told "god works in mysterious ways." No, that's a buncha crap. If god wants us to understand, accept, and follow his rules, then he can't work in "mysterious ways." So as far as I'm concerned, religion has NO credibility about ANYTHING whatsoever. At least the scientific community is willing to admit they don't know every damn thing. But when it comes to religion...

"The earth is only X years old."
"well what about these fossils that are clearly older than that?"
"Oh, those were just put there by god to test your faith."

So now god likes to play childish games... Yeah, whatever. I'll believe it when I see it.

THANK GOD I'M AN ATHEIST

Alright, I'm done. sorry if that offended anybody, as that's not my intention. I just have to call things as I see them.

Not many people will take you seriously when you said someone said they heard the voice of God, but I was a Pentecostal for about 11 years and yeah, I've heard a voice saying things like that. I still hear it sometimes. And it is so direct and clear and so the opposite of my own thoughts (I'm an unashamed critic of certain religious institutions and what they say in the media).

I'm not going to read the rest of this thread because they tend to get heated. If you don't believe, great - just keep your opinion to yourself. And if you do believe, great - just remember that not everyone else does.

But there's one thing science cannot prove: what is speaking in tongues and what happens to Christians when they worship? Because I have had very real experiences in a Pentecostal church which is probably why I haven't stopped believing in God, though I am a critic to the Church.

Yes, all of us who don't believe should just shut up - that would make it awfully convenient for the rest to keep spreading their delusions, wouldn't it?


Speaking in tongues is senseless babbling. Even as an atheist I can do it and look just as mentally handicapped as a professional. I don't understand what you are asking with "what happens to Christians when they worship?" They certainly don't start glowing and rising up to the clouds, or otherwise have any different effect from me sitting and thinking about the 5th generation iPod Touch. That's given me tingly sensations, too.

Christian here. First off, I didn't go to church much as a teen b/c my dad is protestant and is having a hard time finding a church that he's comfortable in. But hen I was a kid, we would go to a baptist church. A) b/c my mom was raised baptist and B) b/c that church had some really nice folks and my dad seemed very comfortable there. We moved to Florida when my dad was stationed there through the Air Force and that meant we had to find another church, we ended up going to a Calvary Chapel in Gulf Breeze. We liked this church a lot and I was baptized through there at 8 years old. However, some things in my life got in the way of my walk with God (My parents' divorce, my obsession with trying to please my father, the stress of being bullied for having AS, Wanting to have a good relationship with my sister, Getting pressured into getting sterilized when in reality, that was not what God had in the cards for me. Buying food with my food stamps that my father and brother ended up eating while I was on vacation in Arkansas.)
So I was rebaptized at age 21 on New years day.
I think the concept of religion is very complex to folks with AS as we sometimes don't understand certain things about that belief. I for one when I was looking for churches when I first moved into my own place stumbled upon this Episcopal church in the area and even though I visited one in High School back when I was volunteering at the Alzeimer's Center and the patients wanted to attend services, I didn't feel comfortable in that enviroment b/c You were in a small room with lots of people saying stuff back to the priest (to me it sounds like chanting but I really shouldn't say that since my stepmom is catholic)
But whenever I visited my grandparents in Arkansas, We went to their church (church of christ) and I felt very comfortable there.
So now I attend the Church of Christ in my town.

I'm a Buddhist. That's the religion for chilled out people who like to sit down a lot.

I believe in faith but its my own set of rules and beliefs, religion I feel is a personal choice but if you don't understand it you can't make a choice. I was brought up a catholic and so are my children, I am not a regular church goer but my children have an understanding and then I think can make a choice for themselves.

I have a very strong faith I think its what gets me through difficult times.

I have tried all religion, if i can even say it like that? sounds weird..
but i concluded that none made me feel better and i can't commit myself to something i can't find any evidence about.
If proof comes i'll for sure step over to a religion.
I also seem to find all religions so labeled.. stupid and life controlling, like you gotta make your religion your life path.

ok most of you don't believe, what would you say a car you are travelling in just about to hit the wall and you are going to die. Who would you call out to! be honest

Who?

Get Real!

I'm more likely to call out a word that has less to do with "Divinity", and more to do with either copulation and/or defecation.

i wouldn't scream for anything i would make an attempt to save myself.

Probably any number of four letter words? Or perhaps the name of the person driving. Why would I call out anyone else's name? Do you honestly believe shouting "Jesus!", "God!", "Muhammad!" or "Allah!" makes any more sense than shouting the name of your favorite icecream flavor, to someone who ascribes to no religion? Please think things through before you make a smug remark that you somehow expect to enlighten others of their true feelings, as it only damages your case, resulting in the exact opposite of the effect you intended.