I'm a Christian Aspie

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One of my favorite Christian movies is the infamous The Last Temptation Of Christ. For those who have never seen it, it's not nearly as blasphemous as the late Jerry Falwell claimed. In fact, it not only did it not deny Christ's divine nature, but upheld that doctrine. And no, Jesus does not really have sex with, what Pat Robertson calls "a whore." Rather, when he is on the cross, the devil comes to him as an angel, and almost has him convinced that he really isn't the Messiah, and that he can live into old age as a regular man, marrying the former prostitute Mary Magdalene and having children. But in the end, he realizes who he really is, and embraces his death on the cross, which in fact he had never left. The guy who in fact is defamed and slandered isn't Jesus, but Saul/Paul of Tarsus, who is portrayed as a Christ hating Zealot later turned into a hypocritical Christian.

There are several web sites which describe Tolkien's Christian influences in The Lord of the Rings. Some of the sites appear to stretch to make their proofs, but, generally, it is interesting that Tolkien used religious archetypes (what else?) in his stories.

I know that many Christians see apostasy if an eyelash is misplaced in a depiction of biblical stories. I prefer to see alternative stories as parables. As long as the end result is well-intentioned and good, I like it. For example, I like the Anne Rice Christian stories from several years ago. Clearly fictional, they nonetheless comport generally with the canon.

I was interested in the Anne Rice Christian stories but had forgotten about them - thanks for the reminder!

So, dealing with church...

Do you fit in? I like the people I go to church with (though some are too entrenched in the "Christian subculture" for my taste), and I feel close to them in the sense of being able to share prayer requests and such. But, still, I don't feel like I could really hang out in a social setting outside of church and be myself and talk about things I'm interested in. We have absolutely nothing in common except for our faith.

I know many NT Christians with lots of friends. I am so seriously lacking and it really bugs me that I *still* have this problem, even as an adult, even belonging to a church. I have to work so hard at finding friends. I even met up with one person last week and she inadvertently insulted me and my whole family basically saying that musicians turn music into an "idol". What gives???

I agree whole-heartedly. The problem with movies like 'Son of God' is that they don't depict Christ so much as they depict the mythical, sanitized Sunday School version of Him, the one with perfect teeth who walks around performing perfect miracles and generally being an all-around dandy dude, not the impassioned radical who threatened the status quo of the Roman Empire. In emphasizing His humanly qualities, His doubts and His sacrifice, a movie like 'Last Temptation' does more to reaffirm and strengthen my faith than any two straight hours of watching a bland TV actor deliver accessible verse with the cheesy soft-spoken conviction of a motivational speaker or watching Jim Caviezel get the snot kicked out of him.

The 1977 miniseries 'Jesus of Nazareth' was also pretty top-notch, as well.

I don't think that's too uncommon. As you said about the "Christian subculture", most people are brought up in churches their entire lives so that's the culture and social setting they're intrinsically a part of. I didn't start going to any church until I was 25, so I was very far removed from all of that...likewise, the only thing I really have in common with people at my church is our faith, but that's super-important in its own right, as that's a connection I don't get anywhere else. I still socialize politely, but it's never been too much of a divide that I've never made any of them my best friends.

Nope. My preferred church would be the Episcopal Church (though, I grew up Mormon), but its constant references to LGBT this, or gun-control that, makes me wonder when they ever have time to connect their opinions with something biblical. So, I am largely an unaffiliated red-letter Bible-reading Christian. Simple. I like it that way. And, when I want to tithe, I take myself to brunch.

Ooo, me TOO----THANKS!!

Speaking of books..... Has anyone read "The Prophet" by Kahlil Gibran? I LOVE that book!! Again, FICTIONAL, but WONDERFUL!! Remember when Jesus was in the Upper Room, teaching the Rabbis----that's the "feel", of it.....

I agree, on all counts.

About as well as I do in any other NT dominated segment of society - - which is usually not well. Oh, I can become the center of attention during intellectual discussions in Bible study class, but socializing with other church members can be difficult, as I more often than not will start rattling off facts, or some current event on the news rather than just making small talk. Luckily, my Asperger's is well known of in my congregation. That, and my wife and I stand out among the more socially conservative crowd at church, as we're clearly the poorest and most liberal family there, especially when it comes to the defense of social programs, evolution and other stances taken by modern science, and gay rights.

It surprises me to hear that the Episcopal Church would be talking this much about it.

Personally, I think those topics should stay out of the pulpit and remain in personal conversations. People have various convictions on the matters at hand, and any disagreements between believers are not going to be hashed out by someone hammering it from the pulpit. Some individuals in our church are quite vocal about some current topics (not from the pulpit), but we try to "lower the volume", so to speak, and promote a more low-key, inclusive discussion. (I am, dare I say it, "Baptist", but at an unaffiliated church.)

I'd like to try out other denominations, go visit and see what the church service is like. I've been to a few Catholic services and one Episcopal service (a LONG time ago), but never to a Lutheran service. That is what I am most curious about these days... BUT, as the pastor's wife and the music director at our church, I'm not going to get that opportunity any time soon, LOL.

As you're familiar with Catholic and Episcopal worship, then Lutheran worship would be quite familiar to you, as very much the same kind of liturgy is used, with the same sort of reverence for baptism and communion as sacraments (including infant baptism and belief in the real presence in the Lord's Supper), along with observance of holy days.

I should have been clear that I haven't attended for years and never heard statements of the kind I described within any liturgy during that time. It was predominantly within the non-liturgical arena wherein the statements were made. But, I consider the non-litugrical conversation to have at least the social sway that the liturgical conversation should. That is why I cringed when politicized statements were made with little basis in doctrine.

Nerdygirl;

In working with ministers of other denominations, I have seen that sometimes they do things differently than Baptists, like doing Sunday School differently or not having Wednesday Night Prayer meeting, so you could check what other churches in your area offer on other nights.

It's good to see other churches may worship differently but the basic faith in God's mercy and grace is still there.

Kraichgauer; the Lutheran chaplains I've know were solid Biblical scholars, and generally had a better understanding of the Reformation and church history than I did. It's been several years now since I retired but there did seem to be some tension between those from the Missouri Synod and those who were ELCA, is that anything that you even see at the local church level?