Correlation between AS and religion/atheism or no?

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Hi —

Is there a correlation with Autistic people / those with Asperger's, and being spiritual/having a faith?? Or having Asperger's and being atheist? Or is it all completely unrelated?




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For my personal rant:

I grew up as a firm atheist (with spiritual parents) until earlier this year: too many people that I know are religious (any faith) or agnostic. It seems like a given.

But I had a lot of comfort in coincidence and knowing that there are no souls, that there's no afterlife, no Heaven/Hell, no mystical beings, and that we essentially stop existing at death. Life is an incredible phenomenon. But coincidence and long-term evolution are really just as beautiful concepts as a master plan and creation. They are equally powerful concepts/theories and equally mind-boggling.

I'm actually scared that believing in (the Christian... more precisely Catholic) God makes me schizophrenic. Superstitious for sure.

There's a lot that I'm not even mentioning.

P.S. My roommate has Asperger's Syndrome as well and is a devout Catholic (raised this way).

I used to be in control of my simple life. Now, am I going crazy by trying to give my life to Jesus??? And having faith makes my life super complicated. It sometimes comforts me in tough situations, but then I think I'm crazy and it stresses me out A LOT. Plus, there are so many churches and so many holidays and so many ... different takes...

But Christianity (quite notably, Catholicism) has changed my attitude and values in life for the positive. I grew up uncaring and unforgiving. I now value family above friends, for example, and I easily forgive.

Some Atheist will argue it is neurological disorder that makes a person believe what they do.
AS isn't a neurological disorder per se. It is personality trait much like ADD, ADHD.

Atheism is not a personality disorder/neurological disorder. It is a choice, set of values and a belief system-much like a religion.
Atheist will use that as an argument against theist to help improve their case, but it only makes it worse for them as it implies they are "Intellectually superior" and subtly condescends on everyone else who isn't an Atheist.

My point is this;
The two are completely unrelated. One is a choice, the other is innate.

Best Regards,

Jake

Exactly. Atheism is innate. Religious beliefs are a choice - though usually imposed by the society each individual finds himself in so are more accurately described as an endemic disease.

Atheism is the initial or default condition. But is it innate? If so, why do many people go from the atheism born of ignorance and inexperience to a state of belief in Wonderful Beings?

ruveyn

People generally absorb their branch of religion from their culture. Children born in Christian cultures become Christians; similarly children born in Islamic cultures become Muslims. On that basis a persons religion is more like a endemic contagious disease of the mind.

It's opposite. I was implying A.S. is innate. Atheism, however is not. Atheism is a result of environment and choice.

Best Regards,

Jake

On the contrary. A person picks up their religion from their culture i.e. their environment. The global distribution of various believers proves that.

Although I may not personnaly agree with the context of the statement, it does have truth to it and I accept that.
So, flipping the statement on the side, A person growing up in a Atheistic culture, will become an Atheist.

But the statement makes the assumption; They don't have a choice, your religion is already decided for you. I don't agree with that.
Everyone has a choice.

Best Regards,

Jake

Indicating there is a wide spread tendency or inclination to believe. And that tendency or inclination is innate to our species. Many of us Primates need a Super Primate to follow.

ruveyn

So, we are discussing determinism? If there is no free will, arguments wouldn't matter. Free will makes rationality possible.

Best Regards,

Jake

It is. They have scientifically proven that there's a link outside of the spiritual personality type.

So there is a difference between neurologically between a religious vs. non-religious person?
So is it fair to say Atheism is a personality type as well?

Best Regards,

Jake

Nope; in order to be religious you have to find the notion of a godhead appealing. Most aspergians like to consider themselves the center of all that happens instinctively. Most normal folk place it in higher powers.

Also, source: http://www.psychologytoday.com/blog/psy ... ad-atheism

I'd rather use the word Skeptic.

A person might reject organized religion and distrust its authority figures, yet drift into Easter religion, or Nature religion, become Agnostic, or settle on a vague Pantheism.

Last edited by VIDEODROME on 16 Dec 2012, 6:52 pm, edited 1 time in total.

Worth noting that the thrust of that article is that autistic people are less likely to identify in a personal God who has a human-like mind. They aren't more likely to not believe in any God at all.

I was once a Christian, but my autism experience led me to sources that made it impossible to both believe in a God and believe in my own experience, so now I only believe in experience.