Autism and atheism

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Edit 01/08/11:

I just wanted to apologize to anybody here who I've upset or offended by creating this post. To be completely honest I'm not the type of person who cares about somebody's preference in anything let alone religion or atheism as it's really none of my business. I was actually in a very weird place of clouded thoughts when something triggered Rant Mode on, and I foolishly went with it. Had I had a clear mind, for one, I wouldn't have even started this topic because I don't enjoy offending people and it's clear when I re-read my post recently that I was talking in a very condescending tone which would be considered offensive. Also hehe, I definitely would have done some more research before posting something so wild . So yes, I had quite a few misconceptions as some people pointed out . I actually feel bad that I possibly offended some people here with my stupid rant... so I'm honestly apologizing right now.

Honestly I'd love to delete this post like I could through my edit, but I'm thinking that would be fairly disrespectful since so many people have already stated their thoughts. Honestly if you people here have read any of my other posts I'm generally fairly light hearted so I really feel stupid for posting something so not me .
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This has more to do with autism than atheism, so I figured it would fit better in autism discussion. *Sigh* I'm guessing this might piss some people off... but whatever

I've been constantly curious as to why so many people with autism are atheist. It's claimed to be a logical answer because all religions have loop holes in their lore. Really though, atheism is an emotional choice to religion. There's not really any logic in saying a creator cannot exist because Christianity doesn't make logical sense. It's just as much blind faith to say a god cannot exist because the bible is faulty as it is to be a Christian or any other religion. Also there seems to be a lack of individualism in atheism because I can't understand why they choose to note other religions as a claim to how there can't be a god. Really the only logical choice truely would be to be open to the possibility of a creator/higher power and also to the possibility to that there might be nothing more.

I guess I also get miffed whenever I look at someones religious topic and then 2/3 of the population who reads it has to post that there's no god because it's illogical... when the statements they use are illogical themselves. If a religion is illogical... then don't use that as reference to why there can't be a god with "Illogical sources".

Back to the emotional source of atheism, I'd have to say there would have to be some strong feeling behind feeling one has to bash other religions... when if it wasn't a heated emotional response... one wouldn't bother to say anything. All on top, atheism isn't any less of a religion than Christianity.

To really finish up, I'm just curious as to why it's so common for an autistic person to be atheist when there's no real logic behind it either. Science can prove nothing that man doesn't understand in a whole. As in, maybe every religion that has a creator is getting it wrong... it doesn't mean that because the possibility that man sucks at predicting what a creator is... that there is no creator. Also science doesn't prove anything... maybe whatever governs this world used science to create it . I guess I'm just wondering why it's so common for autistic people to be atheist and use logic as an explanation as to why they are atheist. There's no sensible logic there .

Anyway, I'll just note that I'm not religious or atheist. I'm the middle ground stated above. The type that's just open to possibility. I'm fairly spiritual, but I can't find a religion that makes sense either so I'm just going with what's possible and I like to live my life by the good ideals I see in religions. I also believe in the human spirit for whatever that's worth so I do try to be good .

Feel free to discuss

Last edited by Lace-Bane on 08 Jan 2011, 10:20 pm, edited 1 time in total.

I suspect this thread will blow up because people won't end up talking about your question (why does it seem that atheism is more common among Aspies?) and will talk about religion instead.

My first question is do you have any evidence that Aspies are more likely to be atheist? Atheism is more common as you go up the scale in education. Are educated aspies more likely to be atheist than educated NTs?

One possibility is that Aspies have Theory of Mind differences from NTs. To ascribe things to some sentient cosmic force would require seeing an entity "out there" that has intention. But autistics have trouble seeing intention in humans. We have trouble recognizing self in humans when they are presumably like us. So it may be even more difficult to see intention in a entity that outstrips our understanding and capabilities.

That's a good question, I'm only going off a source that I recall in my mind... so no I don't have that information on hand

I'd still be curious to know why it's held as a logical answer for autistic people who are atheist. Your possibility of an answer was helpful though. I hadn't thought of it that way.

Last edited by Lace-Bane on 06 Jan 2011, 8:59 pm, edited 1 time in total.

If it's true, it'd likely be that one extremely common type of autistic people (of those who commonly can communicate about it) are a hyper-rational sort of person, and that sort of person has a tendency to be atheist (as well as libertarian and a lot of other things). Note that I said hyper-rational, not necessarily logical (though they tend to believe they are).

I don't understand why you say it's illogical. If I say I have a magic leprechaun in my closet, it's up to me to prove it exists, not up to you to prove it doesn't. So would you continue to believe it doesn't exist unless I proved it did? Or would you be open to the possibility that it might exist?

But anyway, wavefreak makes an interesting point with the Theory of Mind thing. But I wonder, also, if there really is a correlation at all. I've seen a lot of religious people here.

It is religious bigots that have wrongly defined athiesm as a denial of the possibility of a god.

Athiesm is the lack of belief in a god which is completely different.



This is what many atheists actually believe.

Until you can prove that your god exists, I'm not following your religion's rules.

I was under the impression autistic people were simply more likely to be spiritual than follow an ORGANIZED religion.

Well, I see where you're coming from, but I think you may have some misconceptions about atheists as a whole. Atheists don't all necessarily have the same reason for their non-belief. As an atheist myself, I couldn't care less about other religions. A friend of mine invited me to his church last week, and I went and listened, and talked to some very nice Christians, but I still don't believe in any god. It's like.. if nobody told you there was such a thing as God, would you come up with the idea yourself? I wouldn't.

If you have time, Ricky Gervais gives a good and rather humorous summary of the logic behind non-belief: http://blogs.wsj.com/speakeasy/2010/12/ ... n-atheist/

That being said, there certainly are atheists who do it to rebel against their parents and who want to take down religion. I frankly don't care, I just want them to leave me alone.

As to why autistics may or may not tend towards non-belief:

1.) Church is a very social setting and may make some autistics uncomfortable with organized religion. I certainly find it awkward, random people wanting to hug and talk all the time.
2.) It may have something to do with us being more literal-minded, I think the NT perception of a god is very complex, subtle, and metaphorical, whereas we focus on the concrete. I could be totally wrong on this part though, I really shouldn't speak for religious people or NT's.

Hmm... maybe I got that wrong . What you mentioned is how I am. I'm more in tune with the idea of spirituality than following an organized religion really because I find organized religions to be illogical because the facts never line up.

Some autistic people are like that.

Others really prefer the structure of organized religion.

Thinking about it, different aspects of autism can push people towards different religious beliefs and lack of beliefs. So even when being autistic influences a person it's not always in the same direction.

Re lack of belief in God vs belief there is no God I thought that was the difference between soft and hard atheism.

(...and then there are spiritual atheists.)

I'm the very logical type that has little concept of what spirituality means. However, I was very much drawn to organized religion but I could not believe in it because of facts not lining up and too many things unexplained.

Somebody had to think of it first else we wouldn't be discussing it. Maybe you are the type of person that wouldn't think along those lines, but that shouldn't be generalized to others.

Last edited by wavefreak58 on 06 Jan 2011, 9:48 pm, edited 1 time in total.

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Last edited by Lace-Bane on 06 Jan 2011, 9:59 pm, edited 1 time in total.

I'm a Christian. I also respect what the OP has to say, as well.

I like science a lot. I went to church and people never talked about science. They just said God, the creator of all things made this world and that was as much science they talked about. I like details, especially about astronomy and physics. Do these people even know about quantum mechanics or care?
They also talk about God and Jesus a lot. It's a real drag.
They also gossip after church and I really hated that.

When people talk about the Bible there's something in me that makes me think they take it literally. They are just metaphors right?

That said I believe in God because he answers prayer. Or is this some security blanket of mine that has a placebo effect? Nah, I still believe in him.

I also have no concept of spiritual.

What about Christians who are strongly against evolution? Honestly who cares? Just pick your beliefs and leave us that like hardcore facts the hell alone. I'm not one of those annoying people that say there is no God just to get a rise out of you.

Fixed it. I messed up the quotes