Published on 12, July, 2020
I just wanted to start a thread to see what the experiences of any other autistic Christians are? As an autistic person who didn't know I was autistic until later life I have had an up and down relationship with my faith over the years. I have had some very bad experiences in church too, I know a lot of autistic people struggle with church for many reasons too.
Im not trying to convert or preach to anyone and I appreciate a lot of people on here aren't religious or anything but it would be really interesting and comforting to hear any experiences of fellow autistic Christians
I've had some special moments in some churches, but I can never really connect very deeply for very long.
It's partly me, but is also due to a combination of a) conspiracy loonies telling me it's not even a condition, or b) it's a disease to be cured of! Not to mention lots of toxic devisive covert political mind melt.
However, I believe in the God of Christ, Abraham, Moses, and Noah with all my heart.
But life, meantime, as a man in his fifties is a disastrous string of self sabotaging catastrophes due to, I guess, mostly having not been brought up by informed parents or guardians who knew which things were key to managing ASD (and surprisingly, I wasn't diagnosed ADHD till my 40s, and currently awaiting formal diagnosis of ASD now n my fifties), and instilling routine around the things that inspire us, and with the things we just need to do.
It would be timely to look at Christian residential rehabs, which are generally in the countryside away from everything, and use aspects of their work for adults who've been diagnosed in later life, who are in a mess, yet don't quite fit the "addict" tag, or whatever usual addiction oriented approaches.
But, like a residential rehab with tasks and roles and study and counseling etc, for recovering later in life diagnosed people. Perhaps?
It'd, if done properly, and appropriately, be an ideal place to gain that inner discipline and routine, with opportunity to study secular or biblical things, creative, meditate, be counselled, mentored spiritually and vocationally, and take your spiritual studies as deeply as you feel called to. With appropriate experts, grounded in Christianity,. Though for us lot, they may need to be used to thinking outside the boxl
An organisation, Teen Challenge, who've branched into adults, and have some family residential places too, but who deal with addictions, may contain an existing template to evolve residential rehab for later-in-life diagnosed people who though not handling life, are capable of, with support, getting on and learning how to have a life. Structure. And surrounded with appropriate Christian support.
It's vital this begins, I feel. It's time has come?
Discuss?
Firstly, thank you for being so open. I was diagnosed at around 44 and I am now 50, so I can sympathise with you. I know of Teen Challenge in North East of Scotland and very much admire the work they do with addicts. I personally though don't feel the need for such things for autistics as we don't need curing or healing, no matter how well intentioned it is. God created us this way and people need to understand that, churches in general would not try to cure someone with down syndromme so why should they try it with us. What I have found though is that non-liturgical churches tend to be more welcoming, particularly those of under 50 members as they tend to be more like a family and so more welcoming. The church I go to is very much a family of dysfunctional people, in fact I am not sure that there is such a thing as a normal person in our church and so everyone is accepting of everyone else.
When I changed to this church though, the holy spirit placed on my heart that if I wanted be accepted I need to make the effort to be part of the church. Hence as uncomfortable as it was, and as much as I had to lean on the Lord, I joined the bible study, the prayer group and attended as many Sunday services as possible even if that meant using zoom at times. Then having read the love languages of God book, the person who used to meet and greet left to help another church, and the holy spirit placed on my heart to taker over despite having to step out of the proverbial boat to do it. It was a blessing in disguise though as it allowed me to learn everyone's name and to come out of my shell and speak to everyone that comes to church. Nowadays I love doing it and it forms part of my personal ministry, as you can make or break someone's time at church by saying the wrong thing, more so than any sermon or out of key worship track. By leaning on the Lord I have also learnt to pray out loud, but using a simple format of starting with an appropriate piece of scripture and letting the spirit take it from there.
Hence, I don't feel the need for any sort of rehab program, what I believe is most important is consistently reading the bible each day, praying each day, and regular worship and other christian interactions such that one's life is grounded in Christ and for Christ. We are called to take his word to others, and we should do that through our everyday interactions. We are told that if we have faith as small as a mustard seed we can move a mountain, well the words we say to others or the actions we do to help them are mustard seeds of faith placed into their heart, that overtime and with watering will grow into the largest of all garden plant, which is a metaphor for faith int he garden of eden, which itself is a metaphor for heaven.
If any of this has helped you Bob and you want to chat more in depth then feel free to drop me a direct message,