Autistic and Christian

For me the hardest part was always when they tea abd coffee afterwards and I was always the one left out.  This has happened in several different churches.  

There's also the issue of institutional ableism.  A lot of theology is based on the idea that humans are broken and God will fix them, but it also says that desease and siffering are a result of the Fall, and most Christians I know would include any kind of disability in this.  Churches often see disabled people as something for God to fix.  And then if they pray and you don't become miraculously healed then it's because you don't have enough faith, or the right kind of faith.  

Honestly, if people believe prayer really works, why don't they spend more time praying for things that really matter like equal rights or fixing the state of the NHS.

For me the hardest part was always when they tea abd coffee afterwards and I was always the one left out.  This has happened in several different churches.  

There's also the issue of institutional ableism.  A lot of theology is based on the idea that humans are broken and God will fix them, but it also says that desease and siffering are a result of the Fall, and most Christians I know would include any kind of disability in this.  Churches often see disabled people as something for God to fix.  And then if they pray and you don't become miraculously healed then it's because you don't have enough faith, or the right kind of faith.  

Honestly, if people believe prayer really works, why don't they spend more time praying for things that really matter like equal rights or fixing the state of the NHS.

Absolutley! I hate how some Christians always make you feel that if theres something wrong with you or something broken about you that the only reason is cos you dont have enough faith for God to take it away.

Also I find a lot of Christians seem to see autism as something bad to be cured rather than something of value to be accepted. When I found out I was autistic I went on the biggest Christian bookshop site in the country and there were only 3 books about autism and all of them were on how to cure it

Thankfully my church isnt like that, there are autistic kids there and they seem quite accepting so far although I havnt told many people yet 

Hmmm, yes I've had a Christian person or two get quite angry when I say I am grateful the Great Spirit created me autistic... the sensory burden is hard to bare, but otherwise, I like my autistim, so thanks, God! I'm grateful. They rather angrily think I should be praying for my deliverance or healing or something...healing from what?  I'm not ill.  It's such a shame that they can't see variety as a marvel of creation and we are all little reflections of different aspects of our creator whatever our neurology.  It would be a bit boring if we were alike.

This is why I drifted to the pagan side of unitarianism.
I also don't attend congregations/meets.
I know what you mean. Although that born into sin and needing to be fixed is also applied to NT and able bodied people, it is definitely magnified when it comes to any of us who are the "other." And it never sat right with me that a loving omnipotent God would require anyone to change or "be fixed" to be worthy of love.
Also people praying for the "hand of God" to help is kinda silly*... I don't think people realise there are many hands of God, because the hand of God is you, it's me, and the man on the street. It's in the acts of everyday kindness we do for people. Everytime you put spare change in the guide dog collection box, etc.
*There's nothing wrong with prayer as a wish when the power to do is out of our own hands, but just wishing for something when you can actually put energy into enacting it instead is a waste of time imo.
Frankie Laine's "I Believe" is as much about human kindness as it is a metaphysical deity, we can all be that "someone" somewhere ready to help eachother. : )

p.s. I love your profile pic, "Fuschia is a dancer, dancing on her toes" I remember it from the book.

I would like my physical disability fixing, although i accept this might not be in this life. But I do not see my autism as a disability. In fact when we are all changed, I would not be surprised if the result was closer to autistic than NT!

I know some churches are like you say, but it is a result of a poor understanding of scripture. Did Paul not have enough faith to heal Timothy's stomach that he advised him to take a little wine? Or the helper he had to leave behind sick? So it should not be expected that everyone one prays for will be instantly healed.

God does care about people being treated unfairly, there is much in the Bible about this, which many Christians do sadly seem to miss somehow. I do pray for the sort of things you mention, as do many Christians I know. But yes, we are all flawed and many of us get it wrong and this does have bad results like putting people off.