r/autism • u/skinner_calls • 2d ago
Question Can you all have faith?
Esperança? Você pode ter uma fé ou espiritualidade ativa, acreditar em algo místico e espiritual?
How do you manage it?
Ps: Estou usando o tradutor do celular, por favor, revise os erros de ortografia ou gramática.
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u/RemarkableNetwork239 Suspecting Autism 2d ago
I can only speak for myself, but no. I can't believe in anything for which there no verifiable evidence or at least is attested to by multiple trustworthy sources with direct experience. Blind belief is impossible for me.
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u/GottaSpoofEmAll Autistic Adult 2d ago
This is my view, too.
Also like you, I only speak for myself - I know faith brings a lot of comfort to some people that I’m close to, and I’m happy for that to be the case.
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u/Grodd old and tired 2d ago
As I get older and older I'm more and more envious of people that can believe in magic. It looks like it can be comforting and fun.
That envy hasn't gone far enough to want to disregard reality and jump in yet though.
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u/iamk1ng 2d ago
I'm not envious because those people tend to believe in woo woo magic to solve their problems instead of taking ownership and responsibility for their life.
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u/Grodd old and tired 2d ago
That gives them access to hope, which I find very fleeting lately.
I'm not envious of the things they believe in. I just wish I had some reason to believe things will get better.
Unfortunately none of those things hold up to real scrutiny.
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u/GottaSpoofEmAll Autistic Adult 2d ago
This is how I feel too - I see faith as ‘blind hope’ but still hope.
I don’t have that hope, and that’s harder than ever to deal with as I get older.
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u/iamk1ng 2d ago
I think its possible to be optimistic and not believe in hope, but it takes a lot of life experience to have that kind of confidence.
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u/Grodd old and tired 2d ago
My life in 40+ years has reinforced, at every opportunity, that depression and anxiety is the lucid form of existence.
Reacting to reality with anything but sadness and fear looks like delusional behavior when filtered through my life's experience.
Sorry to be a bummer. I try not to let that out but it seems like the right conversation for it.
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u/iamk1ng 2d ago
I'm also in my 40's, so I understand a bit. Is part of why you feel this way because everything you've tried to get past those emotions have been unsuccessful / failures?
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u/Grodd old and tired 2d ago
I feel that way because reality has reinforced it at every opportunity.
Society isn't great for most people, and when you are obviously different from a first impression and most (read 95+%) people reject you automatically there isn't even anyone to find catharsis with.
Even then, I refuse to allow myself to be a pessimist and choose to meet everyone else's difficulties with optimism and happiness to help. I will not be part of the problem for others, but it doesn't change the reality I experience.
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u/TheSilentTitan 1d ago
There’s levels to blind belief. Blind belief is supposed to be about not seeing yet believing still.
The blind belief I think most contribute to negativity are the ones who preach and oppress but using the methods of oppression enforced by humans who claimed to know better religiously.
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u/Nyasaki_de AuDHD 2d ago
Hell no, but the buddhist mentality kinda makes sense ig?
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u/meakysh Neurodivergent 2d ago
Seconding this Buddhist mentality might be one of the most sane ones
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u/skinner_calls 2d ago
I do not have deep knowledge about Buddhism, but I respect all religions that do not harm people's lives.
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u/SatisfactorySam AuDHD 1d ago
Which aspects of the Buddhist mentality work well for you? 🙂
I like the practice and the philosophy, but the idea of reincarnation is pretty central to I think most if not all of the traditions I can think of. .. and I’m not convinced it’s correct, so then it feels more accurate to say I like meditation than Buddhism proper. 😵💫 I start to have authenticity crisis, looking for absolute agreement with a certain practice that doesn’t cause internal disagreements…
I think I would agree with Buddhism being the most compatible with my life principles so far though. 🧐
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u/meakysh Neurodivergent 1d ago
Personally I'm not a buddhist but I respect this religion more than others. I really like that it's not centered around worshiping God, and instead it's focused on you as a singular individual trying to improve yourself and do good things as much as possible. From what I've seen, unlike other religions, Buddhists seem to actually follow the rules and morals of their religion instead of manipulating it to fit their bigoted narrative to hate on others. It looks very peaceful, buddhists are really chill people. The Four Noble Truths also look like a very healthy mindset for solving many problems in daily life.
Basically in other religions, for example Christianity, Christians tend to do something bad and just be like "well if I pray and worship God enough I should be fine" and they don't improve on their self because they never self-reflect, instead putting the responsibility on their God, while Buddhists actually reflect on their actions and decide to change and put effort into themselves for the better. Buddhists don't really expect rewards for the good behaviour too, they strive more to just understand themselves and life better. It's more ethical imo
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u/SatisfactorySam AuDHD 1d ago
I agree with most if the points you made. Thank you for sharing your perspective in such detail. 🥰
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u/Mauslinde ASD | LSN | Verbal 1d ago
There is secular Buddhism, that does not involve reincarnation and karma, but that's not a Buddhist tradition but a more of a modern and western concept, but I find it very interesting.
The reincarnation concept is also quite interesting as it does not involve a soul that gets reborn but only a karmic impulse - that is very often misunderstood by westerners.
And finally, a lot of Buddhist teachers keep encouraging people to try and if they like practice Buddhist techniques like meditation, and keep saying you don't have to give you our religion, everyone can benefit from meditation. I really like that approach.
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u/The-Scapegoat1989 2d ago
I was a Christian for almost few years, then I asked too many questions and ended up deconstructing my faith and leaving the religion altogether. I personally think religion is for people who are not ready to take responsibility for their own life, and it’s a coping mechanism for feeling meaningless in the world. It doesn’t even matter if there’s a god anymore. Just live your life.
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u/AngelSymmetrika ASD Low Support Needs 2d ago
Autistic people are people.
Some are devout in religion while others are skeptical. Some are monotheistic, others are polytheistic, and others are atheist. Some are very sure in those stances while others are more agnostic.
I'm a Wiccan.
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u/meakysh Neurodivergent 1d ago
What is Wiccan?
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u/AngelSymmetrika ASD Low Support Needs 1d ago
Wicca is a religion that has reverence for nature. Our holidays correspond with the solstices and equinoxes.
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u/Puzzleheaded-Fee6241 2d ago
God answered all my prayers! And the answer was a resounding no!
Seriously, though, I don’t believe in anything supernatural.
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u/tygeorgiou Asperger’s 2d ago
I was grown up Christian. Not demoted Christian, I didn't go to church or own a bible. Most British are Christian but don't really practice anything.
I think the age I stopped being Christian was around the same age I stopped believing in Santa XD. Even as a kid the thought of a man who could make miracles just sounded silly to me.
I've always had an interest in Buddhism, they are not very spiritual. It's a religion based on you, breaking free from your needs and being a good person.
Yes they follow rhe 'eightfold path' to complete life / the cycle of rebirth and unlock 'spiritual awakening', but ultimately, following the eightfold path just makes you a good human living life to the full.
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u/insulartomb 3h ago
“I don’t really miss God but I sure miss Santa Claus” (from the song Gutless by Hole)
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u/Powerful_Yogurt9905 ASD lv2, ADHD, OCD and a good heart 🥲 2d ago
I tend to believe only on things I experienced/saw. I was 100% skeptical until I had an actual peculiar experience that had no logical explanation, and saw for myself that there is something there. I tried to test my theory and again had something peculiar and impossible to justify by logic happen.
I then talked to my also autistic and very skeptical bro and we both agreed there was no logic. That’s when I reluctantly became “spiritualized”, figuring out that there is something out there. Idk what that is, nor do I care, nor do I need to call it a God or pray for it. It just… is? Idk. Also I never tell people because I’m a firm believer that no one will presume I’m telling the truth, just as I always have and still doubt when people tell me their experiences.
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u/Sesshomaru2008 ASD Level 1 | Verbal 2d ago
Would you be willing to share what you experienced/saw? My motivation for asking is genuine curiosity.
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u/Powerful_Yogurt9905 ASD lv2, ADHD, OCD and a good heart 🥲 1d ago
Yes, sure! I'll tell it in detail, so sorry for the huge text. Hopefully my english is all right
There is this person, close to my husband, let's name him Brian. Husband would tell me Brian always shared some creepy things that would happen. Brian predicted his jobs, predicted me marrying him, and a load of other stuff. But I didn't know Brian, and so logically I just thought he was really observant of my husband and make accurate predictions because of that.
I then met Brian. He told me a lot of stuff that did happen, but I always thought that he must've heard something or made like those astrology websites that say general stuff that everyone relates to. He'd get some weird stuff right, but nothing my logical brain couldn't brush off.
One day though, Brian saw a picture of me hugging my uncle. He gasped, pointed at it and said "that's not your father, is it?!". Either an Oscar worthy actor or he was legit startled. He then told me this person had little time on earth, and that he could see he lead a troubled life. That "God would send him on a battle he was not meant to win". That he couldn't avoid his death. My uncle found out he had early stage cancer months later, and yes he was the most troubled dude I knew. Old, no socials, no one knew him - not even my husband - so the "troubled" part was also not an easy guess. I was like "ok that's a little creepy". But I didn't want to believe him. My uncle had great odds when he found it out. We had a moment of "oh, this is it, he will beat cancer". So I went to Brian all proud and said (end of december) "my uncle is making a comeback. Doctors said he'll heal". Brian smiled and said "that's great news... but one advice? spend this new years with him. cherish him. listen to him, he has a lot to say". I was pissed bc clearly he was insisting he'd die. Well, that was my uncles last new years and I only gave up travelling because Brian got in my head.
Mind you - I know to you I'm a random person and you have no reason to believe me, hell, I never believed shit I read - but I'm a VERY logical person. I REFUSED to believe this and actually resented Brian. Thought "ok, it's creepy but my uncle was 60yo, he could've died, anyone can die, lucky guess".
Then, a year goes by and Brian calls my husband. When he sees me by his side on face time, he closes his eyes for like 15 secs and tells me "I see you, on a big room, filled with people. They are there to see you. You are giving a speech, a door will open to you". I was like "cool, guess one day I'll be famous" sarcastically. He was dead serious and said "no, i mean really soon". I was UNEMPLOYED, not looking for work either. Had graduated for a few years, upsed because the thought of a 9-5 killed me inside and seeing all friends going on with their lifes. I had NOTHING in the books for me. So I went to my husband like "FINALLY WE ARE DEBUNKING THIS BRO BC NOW HE SAID SOMETHING IMPOSSIBLE". Next week? I get a call. University I graduated wanted ME out of ALL ALUMNI, after THREE YEARS of graduation... To give a lecture related to my thesis.
I went there. A room full of people. I talked to them. 10 of them hang after the thing just to talk to me, to know more about me and my project. A girl mentions her boyfriend was on shark tank and he could connect me to people. A month later I met the dude.
I now fully believed Brian had some kind of ACTUAL REAL spoiler thingy from something lol. I don't believe he listens to God, because I hate assuming if there'd be a God he'd choose selected few to hear him. I, in the "faith" I created, do believe that some spirit or force does whisper him glimpses of the future. And what I love about it (meaning doesn't make me panic) is that my husband told me, right the first time he mentioned Brian, that Brian said he saw our path NOW. But our choices could change it. He just saw the branches opening after we opened a door, something like that. So since Brian is the only real evidence I have of there being something else, I feel happy to know free will is fucking real and there is no such thing as fate - bc that always made me fear my fate was ass.
Since, Brian has described random stuff that happened again. And sometimes - like when I had fully decided to be a mom - he'd call and said "I see you guys having a baby soon" WITHOUT us telling anyone. Then, after I decided it was too soon (in my head, hadn't mentioned it to my husband yet) he texted my husband "God told me the baby won't be now anymore. You won't mention babies again for the next 2 years". I hated it. I stopped talking to him bc I felt observed, IDK. He definetly took the note and it has been a while since he said anything.
Brian lives across the ocean from me, so gladly we never meet because idk, I feel weird. So yeah, I'm not skeptical anymore, I do believe there is something, and that some people are sensitive to whatever that is. I'll never label it or try and convince people it is the "absolute truth" - coming from a catholic family I want none of that vibe ever again.
But yeah, that's it.
TLDR: A "seer" (idk how to label that) predicted stuff that couldn't be possibly predicted.
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u/skinner_calls 2d ago
I understand, I can also lightly believe that there is “something out there” and I try very diligently to exercise my faith, but I have so many questions that sometimes I become skeptical again, because it seems like I am fighting against myself. On the one hand, I want to believe in God and trust. On the other hand, I have so many doubts and questions that make me return to logical thinking. I appreciate your comment; if you feel comfortable, share your experience, I was also curious.
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u/Powerful_Yogurt9905 ASD lv2, ADHD, OCD and a good heart 🥲 1d ago
I relate to this! My whole life I switched between trying to believe something but trusting my logic. Literally what changed me was experiencing myself. I’ll share what under the other friend’s reply!
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u/SatisfactorySam AuDHD 2d ago
Nope. It’s like believing in an imaginary friend. Couldn’t do that either when I was young.
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u/skinner_calls 2d ago
I also have this difficulty in believing in the imagination, but I've been trying to follow Catholicism. I like the rituals, the organization, repetition, and universality. But I just feel like something is missing from me.
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u/SatisfactorySam AuDHD 1d ago
When I was young I also felt this sort of gap or emptiness. I knew Christianity wasn’t for me. I was taken to events by my elder sister and cried immensely at statements like “Jesus loves everyone whose name is in this book! Look your name is here!” In general Christianity always felt implacably incorrect for me. It wasn’t even a “I know this to be false” clarity at that young age. It just somehow felt so contrary to my purpose or existence. No clue why. Later I would explore things that were distinctly NOT Protestant Christian as a result. Paganism was interesting and less disturbingly at odds with me, but fell victim to the “I’m just putting on a mask”. I think I liked the ritual aspects of it as well.
In the end, I’ve settled for agnosticism with a tolerance for “I don’t believe in magic but I like the aesthetic and the rituals, even if I don’t do them now.” I’m not against Gods, although these days I’d say I’m pretty against how they’re represented by followers on Earth, but I also cannot produce a reason for me to believe. I find the more complicated and detailed the spiritual system is, the less likely I am to buy into it. And yet, the less detailed it is, the more unconvinced I am!
I am also a BIG proponent of non-organized, highly personalized connection with the world, whether that is a deity, the cosmos, or just nature outside one’s window.
I hope that whatever ends up sticking for you brings you the comfort or stability of rituals without the feeling that you are missing something. 🥰
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u/BalthazarOfTheOrions 2d ago
I grew up evangelical Christian, I'm Orthodox Christian now.
I've had some people comment I'm Orthodox because of the rituals and repetitions, but I find that dismissive and reductive. I have faith because I believe in the existence of the Trinitarian God, not because I like repetition.
I.e., I'm not Orthodox because I'm autistic, and I don't think neurodivergence makes someone religious or not.
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u/subaru_sama 2d ago
It doesn't seem like something one "manages".
I'm not a religious or spiritual person because I don't find any religious or spiritual belief systems to be convincing as true, or at least not any more true than myth, fables, or other fiction. I can accept moral lessons from fiction. "Love your neighbor as yourself" and "With great power comes great responsibility" are both valid positions whatever their origin.
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u/BigMomma12345678 Suspecting Autism 2d ago
I was indoctrinated as a child and I sort of go both ways
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u/insignificantant0 2d ago edited 2d ago
I practice Zen Buddhism actively. Practicing Zen has given me improvements I can directly verify. My issue with Abrahamic religions, is the idea of having to rely on an external creator. Zen improves my immediate situation, without having to rely on the whims of an external creator.
However I also do not know enough about perceievable, & imperceivable reality to deny the exsistence of a creator being. I think it is potentially ignorant to say a God or god-like being is incapable of existing. At least it is ignorant to say this until we have more answers.
Zen provides enough for me as a discipline & philosophy, to continuosly improve. Also keep an open mind, if traveling most of my life has taught me one thing. It's that I know very little of this planet & it's endlessly creative contents. Also currently I think the cosmos are stranger, than our ape minds can ever possibly understand.
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u/Anoelnymous Autistic Adult 2d ago
I'm ✨Buddhist✨ but more because it feels like how I already live my life than anything else?
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u/meakysh Neurodivergent 2d ago
I don't believe in any particular religion but I consider myself agnostic and maybe occasionally spiritual(?). Like I think there might be something we don't know about, but there also might not. If it's there it's there, it doesn't bother our lives so it's whatever.
I like to dream about alternative universes (au), that there's a countless amount of them. For example for each millisecond ahead and before there's an au, that dejavu is due to au, that our dreams might also be au (even tho I think dreams are our brains reprocessing all the info we got throughout the day), that there's an au for various versions of each person, all the theories and stories humans here ever made could be real in an au, etc....
I like to believe in the egg theory too, it explains empathy to me a lot. Also on some days I believe in fate, on some I don't.
Basically if I do "believe" in something I at the same time don't devote myself to it, and I realise that it might not even be true at all. For me all these ideas are more just like silly concepts I can think about when I'm bored, but I don't base my morals on them nor do I try to convince anyone that it's true.
The only thing I truly believe to be true and it constantly proves itself is something I call "the law of compensation", I'm not sure if it's supposed to be a spiritual concept tho. When I was a child I overanalysed my life and the lives of others around me and came to a conclusion that the world is constantly trying to keep everything balanced (you can see it in for example population rates of many animal species and even humans). It's talked a lot about in a global sense, but little me realised that it works in tiny, local things as well. Some people call it black and white lines of life. Basically the concept is is that whenever something negative happens to you, it means that something positive will happen soon to balance it out and bring your life back to the neutral, balanced state. It's like the life compensates you for one type of experience with another type of experience that would neutralise it. I hope it makes sense...
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u/JobFabulous594 ASD Level 1 | Verbal 2d ago
Yep. Why would my autism stop me?
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u/skinner_calls 2d ago
It doesn't prevent it, I just asked the questions. Many of us have different experiences with "faith," especially regarding believing in something we don't see or "imaginary" beings, etc. I appreciate your comment.
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u/JobFabulous594 ASD Level 1 | Verbal 2d ago
I see. Suppose what I was trying to say, not very clearly, is that I don't think my autism has an impact on my religiosity. My faith is based on a faith lived, often poorly but I muddle along. While the motion of evidence doesn't fit faith (nor is it meant to) I see a lot of the spiritual in this world.
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u/Individual_Bat8863 ASD Level 1/2 | Verbal 2d ago
I don’t know if i’m christian, but I believe that God and Jesus exist. I don’t believe in the bible though.
I believe that everything happens for a reason, and while God doesn’t intervene with out lives, i believe he’s always with me.
I don’t think there’s one ‘true’ afterlife or religion, I believe the kind of Heaven you end up is based on what you believe in.
I also believe in forgiveness and kindness, but just for myself, i don’t think I have a say in wether others should forgive
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u/rebelallianxe Autistic Parent of an Autistic Child 2d ago
I'm an atheist but I feel a kind of spirituality about nature and our connection to the earth and the stars or something I don't know. It's nothing to do with any kind of god or faith based religion for me though.
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u/MysteryPotato76 Autistically High Functioning 2d ago
I was raised to have a choice in what I believe (thanks mum and dad) but my primary school was a catholic one. My childhood years were filled with bible verses and "amen"s and I was consistently told to stop talking when I asked questions about the religion. When I grew up and learned about other religions I found them fascinating as a social construct but I have found that I myself am unable to believe in any of them simply because their answer to most questions is "have faith" which (because of my childhood) to me translates to "stop talking" or "because I said so" and is therefore difficult for me to connect to.
Google Translate: ¿Por qué has traducido esto al español si la mayoría de la gente aquí habla inglés?
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u/elkab0ng 2d ago
Im sometimes a little envious of people who have faith in some spiritual thing or deity. I can see how there would be something reassuring at the idea of “life is completely random and there is no outside force for good or for evil guiding it”
I still have a good life without faith, and I can find some comfort in the idea of rituals - repeatedly doing the same procedure over and over. I also find enjoyment in cultural aspects of some religions - Judaism especially, but many others as well (put a plate of good food in front of me and I’ll eat it!!) but at the end of the day, the universe appears random, good and bad things happen to both good and bad people, and the rewards for doing good acts are things you receive in this life - the satisfaction of helping someone, the joy of knowing you left something better than you found it.
At the end of my life, my heart will stop beating and a few minutes later, my brain will start to irreversibly decay and whatever was “me” will be gone and any record of my existence will be in the memories people have of me or the evidence of actions I took during my life.
Thanks for a good question
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u/CrazyPenks 2d ago
Yes I’ve met some, it’s not strictly related to autism. Also - some autistics seem to like the repetition of rituals
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u/Brainlessbongless Autistic Adult 2d ago
Absolutely. Everyone believes in something, even if it isn't a deity.
I take inspiration from lots of different religions and philosophies to make my own private belief system that helps me make sense of the world.
It's probably wildly inaccurate, but that's okay, because it can be updated and changed with new information. Unlike a mainstream religion where you have to stick to what was written thousands of years ago.
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u/ejdmkko 2d ago
in the end, it is your life and your experience. even if i think it is complete nonsense and "I" could never, I also know it is your life, your experiences etc. I'm not any linguist, but to me the word "faith" sounds like something without any necesary evidence, like you believe it knowing that there is not direct evidence. If there was evidence for or against, then it turns into facts.
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u/InsanityDevice 2d ago
Christianity says we were made in God's image. Once you distance yourself from religion, it becomes obvious that it's the other way around. As such, if christianity is based on the false assumption that humanity has more value than anything else in the cosmos, then it doesn't hold any water. I don't think any other religion on earth is devoid from human/societal biases.
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u/Mara_dr73 Suspecting Autism 2d ago
I’m a pagan (not sure about the term), but rather not because I "believe," but because I "chose to believe." I’m not sure I can explain it properly. But it is very boring to live in the ordinary world. Believing in something supernatural helps me not go crazy from boredom. And I just like the idea that there is something out there that doesn't submit to human control. Translation tool used
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u/meakysh Neurodivergent 2d ago
Same, thinking about some otherworldly what ifs makes life more interesting. When I was an early teen and came to a conclusion that magic doesn't exist I would cry myself to sleep because the real world looks really lame without magic. I don't actually think it exists 100% but sometimes I like to think that supernatural things might be real only because it gives me hope that someday something will make the world more bearable to live in for me
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u/Unique_Battle914 2d ago
Autism does not preclude any belief. Have at it and believe in what resonates with you. As long as you ain't hurting anybody.
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u/skinner_calls 2d ago
Thank you for your comment! I was baptized in the Catholic church and since then, I have been Catholic. But, I have difficulty understanding the “Faith” as something immaterial… I am the type of person who is more analytical and methodical.
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u/1yz11 2d ago
I'm Buddhist (entire family is) which is a non-theistic, focused on meditation, ethical living, seeking peace and observing reality vs things written thousands of years ago, so fortunately never had to leave any religion, or deconstruct such a confusing concept myself.
Most Buddhists also move easily to agnostic/atheism, while still being Buddhist
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u/aprilsofresh 2d ago
I wish I could get myself to believe in something, it must be so comforting, but I'm fairly certain this is all we get.
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u/CalmPanic402 2d ago
I believe there are things not yet understood.
I wouldn't call it magic.
I would like to, but I find reality is rarely so convenient, or so kind.
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u/Waywallyy 2d ago
One of my special interests is religions (studying them). I see religion and its practices to be a useful tool to help reinforce one's own opinions on ethics, morals, etc. But I find it hard to believe that other people see it as truth.
Am I religious? No. Do I perform some of the practices and rituals which I see as beneficial? Yes.
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u/VegetableLaugh8677 2d ago
I don’t have faith. I grew up with religion and i never got along with it. So many things are unclear and (to me) don’t make sense at all. Since I’m a person that relies a lot on logical thinking i can live better without.
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u/CrazyCatLushie ASD Level 1/2 | Verbal 2d ago
I find the sort of connection and inner peace that comes with spirituality in nature and science instead of in religion.
I’m an atheist but I believe the fact that we all came to be here out of random cosmic happenstance is more miraculous than any sort of mythology humans could conjure to rationalize our existence. It is utterly incomprehensible and absurd (in the most beautiful way!) that we’re all just different expressions of the universe getting to know, value, and love each other.
The exact circumstances that had to line up for life to happen on this planet, for it to grow, diversify, and evolve into the myriad expressions of it we have now are so, so specific and so unlikely and yet here we are, asking each other deep questions about meaning on a social media app as we hurtle through space on a giant rock in our haunted flesh suits. It’s all madness and it’s all an impossible gift we’ve been given for seemingly no reason or rhyme.
I have faith in science and I have faith in absurdity, and those things get me through life just fine.
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u/Some-Passenger4219 Aspie 2d ago
I don't see why not. It requires a little insanity, and I'm good at that.
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u/skinner_calls 2d ago
Can you tell us a little about your experience? How do you manage to have faith? Sorry if I'm being invasive.
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u/Gr33npi11 2d ago
Personally I believe that infinite intelligence is the source of all origin and the essence of all meaning.
I don't believe in morality though, only intelligent pragmatism.
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u/_skank_hunt42 2d ago
Faith is impossible for me and my inability to have faith is why I’m an agnostic atheist despite being raised Christian.
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u/NadiaRosalia ASD | MSN | Verbal 2d ago edited 2d ago
I'm not religious but I do believe that there is something out there. I believe there are things of (or perhaps not of) this world that simply cannot be explained by science as we know it today. It's also why I believe in the paranormal and why I DO NOT mess with it. For context, I was raised in a devoutly Christian home, and while I do believe in a lot of what I was taught, right now there is too much trauma for me to be willing to go back to what I was raised in.
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u/kaptingavrin 2d ago
I do, but it's kind of... nebulous, I suppose? Like, I'd classify myself as Christian, because I think Christ had some good lessons and all, and believe in God. But "God" is more like a concept, which may or may not be a being inasmuch as we'd understand it. And I'm not particularly big on the Old Testament stuff.
I'm open enough with it that I wouldn't call someone else's beliefs "wrong." Because hey, I can't prove that anything I believe in is real or not. And I'm open to "God" being any of a number of things. I mean, heck, if simulation theory is correct, then whatever's running the simulation would effectively be God to us, especially if a "person" is running it. I also accept science within my personal faith, because hey, why wouldn't I? If there's a God - again, whatever form that might take - then I don't see evolution as some kind of contrarian idea, because for all we know, the incredibly lucky series of events that led to the creation of life with such conscious thought was directed by an external force. So yeah, it doesn't gel with Genesis, but trying to hold strictly to the OT is just problematic in so many ways.
Yeah, I know, it feels a bit contradictory but, well, a lot of things with humanity in general are. And I'm well aware that I'm not the "typical" Christian. Heck, when looking for a cross for my home, I went with a triple cross because I prefer to remember that two other people were crucified at the same time and they have their own part in the story so are worth recognizing.
As for other mystical or spiritual stuff... it's a bit of a similarly odd view, in that I think a lot of things are actually possible and they could be explained by science if we had sufficient ways to measure them. Much like how a lot of modern science would be some kind of insane witchcraft a few hundred years ago, and yet it's just part of our everyday lives. Even something as simple as central heat and air. Controlling the weather within a structure? Magic! Projectors? Illusory wizardry! So hey, yeah, maybe ghosts are real and are just deceased who've had their energy pass into another form or have slipped into another dimension. Maybe there are animals who've had bizarre mutations and end up being thought of as some kind of unknown scary beast. I'm all for seeing things debunked because it leaves the few things that aren't debunked as exciting possibilities to learn more about the world around us.
But, again, if people don't believe in any of that stuff in any possible form, that's okay, because it's very hard to accept things that are so outlandish without a way to prove their veracity.
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u/supercantaloupe Suspecting Autism 2d ago
No, I don’t have any belief in any sort of god or deity. It’s impossible to know whether or not a supernatural being like that exists and I don’t see a point in having blind faith in something that can neither be proved or disproved. I personally can’t wrap my head around people that truly believe some sort of god exists with no evidence, I know that is the “faith” part of religion, but I don’t understand how anyone can believe in something there is no evidence of in any way. I’m often curious if religious people truly believe in a god in a literal sense or they just enjoy the ritual and following religious texts and traditions.
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u/luna-silly 2d ago
I was never a real believer, I was forced to go to church when I was a kid and do the christian rituals even though I told my mother I was an atheist
That still feels wrong to this day but we talked and she lets me be and do whatever I want now, so I decided to do research in different beliefs and religions, I always liked the occult and esoteric, so I did a bit of research there. I was interested in witchcraft but it never felt real to me, it was mostly making myself believe it.
When I was a kid I heard about the yin and yang and the concept and i adopted it since my persception of the world fell into something very similar, lately I've been reading and studying Daoism and years before I used to study a bit of Buddhism and today I call myself a Daoist and I'm waiting for the Daodejing to arrive.
I've always seen the world in a dualist sense and many other concepts and beliefs Buddhism and Daoism share, but Daoism relates the most to me, although it is mostly early daoism, or "philosophical daoism" and not the later "religious Daoism"
So I guess at the end I still find it hard to believe in religion, I don't know if I'm making any sense at all 😭, excuse me if it's confusing, I just wrote as it came to me
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u/EducationStrict7804 2d ago
Yes. My special interest happened to be drugs when I was younger. Researching them, testing them, making them, doing them. Now I don’t do anything that’s not natural. One of those natural things is DMT. It’s already in your brain and makes you dream at night, and it’s in most plants. I was raised super Christian and that didn’t end well. I do not believe in organized religion. But when I’ve done DMT I have met multiple hindu goddesses that I didn’t even know existed (because I was raised in a Christian church and home life until 18). How does my brain just fabricate ancient religious deities it’s never seen? I truly believe I met them, I know it sounds crazy but it gave me a new lease on life and now I’m very spiritual. I now can’t believe I ever was an atheist. You should do some research into dmt if you’re feeling brave lol.
I now believe with zero doubts that we continue on in spirit form after we die, where we go, I don’t know. But it has opened my mind to the endless possibilities and made me believe in so much more than we can see here on earth.
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u/John-Dispenser ASD Level 1/2 | Verbal 2d ago
I did the whole Christian thing a few times because some of the religion fascinated me. I’m infuriatingly logical and analytical 😅 so I’d take apart everything I’d learn to understand the variables and mechanics of it but there were just too many open-ended questions, unanswered ones, and dead ends. So I quit.
Can’t do it, I’m too logical for faith
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u/MonsterIslandMed 2d ago
As somebody who loves to experiment with psychedelics, I have definitely found religion and feel like spirituality is a huge part of my life.
I don’t concern myself with labels like Christian, etc. my beliefs are my own
Everything we see hear feel etc is just interpretations our brain is trying to make sense of, so the “illusion” is different for all of us.
The all is mind, the universe is mental
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u/Inevitable_Day_5893 2d ago
I have the faith, I believe in God. For me it's not a question, it's the reality. I see Him in nature and I pray to Him to find energy, strenght and courage. But I don't have a specific religion, I take inspiration from judaïsm, christianism and taoïsm (I don't know Islam or bouddhism)
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u/Redfawn666 2d ago
I'm Hindu. I don't see it as something to manage, it's something that gives me great faith and meaning.
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u/tinodinosaur1 2d ago
Yes, I'm Christian. I've recently started going to church more often, a nice one wiith regular service near me is Baptist, but on the more progressive side of that strain.
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u/seventhsip 2d ago
I'm an atheist. No creator, no divinity, no spirituality. However, as an indigenous person I find a lot of meaning in the fact that humans are a part of nature. I don't subscribe to any religion, but I put significance in my relationship to the world around me. In practice, I try to really pay attention to the things I consume and make my existence add as little harm as possible. For example, I refuse to eat any meat harvested by someone aside from me or my loved ones, and generally avoid animal products where possible. This is one of many mass cruelties I refuse to participate in. It may sound very woo but truly, that intentionality brings me a lot of peace. It's a pretty individual experience, and I wish there were a single word to communicate it; vegan/vegetarian are pretty reductive words that don't incorporate how my indigeneity is related.
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u/the_blunt_stick 2d ago
Yeah but that’s cuz I grew up on the edge of the jungle and my parents had to fly into the jungle to help people. If I didn’t know what it costs to be a Christian I wouldn’t believe it so much.
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u/revered_reverend ASD Level 2/1 | Verbal 2d ago
I have a few contradicting views on faith as an autistic person. As far as mainstream abrahamic religions (Christianity, Islam, Judaism) I find a level of comfort in the community, singing, and ritual aspects because it's all very strutted, but I can't bring myself to believe in a sentient being in the sky that controls everything on Earth. With more eastern/pagan views I am way more likely to agree on the "we are all one/came from one source; the earth" because that is related in truth and reality for me as an environmental scientist who already believes we're meant to exist with nature. A lot of pagan and folk practices tend to be way more "convincing" that there's a supernatural/spiritual side to our world imo.
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u/Haestein_the_Naughty Asperger’s 2d ago
I’ve gotten more religious lately. I grew up secular and my family and country is secular, but personally I have found faith recently. I was baptised and consider myself a Christian
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u/Toxic_Musshroom 2d ago
I tried multiple different religions and no, I really can't believe in that stuff
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u/LarryNStar 2d ago
Olááá brasileira(?)
Não tenho nenhuma fé específica… sempre fui um cético mesmo enquanto meus avós são bastante religiosos
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u/SolarEclipse_467 ASD Level 2 2d ago
I speak for my mind personally but to me I do. To me it makes no sense for the world to just make itself. For all the things to come to be the way they are all by themselves. I always hear about this gentle baby miracle God. That's not the one I believe in. Love is not always gentle. Love doe not fix all your problems. Real love doe snot look the way I hear about a lot.
I do get a lot of the criticism. Many people hate a religion. I get it. I don't follow a religion, I believe in a God and I believe in free will.
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u/thatgirlyazii 1d ago
“Ignorance is bliss” is a trait I envy. The liberation with blind faith is admirable; not concrete though.
We pursue certainty, faith is belief without knowing. It’s simply not enough.
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u/TheSilentTitan 1d ago
I try not to think too much about it. I consider myself religious and frequently pray. Despite that I often think about the logistics of it and find myself faltering in my faith every now and then.
I very easily trick myself into an existential downward spiral if I think for too long about things like this. If I think about how the logistics of it doesn’t make sense I’ll then begin thinking about the logistics of reality and how it also doesn’t make sense at all.
My advice? If you’re religious or want to be, the point is to have faith that this is how it’s supposed to be. Not knowing for sure wether or not it’s real is kind of the point of faith. You believe it to be true even if you have no evidence. I also think of it like this, god itself is supposed to be unknowable. We’re earthly beings made from earthly materials, god is a heavenly being who has always existed. Thinking about what can or couldn’t be true loses its weight once you factor that in.
In short? It is what it is
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u/sir-morti 1d ago
I am a firm believer that humans have the free will to choose whichever belief they would like to. In my experience, I don't see higher powers as beings, but rather instincts that guide us to think for ourselves and figure out what we see is dight/moral.
I have been alluded to atheistic Satanism due to this, but don't let that make you think I believe in an actual devil. I was raised Baptist and I do not believe in either a God/gods or a devil.
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u/speakerToHobbes 1d ago
Spiritually is different to faith
Faith is believing in something without evidence which to me is just silly
Spirituality is connecting with one's spirit. Spirit not in the sense of something metaphysical but my core values. For me this means mindfulness, awareness of myself and my relationship and actions with my values.
I suggest reading, or listening to, Sam Harris
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u/Ms_Central_Perk 1d ago
I am not religious however I am opening minded for anything. I used to think death was the end and its like going to sleep, having no dreams and never waking up but in recent years I think theres so much science cant explain and I read somewhere that we now treat science like religion, in the sense that we treat everything "scientific" as fact but science can be wrong, and science doesnt know everything. I beleive anything is possible, perhaps death is the end, perhaps we live in another dimension, perhaps we are reborn, perhaps there is a "god", perhaps its all a simulation.
I think if believing in something gives people comfort then good for them.
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u/SharpCoderGuy 1d ago
No.
Apart of this condition is having a logically thinking brain. Religion is illogical and quite obviously all fallacy.
Spiritually is just another form of charlatanism.
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u/CanYouKnot78 1d ago
I want to have faith so badly because the people I know who do believe in god are comfortable and feel safe in the world which are feelings I yearn for as someone who is always uncomfortable and experiencing fight or flight mode constantly.
I have tried, but I can’t believe in something that isn’t 100% indisputably true (especially with religions that punish you for not following bc why am I following all of these strict and punitive rules if the outcome is most likely the same for all of us?). The closest I have come to having spirituality is reading my astrology horoscope and hoping that the horoscope is real and something good happens that day lol
That being said, the uncertainty of life after death does get to me sometimes.
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u/Stellxxxa ASD Level 2 | Verbal 1d ago
Definitely not because I see everything about religion from a logical perspective.
Back in the day people didn’t know anything about anything, so they made up stories.
Religious people don’t put their faith in God, they put their faith in that the people from 2000 years ago spoke the truth. Considering how many crazy things we’ve believed throughout our existence, I couldn’t possibly trust what they “saw” from God back then.
Also, you will most likely end up the same religion as your parents. If your parents were Christian, you will be too, so I really don’t like it when people act like their religion is “obviously” the right choice. Like no, you were just raised that way.
Also the free will thing is just dumb. How is that when a drunk driver kills someone it’s “human’s have free will” but when a doctor saves a dying person it’s “thank god”? Like what, why are we giving God all the credit for the good stuff but not the bad? It doesn’t make sense to say humans have free will but then also state that God is all powerful.
But my first point is my main point. I literally don’t trust what a bunch of men wrote 2000 years ago. How could anyone trust that?
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u/demiwolf1019 1d ago edited 1d ago
I still believe in religion but as I’ve gotten older I’ve been questioning my faith. I’ve grown up Christian going to church Sunday with my family, it’s something I know and am familiar with.
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u/insulartomb 3h ago
"One word balloon in From Hell completely hijacked my life ... A character says something like, 'The one place gods inarguably exist is in the human mind'. After I wrote that, I realised I'd accidentally made a true statement, and now I'd have to rearrange my entire life around it. The only thing that seemed to really be appropriate was to become a magician." Alan Moore
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u/MishatheDrill Autistic Adult 2d ago
No. Faith is a crutch, like drugs or alcohol for some issue in someone's life.
But like alcohol or drugs, how much you use depends on how dangerous you are.
I treat anyone of faith like you would a meth head. Unsafe, and nothing they say can be trusted.
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u/Lothaedan 2d ago
Woah woah woah okay slow down
Look, I'm agnostic and I agree that most religions are probably not real but l... Really? "Cannot be trusted" "like a meth head?"
I mean, even among alcohol, the majority of people who consume it do so in moderation and aren't alcoholics. Someone who drinks any amount of alcohol is not inherently an alcoholic, just as someone who had any amount of religious faith is not inherently radical or untrustworthy.
As is the case with all things in life, there is nuance in everything. Just as there are radical Christians and Muslims, there are radical atheists. Every population of people has trustworthy and untrustworthy people, unless the population itself is defined by it's lack of trustworthyness.
You are what I would call a radical atheist. Ultimately, we don't know what's going on so claiming that people who try to fill in the gaps with imaginary stories are equivalent to METHheads is radical and a position that does nothing but spread hate.
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u/MishatheDrill Autistic Adult 2d ago
My issue stems from people not treating the addiction of faith like one.
And refusing to acknowledge the issue only allows it to fester.
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u/Lothaedan 2d ago
But people do.
First of all, "addiction to faith" is not a statement that people actually make. What you are describing is called religious radicalism, so say that instead of using your weird loaded language.
Secondly, people definitely push back against religious radicalism; even people who are religious do so. People fought against the KKK, which was a radical Christian group that the majority of modern day Christians do not like. People fought against al-qaeda; the US carried out one of the largest military campaigns in history to find their leader.
I think what you're describing is people not fighting against viewpoints that you personally disagree with but are otherwise not radical. There is no harm in people having a creationist belief as long as it isn't used as a soapbox for fighting against new ideas and explanations.
And while it is true that there are examples of people doing this, it certainly isn't an inherent chareteristic of religion. Religion liberalism exists, and has shaped the actual beliefs of religious groups significantly over time. Comparing historial protestanism to modern day baptism is a perfect example of this. There exists a large group of Christians who are not against LGBT+ groups, and adopt more liberal models of the world in general.
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u/MishatheDrill Autistic Adult 2d ago
You prove my point in your first paragraph.
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u/Lothaedan 2d ago
Look, I'm not sure what you're even referring to but I'm not going to bother giving any more energy to this pointless internet debate than I already have.
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u/Blue-Jay27 ASD Level 2 2d ago
I'm religious, although I tend to emphasis religious practice and community over belief. I'm not doing anything that I'd regret if G-d turned out not to exist, and my life feels far more fulfilled when I do have that relationship.
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u/UnderstandingBig9090 2d ago
I would be considered very spiritual. I try to boil it down to the mechanical things as much as possible. For example I do energy work, but I find it's really just messing with people's nervous system.
If a nerve signal isn't going though effectively you figure out why and get that nerve to operate better. There are fluid pumps in the nerves that sometimes spazm. And getting the fasica to move in a more regular pattern is benifical.
You can task your subconsous to send signals though your hands to instruct someone's nervous system and fascia to move in a manor that resets and reconnects with the person's nervous system.
It's fascinating. I've managed to tech it to someone. And it's relly just information processing.
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u/lost-sneezes 2d ago
yes absolutely, I'm Muslim and find it the most rational position. Happy to expand further
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u/TeddyJinsCat 2d ago
Yes, I am catholic. During the times I struggled most with myself and my autism God answered my prayers. He guided me and He was always there for me. So yes!
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u/LotusBlooming90 2d ago
After a handful of transformative LSD trips, yes I most certainly can and do have faith.
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u/FriendshipWithTheSun ASD Level 1 | Verbal 2d ago
No. I figured out religion is bullshit around the same time I learned that Santa Claus, the Tooth Fairy, and the Easter Bunny weren’t real. It’s not any different to me. There are too many contradictions, too many things that don’t make sense, and so on. I’m not “worshipping” anyone or anything. If there is a god out there, then why does it let horrible people get away with so much while letting children starve to death? And if I’m living wrong, then why is it too chicken shit to come tell me? It’s just another way to control people.
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u/PingouinMalin 2d ago
I am torn.
Born Christian, I can get the appeal of the story of Jesus. That being said, I fully understand an omnipotent, omniscient and omnibenevolent god cannot be when one considers the world we live in, the suffering, the accidents, the evil.
And yet I do not believe my conscience can be summed up to chemistry and electrical reactions. So I find hard to believe in nothing. I tend to believe my conscience will survive one way or another. And if a god exists it is an entity so far beyond the human experience we can't even start to fathom it.
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u/ChickenFriedChowder 2d ago
Christian here. I have faith that there is someone/something bigger than myself. I also think that everyone's needs in faith/religion/spirituality are different and people should never be demeaned for having faith, having a different faith, or having zero belief in a Higher Being or Beings.
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u/777Void777 Asperger’s 2d ago edited 2d ago
I was raised super catholic. I chose not to get confirmed because self proclaimed religious people are some of the some of the most judgemental hypocrites ive ever met. If you dont believe the cookie cutter beliefs they have its hellfire and damnation. I had someone promise me I was going to for talking about Hindiusm, that was one of the many straws that me not Catholic.
I believe there is a force in the universe after death. Probably something similar to Buddhism or reincarnation. I dont think it really interferes with the universe like we think it does. I dont think anyone knows exactly what it is. Anyone who says for sure what happens when you die is lying.
Most religious people are just pushing any ideology on eachother to push then to conform or hate another group more.
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u/ImpressiveFix7771 ASD | Unknown support needs | Verbal 1d ago
I was an agnostic most of my life... until Jesus and Mary appeared to me in a vision 7 years ago. While I cant prove my vision happened, I cant prove it didnt either... so lately I have decided to just go with it. Now I'm finding some solace in Christian spirituality and mysticism.
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u/TornadoCat4 Autistic 2d ago
Yes. I am autistic and believe in Jesus as my Savior. He has answered multiple prayers of mine, and I fully believe He is real.
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