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dandelion4
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04 Sep 2011, 10:14 pm

I am a parent of a newly dg 7yo boy with HFA/Aspergers. I would like to know how did you come to understand about God. Also anything that I can help to go into my boy's world and tell him about God (other than prayer)...

My boys says "There is no God because I can't see Him" . He is very concrete/literal.



littlelily613
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04 Sep 2011, 10:24 pm

Lots of kids will say things like if they can't see it then they can't believe it. You just need to teach him what you can, and try to approach the use of other senses. You can't see wind. You can't see gravity. These are things experienced in other words. God is also experienced in another way than visual, so you will have to be creative in introducing that idea to him. Unfortunately, I am not very creative, and I believed in God when my parents taught me about that, so other than that I can't be of much help.


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oceandrop
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04 Sep 2011, 10:43 pm

From a talk given by Abdu'l-Baha in Paris in the early 20th century: -

Quote:
Materialists say, ‘Where is the soul? What is it? We cannot see it, neither can we touch it’.
This is how we must answer them: However much the mineral may progress, it cannot comprehend the vegetable world. Now, that lack of comprehension does not prove the non-existence of the plant!
To however great a degree the plant may have evolved, it is unable to understand the animal world; this ignorance is no proof that the animal does not exist!
The animal, be he never so highly developed, cannot imagine the intelligence of man, neither can he realize the nature of his soul. But, again, this does not prove that man is without intellect, or without soul. It only demonstrates this, that one form of existence is incapable of comprehending a form superior to itself.
This flower may be unconscious of such a being as man, but the fact of its ignorance does not prevent the existence of humanity.
In the same way, if materialists do not believe in the existence of the soul, their unbelief does not prove that there is no such realm as the world of spirit.



wavefreak58
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04 Sep 2011, 11:12 pm

I have come to understand that I do not understand God.

There is a forum for religious discussions. It's a rather rough and tumble place, though.

Is there something specific about religion and autism you are asking here?

As for your son saying "There is no God because I can't see him", this is faulty thinking. Ask your son if his thoughts are real. Can he see them? You cannot see joy or sadness. Are they therefor not real?

What is perceived is what is important. To deny the existence of God based on what you can see denies that other forms of perception exist.


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dancinonwater
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04 Sep 2011, 11:30 pm

First i must say that i am not trying to be rude, i am just trying to be helpful by giving the OP information.

The reason that you may not be getting many responses is that few autistics are religious. This is because we typically do take things literally and believe in science rather than mythical beings. And do not take it as an insult to call your god a mythical being, but scientifically speaking, that is exactly what god is. Autistics are typically too rational to believe in something like that. So, don't be upset if your son does not believe in your god. He should be allowed to believe what he wants. And if god is as good and merciful as you believe 'him' to be, he will love your child anyway.



John_Browning
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04 Sep 2011, 11:45 pm

Here's a book you could try. It's not a perfect fit, but it's a start. Approximately where are you at?

http://www.barnesandnoble.com/s/the-hidden-blessings-of-autism?r=1


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littlelily613
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04 Sep 2011, 11:48 pm

wavefreak58 wrote:
There is a forum for religious discussions. It's a rather rough and tumble place, though.


Indeed it is! I would suggest you (OP) do not go there unless you want to be harrassed for your beliefs. I am a Christian and a communist. I am DEFINITELY not welcome on that board, and it is nothing but a negative experience every time I attempt to respond to something (which hasn't been often because of that reason). The place is swarming with very bold atheists that will attempt to pummel your Christian beliefs. I mean, a lot of atheists are on this board as well, but this board is not heated like the religion and politics board.


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littlelily613
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04 Sep 2011, 11:50 pm

dancinonwater wrote:
The reason that you may not be getting many responses is that few autistics are religious. This is because we typically do take things literally and believe in science rather than mythical beings. And do not take it as an insult to call your god a mythical being, but scientifically speaking, that is exactly what god is. Autistics are typically too rational to believe in something like that. So, don't be upset if your son does not believe in your god. He should be allowed to believe what he wants. And if god is as good and merciful as you believe 'him' to be, he will love your child anyway.


I think this is quite a generalization (and a tame version of a response you would receive on the religion board, btw!) You really cannot authoritatively say that "few autistics are religious". To state such a bold thing, you need something to back it up. There are many autistic atheists. There are also many spiritual and religious autistic people as well. It is not as though we are one huge population devoid of faith.


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dancinonwater
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05 Sep 2011, 12:02 am

First i must say that i am not trying to be rude, i am just trying to be helpful by giving the OP information.

The reason that you may not be getting many responses is that few autistics are religious. This is because we typically do take things literally and believe in science rather than mythical beings. And do not take it as an insult to call your god a mythical being, but scientifically speaking, that is exactly what god is. Autistics are typically too rational to believe in something like that. So, don't be upset if your son does not believe in your god. He should be allowed to believe what he wants. And if god is as good and merciful as you believe 'him' to be, he will love your child anyway.



AlbusSeverus
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05 Sep 2011, 12:48 am

I am a christian with autistic disorder. I think religious beliefs are more common with those with classic autism than those with aspergers. Becuase of the way I see the world it is easy for me to belive in God. I think for asperger people becuase of the way they see the world it makes it harder. This is just a gess. I know people with asperger disorder who are christain so it does happen.



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05 Sep 2011, 2:10 am

Autistic Christians seem to be a minority on this forum. I can't really help you much as while I am a Christian and diagnosed with Asperger's I do not recall anything special my parents did for me other than bringing me up in good church. I don't recall being treated different than anyone else and I have been a Christian since I was very young, however, that was back in the early nineties when Autism wasn't as widely known about as it is today and I was not diagnosed until I was an adult.


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Davuardo
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05 Sep 2011, 2:38 am

I've got Aspergers and I'm Christian. I understand the talk about how it's apparently not logical to believe in a higher power but (and I don't mean to be offensive here) it makes a lot more sense to me than it just "happening"

Anyway, back to OP, all I can suggest is to agree with two other posters in that using examples of gravity and thoughts to state flaws in the "I can't see him" logic. But attempting to force it on him will just drive him further away from it and remember, it doesn't matter if we start our lives believing, it just matters that we end it believing :)


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05 Sep 2011, 6:14 am

(Thread moved from Autism discussion to PPR)


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sfreyj
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05 Sep 2011, 7:34 am

dandelion4 wrote:
I am a parent of a newly dg 7yo boy with HFA/Aspergers. I would like to know how did you come to understand about God. Also anything that I can help to go into my boy's world and tell him about God (other than prayer)...

My boys says "There is no God because I can't see Him" . He is very concrete/literal.


While that is only one reason to doubt God's existence, he will come to more reasoned conclusions when he is older. The important thing is not to force your beliefs on your child. The most you should do is wait until his teens, then offer your opinion and any corresponding literature and let him make his own mind up. Anything at that age is needless conditioning.



littlelily613
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05 Sep 2011, 8:14 am

Good luck on the PPR board--you're going to need it!


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Last edited by littlelily613 on 05 Sep 2011, 8:19 am, edited 1 time in total.

littlelily613
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05 Sep 2011, 8:15 am

AlbusSeverus wrote:
I think religious beliefs are more common with those with classic autism than those with aspergers.


I was thinking about this last night as well, but didn't want to say it for lack of backup information. Now that you've said it though, I do agree that this at least seems to be the case.


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Alexithymia Quiz=164/185 (high)