Asperger's and Religion

A woman psychologist conducting a research study between social cognition and social behavior messaged me on facebook that current theories indicate that people on the autism spectrum are not able to be religious, but she believes otherwise and would like to find out more by speaking with people on the spectrum who prescribe to religion.

I have read up articles before on the internet which suggest that people with Asperger’s Syndrome tends towards atheism. According to this post from Scientific America, people on the autism spectrum, due to a deficit of this thing called the “theory of mind”, which is the ability to attribute mental states – beliefs, intents, desires, knowledge etc – to oneself and others and to understand that others have beliefs, desires, and intentions that are different from one’s own. They are thus less likely to think in a ‘teleological’ way – for example, saying that the event was meant to unfold in a particular way or explaining that God had a hand in it, and more likely to invoke a natural cause (such as blaming an illness on a virus they thought they were exposed to)

John Elder Robinson, a notable author with Asperger Syndrome, in his blog post, questions whether if those people with Asperger’s Syndrome who had expressed what seems like atheist views in a study, were truly atheist, or really “anti-organized church” instead.

But I am a Christian, and I do know of people in my church on the autism spectrum as well. What makes us believers when the prevailing theories seem to suggest a tendency towards atheism? For me, I sometimes think in quite spiritual terms, of perceiving a sense of God’s divine will in the way things work on earth. In fact, I feel a sense of spirituality when I read about the world, and the many things that goes on in the world, about people, and things like good and evil that takes place, and the wondrous things of the world and the universe. Indeed, one of the times in my life when I felt strongest in my faith was when I was away from school, and did not have to study or interact with people on a daily basis. God felt closer to me when I am examining the world in a detached manner. But now, when I am in law school, having to deal with people, assignments, deadline, and live out life, suddenly my sense of living seems so personal and relatively lacking in that spiritual feeling of God.

I am not sure whether I am describing a psychological experience typical of people with Asperger Syndrome, or people in general, Asperger Syndrome or not. I would say that unlike what was put forth in the Scientific America article, I seem to be able to think in a teleological way, and perceive spirituality in complexity of the way the world works. For one thing, I seem to be particularly religious since young, and fond of spirituality as compared to my peers in school or my family members. 

Actually, I sometimes doubt whether I have Asperger's Syndrome at all because I usually come off as normal to people and people usually think me as just introverted or quiet.

On another note, I don't think a person necessarily accepts a religion simply on the basis of being able to have that 'spiritual' feeling. There are rational reasons as well, and I do find the arguments put forth in Christian apologetics quite convincing. Arguments such as the cosmological argument, teleological argument, ontological argument etc, are strong arguments for the Christian faith. Indeed, one of my favourite websites to visit is Reasonable Faith, a Christian Apologetics website by featuring the works of the eminent Christian apologist William Lane Craig. I thought he came off quite convincing in his debates with eminent atheists.

I try to find my associations in the Christian community. I do like to feel like I belong to a group, and there is something nice about the exclusive we vs the world group mentality in Christianity, as well as its inclusive spirit of accepting people of all kinds. But I do face personality clashes with the more extroverted Christians, and sometimes, their treating me as weird and alienating me has the effect of making me feel estranged from Christianity. It is ironic that the times when I feel most estranged from Christianity, is when I am placed in the midst of certain kinds of Christians. I do wish I could be a normal Christian and feel more part of the group sometimes.