Autism, Religion and Belief

Autism and religion are two rather controversial topics, but this is a neutral, sociological perspective of the relationship between the two.
I talk about my personal experiences of religion and why I am an atheist, the appeal of religion for autistic people (but also but it might not appeal), the historical role of clergy, and a few problematic ways in which religion could manipulate autistic people.
By the way, forgot to mention what my Masters degree was in: Religion in Contemporary Society!
Autistic Not Weird survey mentioned: autisticnotweird.com/2018survey/
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[@YoSamdySam]

Here we go. Be nice!

[@elizabethCorkins83]

Hi

[@YoSamdySam]

Hello!

[@garyfrancis5015]

Yo Samdy Sam How did Jesus die? There's very little research. A atheist joke.

[@rojimenez5700]

I totally feel you on literally everything you said

[@annettehackett7942]

@@bws21870 Thanks Brad. The wonders of Kindle! Have just bought it - looks like it's going to be a good read.

[@sixbirdsinatrenchcoat]

“I find no comfort in illusion” - This resonates so much with me.

[@carmensavu5122]

Exactly. My dad asked me why I'm so harsh when I said that to him.

[@nicoleinwonderland6452]

This made so much click for me

[@Audrey-hd4xz]

I totally get it! I used to believe the same way, but had some eye-opening moments that brought me to God. 😊 But ultimately, it's not about convincing each other to believe the same thing. Though I love learning from others and also sharing my experiences when others ask. We all have something to learn from each other.

[@veronicagorosito187]

I had some eye-opening moments that brought me to facts. @@Audrey-hd4xz

[@joe-mama6451]

Raised Mormon and yep. I get it. Ill-use-on me

[@graysthenewblonde177]

I am Autistic and a Christian but have a hard time going to church because of my social anxiety so I “Worship” God on my own.

[@SuperMissblueeyes]

If you have a Church, do they livestream their services? If not & you'd like that, you can tune into the "Holy Trinity Church Spital" channel here on KZbin at 4:30pm-5:30pm on Sunday afternoons. I struggle to get to Church (HTC is my Church) each week cos of multiple Chronic illnesses, so I tune into the online service on weeks where I can't manage to get out. It's been a huge lifeline for me.

[@graysthenewblonde177]

SuperMissblueeyes thank you, I’ll try that!

[@graysthenewblonde177]

Cheap Charlie’s Frog I have experienced the same thing and totally understand!

[@SuperMissblueeyes]

@@graysthenewblonde177 No problem. I hope you find it helpful.

[@talysharawlins94]

I find my faith and my relationship with Yeshuah (Jesus) are the center of my whole life but I too struggle with getting to a church community for some of the same reasons, as well as the fact I struggle to get up early enough. What I eventually found was Elevation church. It's a mega church, which at first gave me pause, but I have actually attended a few services in person when I've been feeling particularly strong, and I find it feels very genuine to me. The people were lovely, understanding and accommodating to my special needs and I've never felt judged there. Best of all, I can follow the weekly (and very relevant and engaging) sermons online on both KZbin and Facebook, at whatever time suits me. If I don't have time, I can watch the highlights to get the jist of the message, and I can keep in touch with the community via both fb and yt as well as email, and it gives me the sense of community and support I've been needing from home, and on my own timing and terms. I find Elevation has been a great fit for me. But there are many other similar churches. I do follow a few others sporadically. But they are all a little different. It took me a while to find the best one to meet my needs, but I'm fairly sure if you spend a little time looking through those that are available, you will eventually find the one that fits your needs best too. I have attended and disliked a lot of churches over the years and many felt fake or too religious and I hated it. I know the church is the people, not the building and traditions, but finding the "people" who felt true and such was the real challenge. I think that's probably what puts a lot of people off of the faith. But I never gave up on God even if the people let me down. I know how hard the search was for me. But it was worth it. I don't feel like Elevation is particularly religious at all, but they are very passionate. I believe God will help you find the church family that's right for you too. Maybe check out Elevation Church? You may like it, but maybe not and that's okay too. It's just an idea of a starting point. Just type in Elevation church sermons on yt and they'll all come up. Anyway, good luck to you and God bless.

[@thedigitalautist]

I'm autistic (undiagnosed until adulthood), and was raised Christian. It brought out some OCD tendencies in me. I was terrified of dying suddenly and going to hell if I hadn't repented my latest sins. So I would have a constant prayer on repeat in my head: "Dear Jesus please forgive me for all my sins, amen." Over and over. I couldn't stop. As I grew older, that lessened, but I still felt ashamed for just being, essentially. Finally, when I moved out to go to university, I learned to start thinking about religion and politics for myself, rather than just parroting what I heard from my parents (who are extremely conservative). I have since stopped really claiming to be Christian (which I haven't really told my family... my sister is a minister, so...yeah...). However, I don't call myself atheist, either. Because I WANT to believe. I WANT to have faith in something. But my logical brain is like "Nope, that's all bullshit." Most recently I have found myself drawn to witchcraft and pagan beliefs. I don't believe that magic is real (though I want to), but a lot about witchcraft is basically putting your intentions out into the world, and trying to get them to manifest. As far as my pagan leanings go, I feel connected to certain deities, whether or not they're real. Their stories and lore teach me things about myself, and in honoring them (which I consider different than worshiping them) I feel closer to nature and my ancestors. My logical brain is telling me "You know this woo-woo stuff is all bullshit, right?" but my drive to have something deeper to cling to has, so far, drowned it out. So anyway, as a late diagnosed autistic adult (I was 32), the above has been my journey with religion. Uh. Thanks for coming to my TED Talk?

[@NinaKatharinaWeber]

I can relate to what you write about witchcraft. My eye opener was that about a year ago I googled "atheist witchcraft" or something similar. I didn't expect anything to come up, but found a few interesting blogposts. Basically, that it's alright to practise witchcraft rituals as mental health or mental wellness and to enjoy that that aspect is helpful for us, without feeling bad that other elements not click.

[@hannah12114]

I relate with the praying in your head to be saved. I did this a lot when I was anxious feeling. It came from me doing a sin in the religion. Something as simple as telling little white lie would make me anxious and say the prayer for forgiveness of my sins.

[@novemberrites7337]

You just helped my heart, ♥️ thank you @Duckling Glows Up

[@chrismills2012]

as a child, I was a Christian, but raised in an atheist family.Many of them who believed in the Tories and also supported them

[@niencat]

In my view, like it seems in your view, logic, rational thought, is also not always better than symbols, rituals, magical thinking and those vague things like intuition. Nor is art better than science or vice versa. I think we function better if soul and body, heart and mind, art and science, intuition, inspiration and rational thinking are cooperating with one another. We actually are much more motivated by how or what we feel and our associations and our subconcious than our rational side.

[@alexc2265]

The silence in Buddhist organizations I’ve experienced is gold. Just sitting together meditating is an easy social interaction since it gives an excuse to just be together without talking. Afterward, there’s an easy subject to talk about. I clearly can see how stims may clash with this, of course. Maybe an, “Are you sure you’re not just anxious?” here and there. I developed more discreet and/or accepted stims and meditation helps me manage my emotions too, so I haven’t had this be much of a problem. What I have dealt with is occasionally being bugged by someone breathing loudly haha. We do also get more of those “I’m a hugger” type people. God bless them, but people aren’t always in the mood to say the least. At least as we find it in the west, it’s just a more open minded community too. As for how I came to Buddhism, I’ve found the perspective both very helpful and more logically sound. While I have faith in some force that lies outside current scientific understanding , it is exactly that and I’m quite agnostic. I find that Buddhism makes few assumptions. One can even be an atheist Buddhist if you think not believing in reincarnation doesn’t exclude you (though it is possible to have a world with no deity but reincarnation or believe the world’s like that). I can’t adequately contest the 4 noble truths which form the ideological foundation of the faith, and I find their message that there exists a way of being all can access that frees them from suffering inspiring.

[@brunoboaz7656]

I'm on the spectrum as well and walked away from the hollowness of organized religions. I found buddhism to be the best fit for me.

[@Tomus1775]

Well technically, we are all reincarnated if you think at a atomic level. Eventually your body's atoms get used into a tree, or eaten then become a part of the animal who ate you. Just think, at some point some atoms that make you, were what made other living things and recycled over and over again.

[@spoonietimelordy]

Totally agree with you. A weird things with me was that until I was around 15, I didn't even realized that people were actually believing in their religion, I was certain that it was just metaphorical for everyone, I couldn't even imagine that some people really believed that everything written in their religious book was true. Because since it wasn't logical and it was going against everything science based that I was learning it wasn't even an option for me to believe in something which was going against facts. It's still hard for me to understand but I'm really passionate about it now and learning about why people believe is so fascinating.

[@51elephantchang]

I can relate I honestly thought religion was just another of those lies adults tell children like Santa Claus...I was gobsmacked to learn they actually believed it!

[@88marome]

I have a memory of when I still believed in God (Jehova's Witnesses) but we were in a normal church and the priest talked about the trinity. And I looked around the church thinking: "No one really believes this bullshit right? Why is no one laughing at him?"

[@sabrinam.8006]

There are many Catholics who actually approach Faith from a logical approach. That's pretty much their entire jam. Anyone really interested should read Aquina's Summa. In fact, they wouldn't have filled libraries upon libraries with philosophy and metaphysics explaining exactly how it all logically comes together.

[@rplmhzrk17]

Omg same!

[@FirstNameLastName-cu9uw]

Dude same lol

[@unevenspleener]

Thank you Samdy Sam for this even-handed video. I'm autistic and a devoted Christian. I place NO faith in an organized religion or clergy of any kind. If you read the bible, you'll see that the harshest words of Jesus Christ were directed at the religious leaders of his day. I feel no compulsion to try to convert others to my way of thinking. I appreciate this video because I've often wondered how autistic people relate to faith in God. Thanks again.

[@stephhill4155]

Once you study the origins of Christianity at a university level, your logic will kick in and you won’t believe any more.

[@unevenspleener]

@@stephhill4155 Excuse me, who asked you?

[@aksantir2240]

@@stephhill4155 That's not very nice. There are many people who believe it's logical to be Christian past University ex: Nabeel Qureshi and David Wood who both are on KZbin. You can't contact though Nabeel because he passed. David Wood is a diagnosed psychopath, so he didn't have much of an emotional reason to be a Christian. It was mostly based on logic. Mike Winger is another intelligent and logical Christian. Have you study the origins of Christianity at the University level? What did they say? I would say that it's weird that Jesus' followers would die gruesome deaths for a lie that they wanted to promote, unless the lie was actually true.

[@Alkalin0]

​@@masonnix9566 I once heard that in the middle ages autistic kids were thought to be 'closer to god' and at times almost had prophet like status. But I personally agree with you. - Heil Satan! =)

[@masonnix9566]

@@Alkalin0 Autism wasn't discovered in those days. Autism is a recent thing,that the devil uses against us It is not closer to God it's closer to Satan.

[@hugdispenser5627]

I was raised as Muslim and so far only self diagnosed autistic. Anyway. I was raised like many of other people but to me it felt very forced “you do this thing cause I told you and you must be scared of eternal post-death punishment”. That was too much for little me. I viewed prayers as a routine and eventually as just a chore I did to avoid getting in trouble. It started to get troubling after I hear that other people around me felt so much during that. Usually feeling peace and safety when I felt overwhelmed. It made me feel broken. I cried so much at night begging this god to mend my heart so I would feel something. And when I didn’t I convinced myself he doesn’t want me to have that feeling and that’s when I decided that I don’t have to actually do my prayers I just have to say that I did. That way I can not get in trouble and no longer feel broken. It’s certainly heartbreaking how I was taught they being a good person equated to being in the religion. That if I’m not in the religion but I’m also not a dick to people it won’t matter in the grand scheme of the universe in the afterlife. After many years of crying and anger and depression and anxiety and just all kinds of shit relating to religious trauma I understand now that the religion I was taught is not for me. I can still be a part of it but I’ll have to do things differently and unlearn so many things. And that certainly makes me feel better however I still have to keep up this image of the once religious girl to my family as to not be disowned.

[@KonChEkey]

"begging this god to mend my heart so I would feel something" really can relate to that, when i was a kid i tried so hard mindlessly being religious so that i can feel what other people r feeling...

[@hugdispenser5627]

@@KonChEkey I’m so sorry. It’s not a fun feeling and I wish no one else to go through that kind of pain. I’m sending hugs.

[@KonChEkey]

@@hugdispenser5627 lol thanks for the hugs ^_^ n sorry to hear ur story too, must've been tougher going through it being a girl in Muslim family though girls can hav a legit excuse to avoid religious things in a public situation 😅 once a bunch of ppl ganged up on me cuz i dont go to the mosque, was a weird situation.. though luckily mostly harmless ..soo glad my family isnt super religious

[@HeatherLandex]

I appreciate the honesty & perspective.

[@alyaalicekiki1332]

@@hugdispenser5627 Wow, it’s so cool to find an Autistic Muslim speak out on the comments… I’ve been a Muslim for 7 and a half years, during that I was diagnosed as Autistic and I’ve been pulling my hair out not understanding why there are literally no Autistic Muslim adults anywhere on the planet unless you’re a child! Oh yes type in Islam and Autism and you get pages and pages of kids on the spectrum but when you own up as an Autistic adult you get told to “ Go Pray! “ or “ Don’t worry everyone struggles. “ 🙄 Yes that’s what I get “ Everyone struggles “ a frequent answer to the endless feelings like I do not belong in Islam because I do not fit in with the “ Good Pious Muslim “ narrative… However, good I am as a person I feel like because I’m not doing everything right, the way we’re told to do them , I don’t dress the same, all the deep stuff I find so overwhelming and sometimes it’s so difficult to get up and pray not because I’m lazy but because I don’t feel like it! Right now and then we get told “ that’s Shaitan telling you not too. “ No it’s not, it is just me 😂 sometimes as an Autistic I can just get in these situations where I am not feeling good and everything is just all too overwhelming and sitting in one spot in complete silence, or watching something is all I want to do……. So because I don’t pray on time or my routine goes out of whack and I can’t function I start overthinking I am not good enough, I’m a bad Muslim, and because I am a bad Muslim does that make me a bad person too?

[@xs0mebodyx]

I don't think I've ever heard someone with a more similar train of thought to me! I recently started looking into autism and I'm very glad I found this channel. Keep it up!

[@hasal1234]

She put it into words for me 😭

[@LittleBallOfPurr]

I keep being surprised with realising that different parts of who I am are influenced by my recently discovered Autistic traits, it's like you're speaking my mind in a way that others never really understood. Live long and prosper.

[@mts.camilo]

I’m a bit late to the discussion, but I really loved the way you presented the topic. It was so balanced and insightful! In fact, I’m not diagnosed (yet) but being in a Catholic seminary is being the best experience of my life, as the routine, silence, openness to profound studies, availability to develop my special interests and the chance to live the faith in a more intimate and meaningful way than only repeated outward popular devotions is truly refreshing. After being singled out as a nerdy weirdo for quite a while, I’m at peace in a place I feel at home.

[@leenari]

I'm glad you liked it, I am a diagnosed autistic and being catholic was a burden for me.

[@mts.camilo]

@@leenari oh, I’m sorry it’s been that way. Sadly, it’s really not an uncommon thing. I hope you’re doing well now and finding peace wherever you are. And now that I’m officially diagnosed, I hope I can make some difference where I live (even if small) to help others have a less burdensome experience of the faith.

[@lyspaere]

I hope this is still going well for you! The best experiences of my life were working at scout camp and being a missionary. I had scheduled activities that rotated between social and non-social, a routine that repeated but wasn't exactly the same (yay ADHD), and with so many people I worked with, it was clear to all of us that none of us were the same and there was no reason to judge each other harshly--just communicate our needs and mutually agree on a plan that worked for everyone. I remember it was hard to know what to say at times, and very hard to learn to work through the hard things, but they were goals I was 100% excited to reach, and it was also a time in my life where relationships were built on respect and admiration and having a minute away from the world, and not on whether or not we had the same interests.

[@liza7459]

I wouldn’t have minded the 2 hour long video on this topic! So interesting 🤩 I also don’t find any comfort in illusion. I’ve never knew how to express this. I like it phrased like this! Thanks for a great video! 👍

[@mike140298]

I once almost laughed at my great grandmother's funeral during one of the hymns. Personally I don't have anything with religion, so I have no clue what hymn it was, but something with Jesus holding your heart in his hand. I definitely knew it was a metaphor, but I had a really hard time not laughing at the mental image of someone holding your literal beating heart.

[@Octopussyist]

It actually is funny! In my family it is not unusual that people have tell funny stories at funerals, mainly about the main character of the ceremony and have a good laugh together - but usually not until everybody have moved to a different location than the church. So if you had been one of us, it would probably have been OK ... if you could wait that long.

[@spiralsun1]

Omg ya I have those types of images and inappropriate laugh/smile things too.

[@TheSpeep]

Images of Indiana Jones and the Temple of Doom immediately spring to mind.

[@donstarlancer]

Well at least you didn’t yell FINISH HIM! At that moment. 😂

[@lycanlass]

WE DRINK YOUR BLOOD! 🎶 UNTIL THE MIDNIGHT SKY IS RED! 🎶

[@WithLoveLsJournals]

For me belief and faith are separate from religion and tradition. I find that I think WAY different than other Christians and I cannot stand to be in a "church" setting because i pick up on the feeling of "fake" and the "we are better than every other church, human, and creature" vibes and I just wanna run out instantly lol. I also find where I live the messages they "preach" are extremely hypocritical and not in line at all with what Jesus actually taught. But it always baffles me because it seems I am literally the ONLY person who thinks this much about it. It's almost like people are worshipping the bible and their church families more than Christ and I dont understand why they cant see that the bible tells us not to do this. But as usual I'm always the weird one and no one gets me so 🤷‍♀️ haha But idk that's just my feelings and I struggle so much with this. I wish I could find some people who wanted to truly worship and not just put on a show or look a certain way on sundays. I have not been diagnosed but I literally relate to everything you (and many other autism channels) speak of when you talk about your experiences. So I'm pretty sure I am 💜 Sorry this is so long but it's just a perspective that may be interesting and possibly different than others here .... or the same, who knows :P

[@autumn5852]

WithLove L ASMR ditto only I have been diagnosed and I do speak out at church and question them on the fact that they are literally teaching the opposite to what Jesus taught. I have asked them why they do and say certain things but instead of answering me they either walk away or attack me. I’m no longer welcome at their bible study and I don’t know if they can but I know they would love to ban me from going to the church. There’s a name for them in the bible and it’s the anti-Christ. I can’t work out if they are blatantly lying or if they believe the ludicrous contradictory things they say, but if they do believe the ridiculous things they say then they must be not very bright at all. It upsets me because I know how much the teachings of Christ could really help people but they’re not teaching that, they’re teaching some made up stuff that doesn’t make sense and is nowhere to be found in the bible!

[@queenofshred]

This is something that I find very frustrating about social groups in general, not just religious groups. Most neurotypical people seem to value "social glue" more than they value truth, honesty and logic. They find comfort in this and want to conform to have a place in the group. This has the complete opposite effect on me and makes me feel immediately like an outsider because it is going against what I value most. It appears to be very fake to me and I wish other people could learn how to accept their differences and still be together in an honest way instead of pretending to all be the same. I think what might be happening at your church is that there are other people who see the flaws in the logic and that what is being promoted is not the message of Christ but they would never dare to say it and make their personal views public, as they just value the "social glue" and their acceptance by the group more than they do their own beliefs. Theoretically, every single person at church could be secretly disagreeing with what is being said but they will all outwardly agree in order to preserve the group.

[@autumn5852]

queenofshred I think you could very well be totally correct in what you’re saying because even when I pointed out the lies etc to the one lady who does at least listen and speak with me, she said I shouldn’t say anything to them, meaning the churchy people who are in charge, but to me, to not say anything seems totally insane. I just think, what’s the point in going just to listen to a bunch of lies and for them to not be spreading the Good News as taught in the Bible! I do get upset at times that I don’t seem to fit in at these types of groups and that I just seem to cause problems, but I would rather be honest than fake so I am learning to focus on the fact that I’d rather be honest and not fit in than fake and fit in because that just doesn’t make any sense to me. Then the church people have the cheek to pray for world peace!!! ~ do they seriously think they can have a world of peace base on dishonesty and deceit! I like your explanation though, thank you, it at least helps me to understand better what’s going on even if I do think they’re totally bonkers for being that way. The pastor doesn’t even accept any interpretations of the bible other than the one they’re preaching which again is totally insane because the whole book is written in such a way that anybody can pick it up and get something from it at any time or stage of their life etc and they will get meaning from it at that time which may be a totally different meaning some time later. That’s one of the things that’s genius about the Bible, that it can help us at any time. She literally told me that my interpretation was incorrect! Lol! But the whole experience has helped me understand the nt world a little better and instead of my recent experience sending me into a great depression, it has actually helped me to grow in confidence and because of my disappointed with the church experience I joined a ‘shelf help’ book club and the lady who runs it, it turns out is actually married to an autistic guy and she very much appreciates our honesty and our way of being in the world, which showed me that not all nt people are fake ass liars and complainers and gossipers ☺️

[@WithLoveLsJournals]

Oh my goodness! I can so relate to what both of you are saying! Like I feel the exact same way and I think these same things every time I am pressured to go to a church. I try to explain to my husbands dad (he is the one who pressures us the most) ... but I try to explain that the way my personality is, if I go around these people too much I start feeling like I have to be like them to be accepted and I dont want to be like them. I don't care what other people in the church think of me I just want to hear the truth the way Jesus taught it. Not... "well this is what Jesus REALLY meant" ... like how could you twist His words and think you know what he meant? He seems pretty crystal clear to me with most of the things he says and teaches 😭😭 i believe in taking Jesus more seriously than anything else in the whole bible. But its like people just skip over that part and teach the old testament and then at the end of the service say "jesus will save you" ... and I'm thinking ... well you didnt even tell me who he is!! When I actually picked up the bible and read it for myself I was in complete shock and so hurt that so much had been hidden from me and twisted. And I refuse to go along with their cult like ways to "fit in" ... I just want to start my own worship group thats based off of the holy spirit and not about making money and putting on a show for traditions sake. I just dont know where to start. Or if that's what I'm even called to do. Maybe that's why we can see so much differently than most people. Maybe The Lord is trying to use us to start something different and real? Idk. Its 1 am and I get really emotional when it gets late lol. so yea that's just my experience. But I completely agree with you both! You both made such great points!!!

[@autumn5852]

WithLove L ASMR oh my goodness, I honestly could have written every single word of that myself 👆🏽. I told the people at the church I’ve been going to that they’re living from the Old Testament teachings and that Jesus couldn’t be more clear if he tried and also that when they tell people Jesus will save them they’re not telling them how or how they can get closer to Jesus etc etc etc and in the end I felt so upset that I must also be like you and want to be like others because all I could say to my support worker was I felt devastated because I know I can’t be cured and she said no way is she going to allow their small mindedness to make me think I need to be cured and like you, I feel like I’m being called to start a group of some sort that really does teach the word of Jesus and not the terrible nonsense they teach in church but I’m not sure. I just know that the teachings of Jesus can help so many people yet it’s being kept hidden by the churches, just like it was in the Old Testament times. The church elder and pastor even had the cheek to tell me that if I was living in the Old Testament times I would have to get a job (currently not working due to a 3 year long extreme burnout) because they didn’t have food banks in those days!!!! They full on attacked me for simply asking questions. I told them I’m not even criticising them because how could I if I don’t understand them, I just want to know where they’re getting their information from because it’s not from the Bible. They’re fake, they’re liars and that’s not all, they’re taking money from elderly people and not giving anything back apart from maybe giving a social visit or something now and again. I said there are community groups that do that, you’re a church, which doesn’t mean you can’t do that but that’s not your job, their job is to spread the Good News of the teachings of Jesus and they’re not doing that at all. They’re draining the life and money out of people. It’s crazy to me that they can’t see how clear it is what Jesus says. I said to my support worker that I don’t know if they’re doing it on purpose or if they’ve been brain washed to believe the rubbish they’re spouting. The pastor’s father was a pastor so this is all she knows so maybe she’s been brain washed by this rubbish they’re spouting which is probably what has happened.

[@stonescorpio]

Paganism became my special interest when I was in high school after a friend lent me her book on Wicca. By then, I'd realized I couldn't really buy into Christianity, so I was religion-shopping. I read all kinds of books on polytheistic and nature-based religions, but I never wound up practicing any of them. I suspect that some of the "spells" in those books would make very effective placebos (and hey, everyone could use a good placebo sometimes), but I could never believe in any of them working as offered. That said, I can still enjoy reading a table of correspondences or researching the history of ceremonial magic.

[@phoebeloveness2130]

Hi my special interest is Wicca.

[@LostInSynapses]

Spells are basically just hands-on prayer.

[@danyelPitmon]

I have gone into Wicca and as soon as I can I’m going to get up set up my altar and every single holiday I will be putting up all of the things that are related to those holidays and I will be going through some of the spells and some of the beliefs because it seems more realistic to me because I am a big supporter of the environment and animals and anything related to nature even being out in nature walking through the trails in my bare feet grounding myself to the environment and drawing in energy from around me and the negative energy going into the ground from my feet and just enjoying the peace and quiet and tranquility of nature itself is re-energizing to me including the full moon energy as well and I can’t name everything right off the top right now but anything connected to Wicca is preferable over the Christian religion that’s just my opinion

[@danyelPitmon]

@@phoebeloveness2130 I love working on myself I’m just working on getting my altar set up yet I enjoy the full moon energy and having the feel of the ground under my feet with my bare feet I also have the wheel of seasons as well

[@danyelPitmon]

@Piper LT not quite getting into a philosophical discussion on religion but I will state this I’ve read the Bible and Jesus died on the cross for our sins or did you happen to conveniently skipped that part in the Bible Jesus God gave his only son to die on the cross for all sins yes he does forgive and obviously you missed out in the Bible because Jesus even for gave a woman who was a prostitute and let him wash let her wash his feet you really don’t know anything sorry

[@DoughBrain]

I’m an electic neopagan. I really enjoy how flexible my religion can be. No two people practice or believe the same thing. It also involves a lot of research into mythology. Which is really nice since learning and sharing information I find is incredibly fun for me. I also love that I can learn things from other people just by talking about it. Also there is more than just one book and none of them are meant to be followed strictly unless you want to. (The last bit I’ll say is that I don’t have to follow any specific rules.). EDIT: I forgot to mention I’m autistic. I’m not exactly used to having to state that.

[@NightmareRex6]

i know i mad eup my own religion but after seeing hell which was TERRABLE i stopped becusae dont know if wasent becuase 100% accepted christ or something. i hope God dosent DEMAND that we GAMBLE with our sou; in the ARCHIC system.... a God that wants NONE to goto hell but BUILDS A SYSTEM that WILL send MOST to hell, like MORE than would CHOOSE to if they KNEW.

[@beckip9791]

I am autistic and a Christian. I became a Christian in my 20s, so was not indoctrinated from childhood, and like you I studied philosophy and religion as a degree (actually to disprove God!), and was still a staunch atheist, as I saw all the flaws in the arguments, and never got answers that satisfied me. I didn't come to the faith through some emotional or personal experience, of which I am sceptical of still, I actually came to faith through logical reasoning and reading the Bible from Genesis to Revelation. However, the worldview of Christianity is very different to what Christianity actually is. You said 'faith is believing without evidence', well that's what people who aren't Christian say faith is, but a lot of Christians don't think that's what faith means. Faith is putting your trust into something, just like you put faith in gravity every day (as do I) by walking around and not for example tying a lead weight to your leg to stop you floating away. So it is a strawman fallacy, to build up what you say Christians believe and then tear that down, when that's not actually what Christian theology is. I'm not trying to convince you that you are wrong in this comment, but just trying bring awareness that the Christianity that you don't believe in may not actually be the Christianity that others believe in. I also understand that there are a lot of Christians who are very hypocritical, which gives us a bad name, as they say they follow Christ, but actually ignore his teachings (including being a hypocrite) but being a Christian isn't about thinking you're better than others, it's actually about understanding our sin and realising we are just as bad as everybody, we just accept Jesus' gift of salvation. Anyway, KZbin is not exactly the proper place to have such in depth discussions in the comments so I'll stop rambling now 😂 keep up your videos, I don't always agree with everything you say, but I do enjoy hearing your opinion, especially as autism is one of my special interests, it's nice to hear another voice with some similar experiences 😊

[@PatsyCollyer]

Interesting video. Thank you, John - and Sam! I’m a late-diagnosed autistic. And if people didn’t think I was ‘strange’ enough already, I’m also a pagan tarot reader. 😊

[@YoSamdySam]

I totally forgot to mention my teenage foray into Wicca - maybe that's one for another video ;)

[@erinrow399]

I, just starting the video but needed to jump in and say heck yes! Me too! I also explored Wicca with the full support of my parents, then I went and toured all the churches in my area, in the end I’m kinda a mishmash kitchen witch pagan type thing lol I also read tarot cards though because somehow they always know what I’m talking about! :)

[@cynemun4086]

Patsy Collyer not as odd as you might think. I am also a late diagnosed, ex-wiccan tarot reader 😁

[@karenabrams8986]

I too dabbled in Wicca! I found it to be disappointing unstructured nonsense. 🤣🤣🤣

[@alexc2265]

Karen Abrams I have the same problem with most new age religions!

[@Ally.F.O]

I am Muslim, and I'm not diagnosed as an autistic person, but I'm pretty sure i am autistic. I think that's why I love watching your videos, because I can relate to about 97% of your experiences, especially this particular video. I hate to think about faith and God the way most Muslims do. I know my thoughts annoy the hell out of conventional Muslims, so I avoid talking about religion with anybody. I relate a lot to when you talked about learning about religion as a child and thinking "oh that does not make any sense I refuse to believe it". That's so me! I have always refused to believe whatever things that do not make sense. Being a logical thinker and a religious person is extremely hard, but I still always find a way to do it, always looking for logical answers to my questions until I find the answers that satisfy my logic

[@artsaganza8742]

that was very well said. i'm not a muslim but am autistic. hello im brian

[@Ally.F.O]

@@artsaganza8742 Thank you Brian!

[@artsaganza8742]

@@Ally.F.O your very welcome, im in illinois, usa, how about yourself, i also do a channel on you tube about autism and trauma and my beliefs as well, and teach classes in art

[@artsaganza8742]

@@Ally.F.O what i meant is that i do art classes online

[@Ally.F.O]

@@artsaganza8742 That's so cool! I'll be checking your channel out.

[@sheryl3274]

Wow, this is something I can totally relate to. When I was in my middle school, I can never grasp the idea of blind faith to a religion. No one around me could ever explain why other than the fact that “it have always been like this”, “don’t question”. The act of appealing to an authority or a higher power just annoys me so much. Even a politician, or a prime minister isn’t respected by default in my mind at that age unless they can sufficiently demonstrate their abilities and usefulness. I only went to the church twice in my lifetime, when I just want to make friends and fit in.. but I left shortly after, as I was constantly being made to read the Bible and attend the sessions.. I just knew I was an atheist very early on, while no one else in my class ever talks about it I’ve always been a very critical and independent thinker 😁 no peer pressure, friends, or families or social norms can change my mind And in terms of gender, I am pretty asexual too.

[@PatsyCollyer]

Oh, your cat! 🥰

[@pat8988]

Patsy Collyer , she should’ve introduced it!

[@Swansong321]

😻

[@juliasfolklore]

Thank you for making this video! I have not been diagnosed with autism, but I relate very heavily with this video. When I was younger, I was a stickler for the rules and would follow them without questions. So when I went to religious school, I assumed that everything they were saying was fact, and that I had to believe it. But I remember in 4th grade my mom mentioned that not everybody believes in god, and I went on this spiral of thinking that everything I was told was a lie, because I was taught in a way that presented religion as fact. In middle school I remember crying because I couldn't believe that nuns and priests dedicated their entire lives to something that wasn't real. I used to be so confused and think that everyone was crazy for blindly believing in something without any factual evidence of it being real. I always had this idea in my head that I (as an atheist) was right, and everyone else was wrong and stupid because I didn't think that there was any sort of comfort in believing in something without fact. It's been such a journey for me to get to the point where I am now (at 20 years old) accepting that other people need something to believe in, even if it means without evidence, to feel more comfortable about the idea of death, and to feel secure about the meaning of their life and the meaning of our existence. I've had so many conversations with therapists just ranting about religion and why I just don't understand it, having been immersed in a world of religion through my entire childhood. Sorry for the rant!

[@azylisemiku6117]

I have a Christian mom and an atheist dad. My father wanted to show me "the life of Brian" the evening before my first communion. I'm still both glad that my mother didn't let him, because I would have talked about it the entire ceremony, and convinced that my father is a genius. ^^

[@honiideslysses12]

Don’t forget to always look on the bright side of life!

[@joshuastrickland5264]

So how did that work. I'm an atheist and my wife is JW...and her family is JW...

[@azylisemiku6117]

@@joshuastrickland5264 they agreed that me and my sister would be babptised and have Bible study until we were 11. But we also had a non religious education through our father and school. And in the end, it was our choice if we wanted to live as Christians or not once we were old enough to make that decision. Also if me or my sister wanted to stop Bible study at any moment, my mom wouldn't have forced us. But personally I loved it. I'm not a Christian, but I found it fascinating and highly educating. It was almost like a philosophy class (learning about Christian values. Discussing them. Thinking about where they came from and why). But I suppose I was lucky I had a great teacher in Bible study.

[@niencat]

I was very devoted to Christ as a child and teenager. In a way I still am. I never saw that movie as mocking Christ and the teachings of Christ It was just a very hilarious movie, depicting to me how very foolish we humans can be! And poor Brian, who just wanted to.live his life.

[@JanelleC]

I really enjoy “The Invention of Lying”

[@johnholmes9435]

Excellent creation, Sam. It was everything you promised, and more.

[@YoSamdySam]

Thank you John! It was a pleasure to write and film!

[@elizabethCorkins83]

Hi

[@noor-5187]

Thank u for the support John :)

[@DavidLindes]

Belated thanks for this, John! (Re 0:35)

First of all, I love how thoughtful you are and appreciate you giving us an overview of religion. I grew up fundamentalist Christian and never knew I could even question what I was being taught, until much later when I had a crisis of faith. The crisis cause extreme anxiety for many years because I never could get religion to feel right to me. It wasn't until a few months ago I discovered a Catholic Priest of all things (Richard Rohr) who explained it well with his deconstruction philosophy.(Is it divine intervention I discovered him at the exact same time I discovered I'm autistic? LOL) It's important note religion helps a lot of people. They need the ritualism and the structure to keep on track with their faith and spirituality. I personally find it distracting, obnoxious and a waist of time. It's also important to take our religious upbringing and deconstruct it. Then reconstruct our spiritual beliefs around seeking the truth for ourselves. I'm a little surprised you didn't talk about spiritualism because in my mind it is completely different than religion. There is something hidden that connects us all and it's important to treat one another with love and compassion, like Jesus did. I feel like if we take away religion and just practice the example of how Jesus lived and treated people, then this world would be a completely different place. Everyone would be loved and accepted, and if you did something wrong, there would be redirection, compassion and forgiveness. I don't even know what label to give myself because I just think people should be kind to one another and also people should take time to reflect on themselves and the meaning of their lives.

[@HopePhotoG]

"Distracting,obnoxious, waste* of time" so rude. While some may need things in life for structure, it's really pathetic and rather narrow minded to believe what YOU feel is the absolute truth for everyone else. It's kind of funny because you mock faith while in a way playing up autism like it makes you a god. 😂many people do that and it's quite hilarious because of the hypocritical nature. AND THE END OF YOUR COMMENT PROVES IT. 👍CLASSIC. 😂😂way to prove you don't understand the Bible AT ALL. I mean..the fact that you got ideas from a catholic says a lot. They believe you must repent of your sins the exact OPPOSITE of what you wish to see. 🙄Jesus paid it all, the catholics want to keep killing him for nothing. It's already done! No idea what "fundamental" church you went to because I'm a independent fundamental Baptist and we believe by faith not works and we believe a person must believe ON THEIR OWN no one forcing it.. you sound like you came out of some cult but I don't really know.

[@HolisticHomemaker]

The structure and widely accepted example of a preferred mask (at least in the area I grew up in) were hugely comforting to me. Plus the idea that to someone I’m loved unconditionally regardless of my differences… the accepted rhetoric that we are all imperfect as we are humans and could never expect an individual to be perfect as they’re not a god. It was comforting.

[@ToniaLNewton]

OMG you are such a calming person for me. Thanks for including that beeping situation!!! As soon as I seen your eyes turn and the head tilt I knew you heard something. That is so me! It will drive me nuts at times and others I cant hear anything.

[@tadafries214]

I just realized something watching this! When I was Christian and going to church and that kind of stuff it gave me a socially acceptable outlet for my extremely strong emotions. It’s very acceptable to cry while singing worship songs in church. It was my favorite part of church.

[@Erin__D]

Yes!! Thank you for this video! I was raised in a Pentecostal church and I was constantly questioning and wondering why I didn’t feel the way everyone else did. I often gave into the peer pressure to participate but it never felt natural. I continued going to non denominational churches until last year. I went deep into the rabbit hole of apologetics and counter arguments and ultimately deconstructed. I am so much more peaceful now knowing that it’s ok to be an agnostic atheist. And I love seeing the connection between autism and religion. It all makes so much sense now why I never really “got it”.

[@coopergates9680]

Well, you *do* get it. As in you understand why more correct titles for that book would be "Christianity and many reasons not to be a Christian" or "If you think Christianity is good, read this."

[@chiricahuaapache5132]

As The Lord Jesus said, you have the Wheat and the Tares ...

[@jeffreyreeves9854]

ExXtian Erin, Don't forget about Satan, the god of this world. I showed up at Pentecostal Churches & I never got the urge to squeal and jump around and yell gibberish.

[@Erin__D]

@@jeffreyreeves9854 don’t believe in Satan so…

[@jeffreyreeves9854]

@@Erin__D You believe what you want, you are a perfect example of a Liberal and Feminist. You don't care about facts and truth. Satan took over in the previous century. Look at the social acceptance of AC/DC and gangster rap.

[@LinguaSerbia]

I wasn't raised religiously either and I'm atheist. So far I found flaws in many things religious people tried convincing me in. I have nothing against them, it just doesn't work for me. I know to hope but I don't have blind faith in anyone and anything.

[@muhammadilham8579]

Please you read and learn quran the holy book of islam !! My beautiful sister

[@LinguaSerbia]

@@muhammadilham8579 I don't want to

[@muhammadilham8579]

@@LinguaSerbia why??please open your heart and mind ...sister

[@LinguaSerbia]

@@muhammadilham8579 I don't have to read it if I don't want to. Reading religious book won't change my mind.

[@muhammadilham8579]

@@LinguaSerbiai know you don,t have to .... reading is good for everyone...perhaps it will enrich you knowlesdge. Btw....you teach serbian language, don,t yoi??

[@121nouran]

As an autistic person who was raised in a traditional+conservative Islamic family, this video made me feel comfort/seen and relieved. Phew! I did enter into a cult and i did experience all what you spoke about, on a religious cult level and on q personal/relationship level. I've been thinking A LOT about the link between all of the things you've mentioned here + being undiagnosed/unaware of my neurodivercity and how it played out in me being extra vulnerable to such predatory behaviors. Also the really weird fact of being logical and aware yet getting "intoxicated" by these behaviors is really amazing. Waw this video is such a relief really. Thank you

[@Alex-gz2no]

I would consider myself a buddhist, like in the basics. I really, really tried to believe in a christian god and even bought myself an expensive bible once. But it didn't take me long to acknowledge that this isn't for me, which kind of hurt because I already felt lost. Then I started to educate myself about buddhism, about the basics to be exact, and it works. I'm not so sure about the whole nirvana thing, but the principles like respect, that everything you do causes karma (good or bad), not having to believe in an imaginary person but a flesh and blood human being,... I guess, the part about respect and understanding is what suits me the most in it. I hope that was understandable ^^

[@szoszk]

I remember thinking in kindergarten and beginning of primary school that it was just a cool story so I went along, as kids do, and then I realized it wasn't _just_ a cool story.

[@dodec8449]

I thought as a kid you were supposed to feel sad about Jesus dying at the cross, that feeling empathy was what Christianity is all about. A bit how you remember the dead after a war. Then as a teenager I realized why 'Good Friday' was called 'good' and I thought: 'Whooooa .... I'll show myself the way out'

[@finnjameson7844]

You nailed it, this is exactly how I feel about church and it is such a relief to know at least 1 person let alone a whole community can kind of relate

[@HegeOfficial]

«There is no comfort in illusion». You make SO much sense to me. Thank you for making this video despite the possible sh*tstorm ❤️

[@simikatra3434]

I've been using the title Atheist Witch. I have a fascination for all religions and I was raised Catholic, that was lovely ( sarcasm ) my first major clash with the clergy was at 10yo, preparing for our conformation. I upset the priest so much he lost his temper and swore at me, sister evil Ursula, dragged me from my classroom by the hair, and slapped me across the face, screaming that I belonged with the heathens next door ( non denominational school ) I really wish I corrected her on the origins of her mis appropriate use. If hell was real she'd be on a spit. But alas nasty people will just be worm food like the rest of us. I was called a witch by many people, family and friends, as I seen things, not only differently that everyone around me but I would try to describe aura like disturbances, now I know it's to do with my sensory processing, but yes I was the spooky wee witch at high school, father trench said I looked like death walking down the corridors, and would often drag me into his rectory as I'd inevitably explode at some remark from my peers. I do practice witchcraft, but I see it again differently than many other witches I'm online friends with, I rarely doubt what others experience, but I do tend to say one day we will know the science behind that. I'm particularly good at divination, from reading trees swaying in the breeze, had some very entertaining experiences zoning into the images that flood my brain as I watch shapes emerge. I knew there would be a science behind my vision and auditory issues, so you could say I'm a rather cynical witch, I like to understand things. But I do not believe in God's, as interesting as they are, my true love is geology, and earth is my church. However a good spell is very cathartic and helps my OCD ;) energy however is real. And I know I'm not the only one who is hyper sensitive to it among us. 💖 )0(

[@noor-5187]

This is an interesting topic for me. I'm autistic and atheïst, brought up by atheïst parents. In Belgium, so all of my friends in highschool were non religious. Yet I got married to my husband who is muslim, coming from a very religious family. My sister moved to UK and became Christian and so her family is. I love that I got to know those different views and habbits on a deeper level and find it important to be open and accepting...but I simply don't know how to start believing those stories...I just don't. I can see how it helps my husband and sister trough difficult periods of life, it comforts them and gives them strenght. They are just less scared of life and death because of it. In that sense, I do sometimes wish I could believe as well, if it could calm me down and help me with all my anxiety... how amazing would that be. But I seem unable to put comfort and hope out of an 'illusion'. I have way too much to say about this to comment it here:) But one last thing: what I liked about being around moslims is that they have more clear social rules. In Belgium it's never clear to me how to greet people (shake hand? kisses (how many?) Hug?just wave?...). How open/familiar or closed should I act towards people etc. In Morocco it seems more clear to me.

[@tabitas.2719]

I totally prefer living in certain cultures because of the clearer rules! :)

[@noor-5187]

@@tabitas.2719 Yes, even if u have it wrong, u can just hide behind the fact that u are not from there🤷‍♀️ Everyone is happy to explain how things work, they are even flattered u are interested. Haha the sollution to being awkward :) At the other hand I struggle with their high social needs, people everywhere and all the time. Also sensory overload to the extreme, steets are loud and chaotic, people talk loud. Very hard but u can't have it all 😋 I also lived in Spain, life in southern sunny countries generally fits me cause life goes more slow, less pressure, less on the to-do list. I'm interested in which kind of cultures u feel comfortable?

[@abbylopresti3659]

Noor Aziah www.reddit.com/r/AWLIAS/comments/f0ntnv/could_my_body_be_proof_were_in_a_game/?

[@tabitas.2719]

@@noor-5187 Yes, I think it can be a funny solution to being awkward! :) I grew up in Tanzania, but also loved visiting Scotland as a kid as well as Korea - I don't know about other countries as I haven't traveled extensively, but generally find Asian and African cultures tend to be more strict in hierarchy and clear social rules. :) I'd be really interested in (South) American cultures as I haven't been there.

[@noor-5187]

@@tabitas.2719 I think u are right about Africa and Azia having clear social rules. It made me think more about this cultural aspect versus autism, I will look up more about it. From a sensory perspective I would think Scandinavian countries are calm, less noisy, organised. I wonder if their cultural rules are clear as well since they are known to be more introverted and strict/serious. But perhaps they are closed and don't show their true feelings which would bother me as I function with honnesty and being direct. Anyway, thank u for your reply! Lots to think about :) x

[@robinrichardson5243]

I suspect a couple of the reasons I got involved in a cult-like martial arts school was because practicing the forms and drills acted like an acceptable form of stimming and it was just very comfortable to finally have a set of well defined rules and practices (e.g. bow here, stand this way now, kneel at this point, etc).

[@shawnhartmann4581]

I'm Jewish (albeit not Orthodox), mostly because of heritage, it seems one of the more sensible and pragmatic belief systems, and it gives me a category to put things in that I don't understand yet. There are certain practices, like always putting on the right foot-ware first then the left, tying the left, then the right (and the procedure for removal) that give me calm before leaving the house and a measure upon returning.

[@ChadSnider]

Thanks for not editing out the beeping and you having to investigate it. It was a good laugh and something i would definitely do.

[@bob_._.]

The only "religious" system that I find logical is Panentheism (and no, that's not a misspelling of Pantheism), the belief that the Universe as a whole is a consciousness that is split into infinite pieces of all descriptions in order to experience in every possible way. To put in in religious terms, All is God; although actually pure metaphysics, which is the practical structure of how and why things work without the overlay of deity. Maybe/probably not the best description, but I've been having problems getting concepts to come through my fingers onto the keyboard. And I have some thoughts about faith, but I'll need to get back to them for the same reason; they're just not coming out clear right now.

[@JudyReadsCards]

Oh! Another Panentheist. Hello. My take on the concept is slightly different perhaps, but that could be down to semantics and the limits of what should be expected from a brief comment on KZbin. :)

[@robinw8348]

oh, i didn’t know there was a name for that! that... actually sounds a lot like what i believe. huh

[@trueblissconsciousness2821]

Me too. As might be clear from my pic. 😊

[@muhammadilham8579]

Please read quran...as comparative study to what you think a logic concept.!!!!

[@trueblissconsciousness2821]

@@greysonniles6358 It can't be new age if it's in the vedas from the oldest religion in the world now can it? Don't let that put you off.

[@lucylovesarix]

Hey Sam, I appreciate your videos so much. This time last year I wasn't educated at all about autism, but as I've learned more and educated myself, suddenly I'm struck with the memories of numerous teachers trying to convince my mum to have me assessed/tested for it. As I research females and autism, it explains my struggles I've always had with mental health. However, because I've grown up viciously defending myself & being told its not a possibility, now I'm plagued with an awful shame about coming to terms with it. I wouldn't change who I am for the world, but it's almost like I'm not worthy of being assessed or accepted by anyone. I've always felt "wrong" or deficient. Anyways, your videos make me feel more normal. Autism is normal, valid, and real. Your videos have helped me to accept and understand myself. So thank you ❤️

[@hydratheorganism9639]

When I was little my family practiced Meditative Buddhism, and it was hell for me. I wouldn’t stop stimming whenever forced into meditation. Later I learned to sleep while keeping my form straight, pretending to be in deep meditation 🤣. I got a good nap out of it every time.

[@TaCxNUK3]

I enjoy the trip down "the winding path" of your brain. You are able to articulate many things that really resonate with me, though I have not given it the thought you have. So you are literally thought provoking!

[@eaglebreath5]

Thanks John, and Sam. I really appreciate your thorough analysis of the topic.

[@arasharfa]

Aaaah, I love this! It is so rare to find any discussions about the intersection between science, psychology, sociology and philosophy. The older I get and the more I learn about the world and the human experience, the more I feel i'm able to see how our civilization has been generated from the way our bodies work in some way. I like to try to trace something back to a biological level as a compliment to the more conventional analysis of things. I find this is something people tend to not talk about very often.

[@hilmapersson6168]

Damn, me too!

[@alexc2265]

Oh, I love this way of thinking too! Going to uni was great for this!

[@YoSamdySam]

I love the intersection of academic disciplines but research is almost always lacking (for obvious reasons). So it's perfect for wild speculation hahaha

[@corriemcclain7960]

Such a great video Sam. I was raised by a very religious (christian) but also very educated family. So all our talks about god and religion were very rational and it was easy for me to believe very deeply in god. Until I didn't. I realized one day all our logic about god assumed god was real and when I questioned that nothing worked for me anymore. it was deeply shocking to everyone who knew me when I left the church because i had always been "the best". There was a lot to work though, but you're so right about the positive sides. My panic attacks were seen a being touched by god and not a problem. The same with stemming and even my selective mutism. Not that I knew what any of that was. I ended up in Judaism because the rituals were comforting and enjoyable and because being an atheist was totally normal in my synagogue. I am not officially diagnosed but I see much of the things that make me think I'm autistic when I look at my religious upbringing and mindset

[@tendreheart7]

Woahhhhhh I just had the most surreal experience seeing your little intro clip with the colors. Went back and watched it again 😂 #stimming

[@kadenlogghe752]

I related to a lot of your descriptions of your thought processes. I appreciate you doing this it was interesting.

[@paigeferguson7348]

This might be my favorite of your videos (and trust me, I love them all!). Your videos, more than any doctor or scientific study, are helping me understand my brain. Religion has never made any sense to me, because I think so literally. I have enough anxieties just worrying about if I'm passing as "normal" on a daily basis. I couldn't imagine throwing the fear of god into the mix.

[@YoSamdySam]

Thank you!

[@davidroddini1512]

The way I see it, evolution is the process God used to create the world as we know it. But being outside of His/Her/Its creation, there is no way science ever could either prove or disprove God’s existence. However, I find comfort in the thought of someone or something outside of creation that makes everything right in the end. Otherwise, I would have a hard time coping with the injustice in the world.

[@TaylorKennedie]

I am Buddhist. I find that meditation time with a Sangha (a group of Buddhists) is a great match with my autism. I get to practice with my community, but meditation is a sensory calming & low stress social context. And Buddhism in general , and Western Buddhism in particular, is very rational and philosophical which appeals to my literal mind. So dharma talks (Buddhists “sermons”) are a great fit as well.

[@xoxoLeony]

This was interesting af! Thanks Sam

[@caiourbano3499]

Sam, I bumped into one of your videos not long ago (a month, maybe?) and I have watched most of them already, though THIS one ia BY FAR the one I liked the most. I smiled and I laughed together with you several times! I think I could se so much more of you (not necessarely because it's a longer one) that I thought you should know. Keep doing this, I love watching you! Kisses from overseas (many seas)

[@WithLoveLsJournals]

8:30 THIS IS SO ME! I find santa weird too! And I also have a hard time having faith in humanity 🤣

[@makakowsky7042]

I was only four years old when my mom first told me that Santa wasn't real. My entire reaction was, "... so then who eats the cookies???" When she told me it was usually my sister well, I think you can imagine my next inquiry /suggestion as to who might get to do it the next Christmas... . 😁 Point is in hindsight I was neither surprised nor dismayed at the revelation that an old fat man in red velvet and white fur did not actually scale our chimney with a bag full of toys every year. What does surprise me to this day is hearing how horrified the majority of people I've spoken to were upon receiving the same information! 😅🤦

[@WithLoveLsJournals]

@@makakowsky7042 lmao yea I dont get that either haha. I'm relieved that isnt the truth. That would be creepy af hahaha

[@terranovarubacha5473]

@@makakowsky7042 From a very young age I insisted that it wasn't true and at six, I proved it by catching my parents in the act of writing 'from santa'. My concern was why they insisted on lying to me about it and why this is standard behavior

[@KittyfishKayde]

Wow...this explains so much about my history with religion. Grew up Lutheran, went to church and Sunday school, did communion, got confirmed, etc. etc. But I never believed. My parents wanted me to believe and be involved with the church and everything, and I tried my best to fit in and go with it, but I never ever felt a connection with God or Jesus or the warm and fuzzy "faith" feeling that everyone described. I actually went to a Lutheran school my first 3 semesters of college, and I distinctly remember a late night conversation with my religious roommate, who was describing what her own personal heaven would be like. And I was just crying my eyes out, saying "I wish I had that." I'm at peace with it now, and consider myself agnostic, but I've recently realized that I've never been able to "drink the cool aid." Religion, every company I've worked for, every educational institution I've attended; I just can't "believe" in whatever false bullshit is being fed to us.And it's SO obvious to me when an institution's actions directly contradict what they say they value. I've always wondered why everyone doesn't see through the bullshit? It actually makes me extremely angry...and I currently work in higher ed, so the whole higher education/Covid situation is extremely difficult for me right now. : ( Thanks for making this video and sharing your insight!

[@key1526]

Wow this was a very interesting video! I love learning about how autism intersects with various things (politics, religion, comorbid mental illnesses, etc) so this was so fun to watch! Also, the way you explained how you process debates/conversations really helped me understand what it means to get “bogged down in the details.” That question on the AQ always confused me, because I felt like I needed an example to understand the question, and this was perfect! I definitely have been told that I’m gullible or that my parents worry that I’ll be taken advantage of, and the way you linked this common autistic trait to being detail-oriented makes just so much sense! It’s a real paradox for me, though, because while I do have bottom-up thinking in the classroom and for more serious decisions, my ADHD makes it hard to remember details (like dates, directions, chores or homework, and even things about my friends). I suppose there’s a difference between working memory-related details and knowledge-related details.

[@treespeak2848]

This was fascinating, thank you! I like the perspective on historical Christianity in cloisters as being particularly autism friendly. I also noticed a lot of autistic-friendly elements in Judaism: a breadth of resources to nerdgasm over, rocking during prayer (not everyone does this, but it felt so good and was socially acceptable), lots and lots of rituals, and a generally questioning and rational attitude, to start. Belief systems are my Achilles heel and how you describe debates is very familiar. I thought it was just me.

[@NightmareRex6]

i noticed "normal" peaople trock side to side like whos in whoville, and autistics move back and fourth but why is one "normal" and anothe r"Abormal" despite BOTH looking quite odd?

[@turn1210]

Legend has it that car is still reversing.

[@StephanieBethany]

Wonderful video - thanks John! Can we convince you to go into discussing some of the cults you find most interesting some day? Still totally here for all the fun edits, too. (Who backs up that slowly?!) Love your approach on this video 💛

[@YoSamdySam]

Haha... the Dutch back up that slowly maybe?! Looks like from the response to this video it won't be the last time I go into this topic!

[@Alibm80]

Your best video yet! Thoroughly enjoyed :D

[@YoSamdySam]

Thank you!

[@robinfox4440]

As a psychology and religion nerd myself, I highly appreciated this.

[@lbeaton1]

I'm an atheist who is on the autism spectrum (never formally diagnosed, but there's no doubt). I used to be much more cutting and sarcastic in my atheism, but nowadays I'm unbothered by it as long as I'm not being proselytized or harassed. My perspective on religion really resolved when I accepted the idea that religion, above all, is about *narrative*. A religion is a master narrative that subordinates other narratives. As I see it, top-down thinking means moving from the general to the specific. Those who think this way start with their received narrative framework; then, as they get into more detail, they seek to fit their thinking into that framework. Bottom-up thinkers, on the other hand, may find themselves clashing with the master narrative precisely because their thinking works from the specific to the general, and they are more bothered by inconsistencies. Even autistic people need narratives, because a narrative is what stitches serial experience together into a tapestry of meaning. Human life devoid of narrative is unimaginable. But by their nature, I think autistic people are more inclined, or even forced, to change their narratives to fit facts as they see them and not the other way around.

[@emmaaajune]

thank you so much for this. u really help me with my diagnosis and finding out how my brain works

[@YoSamdySam]

Thank you for watching. I'm glad my videos are helping you :)

[@anilorak13ska]

Thank you for this! Your comment about how you can see the shades of gray and tend to agree with whomever expressed the most recent convincing argument is the reason I have oscillated back and forth between religions for decades! I insisted on needing to fit in, but refused to actually conform in order to do so. I am finally allowing myself to own my faith, which is not dictated by other people’s experiences but rather my own.

[@jessimaster]

This video is the first time it occurred to me that "He's got the wold in his hands" was metaphorical.

[@DoubleACbg]

I wasn’t raised in a religious household... my mother is a lapsed Roman Catholic, and my father was the son of lapsed Lutherans, but we were taught that Jesus did exist. As I grew older and was exposed to more people of other faiths, I concluded that the human administrators of religions were the cause of either belief or non-belief. My mother (and others) told stories about how schools operated by Catholic Church had personnel that were very repressive and punitive towards students, and now with the scandals emerging with the Catholic clergy that abused children in their charge, I always thought “why would parents send their children into an environment like that?”. Nowadays there are dioceses around the planet that are closing schools due to declining enrollment, and I think that it’s a good thing. Myself, I’m about to enter the Orthodox Church, whose worship is more aligned with the earliest Christians, and whose clergy is more like us ‘regular’ folks... for instance, they can marry and have families.

[@PhoebeK]

Hi Aaron, I hope you have found a welcoming community within the Orthodox Church. We are by no means perfect, the communities here in the global 'west' often have issues to do with nationalism linked to the home countries. But despite that there are many benefits not least the teaching to accept everyone as they are and the provided fidget toy of a prayer rope (it can be used for prayer too it is just handy to play with in services). If you want to connect to some of us online check out the channels by Mull Monastery and Archimandrite Philip as they are both accessible and welcoming to all.

[@unseenjoy]

This video is beautifully done. Beautifully done. I especially appreciate the respect you give to various religions, seeing the good in various practices even where you don't personally subscribe to them. (I'm a devout Christian -- autistic and borderline asexual as well -- and your description of life in a convent or monastery is making me want to go back in time and join up. The opportunities for solitude and structure sound heavenly!)

[@earthaforester3141]

I was raised Christian, but left the church in my twenties. I went to a small church where everyone knew everyone and took care of each other. And when I left, I had to find community elsewhere, which is extremely difficult to do, and is the one real thing I miss about it. Through religion, you have instant connection and community because you all believe the same thing, and it's a big important thing, and you get to be a part of it together. I can see why it's so appealing to so many. I miss singing with a large group of people. I've been in several school choirs, but it's not the same as being surrounded by people you love and you're all singing out to your god with all your heart. Singing in church was the first thing that ever truly moved me (what I would describe as my first spiritual experience), and it wasn't because of God (or idk I guess you could call the feeling God) but it was because we were all in a spiritual space together, and there was so much power and beauty in it. But I can never go back because I just can't pretend to accept the church's version of reality anymore- my universe outgrew the church, and I couldn't fit myself back into a mold that was too small for me. I will always feel the alienation of not being able to participate the same way ever again. Being that humans are such social creatures, I feel religion is most about being part of a community, and only secondarily about sincerely held beliefs; it's just that some people are better at pretending or at deluding themselves than others (not that there isn't any sincerity in the church, just... you know... a lot of evil self-righteous hypocrites who seem only to believe because it gives them power). But yeah, I think a lot of people adopt these beliefs for subconscious reasons - because so many other people are doing it, and it's better to be part of something than to be the outsider. It also simplifies life if you don't have to search for the answers for yourself. It's very freeing not to have to worry about what this all means, and whether or not you're a good person, and what's going to happen when you die, etc etc. If you ever need guidance or support, you know exactly where to go for it. There is safety and purpose in community. On the flip side: My sister took me to a mega church a couple of times when I was a child, and I had a panic attack. It was freaking terrifying! And I don't think it was terrifying because it was crowded and loud and there were screens everywhere etc. I think it was terrifying because it felt like everyone there was being farmed for their spiritual energy (and their money), and they were too stupid to realize it. Something's definitely wrong about those places. Grade A Brainwash-ville.

[@greywell2982]

When it comes to religion and culture it is my special interests! I love researching about different cultures and the relationship between the two. I freaking love Japanese culture I love learning about yokais! They are super interesting! 😍

[@Auntie_Katie]

I was diagnosed with Autism on 7th January of this year. It's come with a lot of mixed emotions but more positives than negatives. X

[@YoSamdySam]

Congratulations! It must be great to finally have answers

[@wordybirdycs]

Wow, you just summed up my entire struggle with having to go to church every Sunday for my entire childhood. This is EXACTLY what I was feeling, that faith based on belief without evidence felt hollow to me, and coupling that with having to mask heavily while at church made it a terrible place for me. Thanks a lot for this video!

[@victoriasmees5625]

Thank you so much for this video. I’ve repeatedly gone through several identity crises after hyperfocusing/special interests on different religions/faiths and between this and your witchcraft video I’m really starting to put some new personal paradigms together!

[@AmyDentata]

While we're avoiding controversy: IMO a large number of allistics confuse projection for theory of mind.

[@whatwhy6447]

Oh my God, yes. Thank you. So much just clicked in my head. After this and the rest of the comments on this video, I am DEFINITELY and ONLY marrying an autistic woman.😇

[@drbarney1000]

I was nonverbal till the age of 5. When I was beginning to learn language the milk man came to the house on Saturday. He brought a cherry bomb which he and my father thought would be fun to set it off. So he lit the fuse and hurled it into the forest behind the new house the family had just moved into. The next day in church I thought the chorus was singing about Seraphims and cherry bombs."

[@daisyoconnor]

This is fascinating, Sam! I was raised in a cultish and isolated form of religion, and I've been noticing a lot of threads with some of my neurodiverse friends being highly susceptible to indoctrination. Very cool to hear your perspective as a religious scholar, and also as an autistic person who is not religious. Thank you for all your videos, and I do hope you get to explore this thesis someday!

[@crystalshadesoflightworker]

Dear Yo Samdy Sam, Just a thought? You could always do a “long version” for those of us that enjoy it too! Many of us obviously LOVE information/insight, and as you enjoy it too it’s a win/win! You could always put a warning stating it’s perhaps an “info dump” for those that aren’t as interested, or don’t have the headspace and put a link to the shorter version. Thanks for all you do! Love your work!

[@garyfrancis5015]

Should owning a pet cat be added to the DSM5 criteria for ASD?

[@YoSamdySam]

Probably

[@PatsyCollyer]

I think so! 😉 My (autistic) daughter is also nuts about horses, further perpetuating the stereotype! 🤣

[@JudyReadsCards]

Slowly turns to look at her cat...

[@garyfrancis5015]

Patsy Collyer Oh horses. I laugh with Attwood talk about aspergers and girls. About she moved the mattress into the stable. A jokey extreme to autism special interest.

[@loveycat5474]

Your cat looks very peaceful.🐅🐅💖💖

[@mjvlogs9537]

I'm the cat in the back, pretty chilled and listening.

[@douglasmaclaine-cross9976]

Thank you for everything you do. It's almost like you are writing the story of my life.

[@mawadagaber2211]

I absolutely love your videos ❤️❤️ You're amazing

[@sarahtaylor1011]

My first introduction to religious stories was Tomie DePaola’s Book of Bible Stories. I was enamored by the illustrations, but I remember being so confused by the stories. God being a voice from the heavens? But HOW? The fantastical nature of the stories didn’t jive with my literalism, haha.

[@cherylcarlson3315]

Being raised Swedish Lutheran by dysfunctionals,when my Aspie son came had many years picking it all apart. Son now 29and says religion just a social heirarchy rebranding what is free and personal. He opted out. As I heard you speak of clergy realized all provide housing, housekeeper, food and the male only orders have uniform that are robes. What does psychology say about men getting power wearing dresses?

[@alexc2265]

Maybe the alternative attire makes them more otherworldly. By walking the line between man and woman, they may better walk the line between this and the other world, between humanity and God. That’s an idea I borrow from my ecstatic religion class. Shamans often don’t conform to gender and are often considered a different kind of person outside the dichotomy (where a dichotomy exists).

[@alexc2265]

Tim Webb lol that does seem like it would fit right in in Leviticus. Is it there? The OP is just saying that clergy garb resembles female typical garb, but exceptions for the norm are made.

[@miguimau]

Hah never heard of the nones before. :D Super interesting video, thanks, Sam. A pleasure to find your channel.

[@YoSamdySam]

Thank you! Glad to have you here :D

[@danjal87nl]

Many of what you said here rings true with some of my own thoughts on the subject. Definitely one of those subjects that it can be difficult to find people for to properly go in-depth on. Makes me kinda envious to people knowing you IRL.

[@Roeleines]

I was raised protestant (loosely though, despite living in the Dutch Bible-belt), I was sent to Christian primary and secondary school, attended a few church sermons as a child. It just never stuck. The stories were just that, stories. In the same way fairy tales, the Easter Bunny and Sinterklaas/Santa Claus were just stories to me. That, and I hated going to church for actual sermons. Bored me to death and even made me uncomfortable. I will give credit for all the art Christianity inspired (I love the old churches and cathedrals), but I am unable to ever believe that there is some humanoid higher power.

[@alexm4789]

I've never been religious, "god" was never a man to me, even that word i don't like but being immersed in the world of the internet and podcasts and you hear peoples experiences with psychedelics and fasting and everyone has their own attempt at trying to interpret "god" then people seem to gravitate towards different doctrines of "God" and the soul and all that fun stuff. Even a scientific perspective would be the whole simulation theory, it's all just preferences i guess? I don't identify with anything, but i am curious and understand there are states of consciousness we are currently oblivious to which have certain information and our ego tries it's best to interpret that experience, i don't believe we are just a body and it goes black forever when we die, my logic on that is what are the chances this is our first life? life started on earth 4.5 billion years ago and you happen to be alive and conscious now? in your puny 20, 30, 40 etc. years out of 4.5 billion years? it doesn't make sense to me, i would of died as a fish a long time ago if i only had 1 life. But to me religion and consciousness i guess aren't synonymous, it's just faith interwoven with morals and someones truth. and in the end it's all semantics and will be interpreted differently. sorry i wrote a lot. i think there is an internal part of us that is more interconnected, but all our temporal self can perceive is the separation.

[@LeksiW]

The idea that "god" has a gender is ridic, especially if you consider that it's the female body that creates life. It's just a bunch of goat/sheep herders wanting to feel special since those men couldn't create life. The lie is real. But more importantly, it's used to oppress women and minorities and creates the "us and them" mentality. Religion is poison.

[@autumnacker5310]

So intriguing and helpful...and I am an autistic American Christian from an evangelical background. In high school Sunday school service, I dreaded the small talk and chatter before the service began. I didn't know who to talk to and just felt self aware. So I'd sit and read my Bible some. I waver often now between devotion and skepticism. I struggle with inconsistencies in church practices, rules, and application of doctrine. Sometimes I wonder if I'm just crazy or if others feel things so intensely?! Then it also hurts to have church friends that are friendly but don't seem to care about me as much as I do for them. Sorry for the novel! I appreciated this video and look forward to seeing more.

[@geshtu1760]

Excellent video, found myself agreeing with you on a lot of things, and also you pointed out a lot of interesting aspects I hadn't thought much about previously in the context of autism. For example I think the structure of religious observance that I grew up with was definitely a comfort, and doubly so because you were viewed as more acceptable socially if you followed the structure more closely so there were social / cultural rewards for following the practices more, well, religiously. The religion I grew up in was also quite focused on Bible study which along with lending itself to some quiet time it also allowed someone who was good at collecting knowledge to compile quite a bit of information and then score social points by sharing this information with others at communal events. I was never socially popular but I do think the social acceptance rewards for being more devoted to a few specific tasks / skills definitely played a part in feeling a sense of belonging which I've rarely felt elsewhere. Also you mentioned conversation starters - I think it's much more than that. Imagine having a huge amount of common experience (Sunday school, camps, youth groups) and common "interests" (Bible etc) and common knowledge - so much to talk about with almost anyone else in the religion. It definitely made social things a lot easier (although there were still challenges). However, the questioning brain and logical / critical thinking eventually did kick in as an adult and then I experienced the negative side of how religion can impact us, and after a long journey of questioning and research I was eventually excommunicated for my unbelief (actually at that point it was my unwillingness to affirm their specific doctrines, but I did later become agnostic and now identify as atheist or simply non-religious). Leaving a strict and controlling religion such as the one I was raised in can be pretty traumatic and difficult at the best of times, and I'd be interested in hearing other people's experiences of this too and how autism related to that experience.

[@AmberCP333]

"Thanks John!" 👍, @Sam I'm OBSESSED w/ religion/ philosophy (all world religions) psychology, sociology, (and "Game of Thones"/ the books too "A Song of Ice & Fire" . I never find anyone to talk to about it.

[@YoSamdySam]

After editing this I kept wanting to add extra things in, so it's possibly a subject that I will come back to again :)

[@AmberCP333]

@@YoSamdySam Oooh! Super exciting. Can wait. I'm sure you'll enjoy the research process! ✌❤

[@AmberCP333]

We think so similarly. I'm a humanist/ theosophist. I also love religious philosophy. Not religious dogma/ systems. Also Santa Claus idea always freaked me out. I was raised with it, but it's a weird idea. I would of rather been raised pagan.

[@ravenzahm4980]

I remember being very young, having the Bible read to me at night by my Catholic grandmother, and thinking, "Wait. If God only made Adam and Eve then how did they keep the bloodline going? AND Cain killed Abel so does that mean Cain fathered all the descendants with his sisters?? How is this story ok??". Needless to say I never really thought the stories were honest. From an early age I understood that religion serves a purpose for a lot of people but it's mostly to comfort over things they cant control or explain. I like learning about different religions/faith systems and in my head I have an ongoing list of similarities across almost all cultures, from that perspective I love religion and how it just proves that Humans find the same ideas comforting again and again (and how they also like to say that only THEIR religion is real and all others are "myths" or "a test")

[@thisbagisnotatoy9639]

THANK YOU!!! I relate so much! By the way, have you considered starting a podcast? I’m recently (at 34) self-diagnosed and learning about autism and the experiences of other autistic people helps me to understand my brain better and feel less alone, but there are only so many hours in the day and podcasts make multitasking easier, whereas I tend to get glued to the tv when watching KZbin.

[@nASHenol721]

Hey Sam, I just wanted to say thank you for the clarity in this. I grew up in a religious family and at first it was fairly boring since I couldn't relate to what seemed like everyone's emotional experience. When I decided to take it seriously it basically crumbled apart in my hands. I'm religious now, but my reasoning is much more concrete and personal now since I found a church that seems to make more logical sense to me. This video shed a light on the thing that I couldn't put a name on. It's the reason I don't get upset when I meet atheists or people of other religions. Faith doesn't make sense unless there's an actual, legitimate foundation.

[@YoSamdySam]

Out of curiosity, what church finally made sense to you?

[@nASHenol721]

@@YoSamdySam I joined The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints.

[@K.P.777]

Hi! I am very religious because I am very logical person. Being autistic and having interest in scholastic theology and philosophy helped me a great deal to understand my faith.

[@garyfrancis5015]

I read this about Amsterdam. The church bells ring ever hour. So in late 1800's prostitues knew when their hours was up with sailors sailing in to port.

[@YoSamdySam]

I don't know whether that's true or not but it's a nice story ;)

[@kanaler5924]

@@YoSamdySam How is that a nice story to you? Prostitution is generally filled with traumatized and desperate people with sad life stories.

[@mikecolley5130]

Hi Sam Thanks for your thoughts, you are very right in much of what you say. I'd love you to quiz me on my "faith". Needless to say I am now an orthodox Christian and part of a Russian church community now, but I really started as a Pentecostal and yes I still speak in tongues 40 years on from my first religious experience. I am nearly 54 now and was diagnosed 2 years ago. I find life very tough. I believe because of the powerful religious experiences I have had that match up with those others have. I constantly question all my experiences and even the existence of God. I realise because I use to be such a literalist I was gullible but hopefully no longer, I actually question everything. My Church life which has been very variable is my only real social life, I am relationally pretty illiterate, I don't know how to progress friendships. I am in my second marriage now - my wife and I make it obvious how we feel because neither of us can really read body language. My faith has taught me how to love though, in spite of still being indifferent to attachment and very nervous of people likening me. Crazy world - your description of faith is not what i identify. I have plenty of evidence to back up my viewpoint and would happily argue the toss with anyone. 👍🙂

[@TesriaT]

I'm late-diagnosed (well, I'm currently 1/2 of the way through actual assessment, so late-realising and probably-soon-to-be-diagnosed in April), at 36. I think I was 34 when I first realised I might be autistic. I also have a degree in psychology, and an A level and special interest in religion. Plus, I got heavily into Buffy and similar as a teenager, and learned about interacting with people through fiction and character analysis! (Something you mention in your "taking off the mask" video, which I watched before this one). Watching your videos sometimes feels like watching an alternate universe version of myself. :D Oh, and I developed an interest in Wicca and paganism as a teenager too, something I'd love to see you do a video about one day! You're a delight to watch/listen to, and I say that as someone who generally prefers to read information so I can take it in at my own speed. I think you're the only KZbinr I subscribe to that I do actually watch frequently. You're clear and sensible, relatable, and sometimes funny, and I love it. :)

[@mishapurser7542]

My experience with autism and religion was at first my autism made me vulnerable to the indoctrination tactics at a young age, but at the same at an older age I developed the ability to think critically and objectively about religion without the emotional attachment most neurotypical people have. So I was able to become an atheist at a relatively young age.

[@rubydeaton8610]

I am autistic, and christian. I Love how you brought up bottom-up thinking, because it explains so well why I Identify as Non-denominational.

[@qwer181]

Nice content as usual. please do the 2 hour version.

[@AJansenNL]

Your videos are helping me so much. I've been binging them and the topic of religion occured to me too. I already had some idea about why I converted to islam in my late teens, and watching this vid confirms it. And adds even more perspective. So, thank you and dankjewel!

[@peterbriggs3408]

Every time I look into organised religions, all I see is evidence of powerful people manipulating the belief of others, usually less fortunate than themselves, to their own ends and benefits. I don't know what the truth is, but I'm sure it doesn't lay in mass hierarchically structured 'religions'.

[@peterbriggs3408]

Can't say I ever met him, so I wouldn't know.