Why aren't autistic people as religious as normal people?

Question

One of the seldom-discussed traits of High-Functioning Autism is a lack of spiritual belief. A large majority of functional autistics are atheists, agnostics, or otherwise non-religious, whereas 90% of the general population follow some type of religious belief. Autistics, however intelligent they may be, just seem to be unable or unwilling accept religious belief.

Why do you think this is? Since autism and its related disorders are genetic and present at birth, does that mean that they are part of God's plan? Why would God create a condition that physically disables people from believing?

Thanks in advance for thoughtful answers.

Bajingo:

Your information is great. Thank you.
But I'm more interested in Apsperger's Syndrome and HFA, specifically, not profound autism.

knight_janette:
No, autism is not apparent at birth, but it is present. While there is no one "autistic gene" several genes have been identified as being associated with AS. These genes do not magically materialise at age two. The structural brain abnormalities of autism are also present in infants.

Answer 1

It suggests that religious belief depends on the neurological functions that are poorly developed in Asperger's syndrome and similar autistic conditions.

One key feature of autism is a neurologically based difficulty in ascribing emotions and mental states to others.

Dennett, Dawkins and a number of other ethologists hypothesise that religious belief is an outgrowth of the capacity for ascribing mental states and "intentional stance" to others. Such a capacity has an evolutionary survival advantage, and not just in facilitating social cohesion.

It's advantageous to surmise that the tiger "wants" to eat me, and also that the lightning "wants" to strike me. The extension of this thinking is that natural processes - particularly the threatening or the enigmatic - are seen as evidence of cosmic intentionality.

Religious experience is precisely that: the ascribing of a mental state, Dennet's "intentional stance", to entities other than those usually regarded as sentient, such as other humans and "higher" animals.

Religious belief ascribes an intentional stance to the cosmos as a whole (pantheism) or to a projected abstract entity representing say justice, compassion and creativity (the personal God of monotheism), or to other divisions, concepts and objects of human experience (e.g. in Paganism, polytheism and animistic beliefs).

Your observation seems to support such a hypothesis of religious belief. If so, there's little surprise that autistic individuals often find religious belief incomprehensible.

Answer 2

Well, if one looks at the medical field of neurology there is some real evidence that God/the idea of God resides in the temporal lobes of the human brain.

There also is some real evidence that Saul/later known as St. Paul had epilepsy and that his visions of Jesus Christ were really neurological aspects of what was called TLE (Temporal Lobe Epilepsy) a few years ago; today it might be called Complex Partial Seizures/whatever/due to new terminology for the many epilepsies.

Apparently one aspect of some persons with autism is, unfortunately, an impairment of the ability to imagine normally.
If that is coupled with something like CAPD (Central Auditory Processing Disorder) , etc., that may mean that hearing the Gospel and understanding it can be impaired.

Regarding what causes autism/what doesn't, autism exists.

Why God would create or allow a condition such as autism to exist has no answer (my view).

Why did God allow Adolf Hitler during WWII to murder millions of Jews and attempt to wipe out democracy from the face of the earth?

No answers (= my preliminary view).

Great question.

Answer 3

As the mother of a high-functioning child on the spectrum, perhaps my perspective is different--not necessarily better, just different. My son is young, so his personality and beliefs are still being shaped. I have met people on the spectrum who were deeply faithful people, but rejected some of what could be called the "man-made scaffolding" of religion that surrounds spiritual beliefs. I actually have one book that's just about the unique spiritual life of people on the spectrum. But for many of them, so much of what we consider normal life (neurotypical is a better word than normal) is a complete mystery, not just faith. It's all they can do to figure out facial expressions, turns of phrase, metaphor, etc.--they are incredibly literal minded. They know there is no white-bearded man floating in the clouds, but that's how God is portrayed, so how could God make sense? This just scratches the surface of the subject (another metaphor my son would not grasp). But I'd like to add, they can be incredible people with amazing abilities (and I'm not talking just about RainMan type savants) and when they do have spiritual insights, they can be of the kind that neurotypicals would probably never come up with.

Thank you for asking. I hope people on the autism spectrum contribute their views.

Answer 4

all children are worth love, cherish, and attention. their response is neither needed or a reward for your attention. In their way they have communicated, a concept, and if religion, is considered mans highest esteem, then children are not expected to understand.
Autism, is a world unto itself, and the people afflicted doe not always display their understanding, nor should it be doubted that they do not.
Statistics is a science to search for a meaning to a question that is blind to the individual, if you want to understand, spend some time with the subjects.
I found volunteering for the special Olympics very rewarding, and educational.
After all, we don't judge the dog because he doesn't go to church, we just love him for what he is.

Answer 5

Autism isn't genetic as far as I know, and having an autistic son, i know a lot about autism. If you have evidence of the origins of Autism, perhaps we should nominate you for a Nobel prize??


I'd much rather find out why my kid has communicative problems, AND how to help him get over them, than to find out why he doesn't believe in God.

Answer 6

Everyone is part of Gods plan! He loves all His children! There is also a age of responsibility when a child is old enough to understand God and what Jesus did for us. I do not believe that God would punish an infant or small child any more than He would someone who could not mentally understand.
Oh and by the way. Autism is not apparent at birth! You can not look at a new born and say"oh my he has autism" They do not test for it till after the age of 2 or older.
Please get your facts straight before you ask questions.
God Bless

Answer 7

Do you have any sources for that assumption???Although I'm against the tribalism of organized religion--I have been impressed about the devotion of many people with Aspergers Syndrome --a mild form of autism--& been amazed by the positive effect it has had in their lives.

Answer 8

Autism has been linked to the presence of a bacterial infection in the mother during pregnancy. Medical fact,
If an autistic persons mind locks onto a god figure, it will stay for life.
Autistic people have a very tunnelled thinking and can only handle one topic at a time. That topic is the one they want not one from outside.
Hence they talk tractors to you and you try to talk god to them, they will still only talk tractors to you. You wont manage to change the conversation.

Phd psyc.

Answer 9

Good question.
And good point. I have never heard of this kinda trait in these people.
Another question would be:
Why does God allow ANYBODY to get sick with ANY disease, unless they are bad people in store of bad karma?
Otherwise, why good people?
Makes no sense.

And the High-functioning Autistic people are prolly aware of their status as such (being Autistic). Perhaps that's a reason why they don't believe very well, I assume.

Answer 10

Autism and its related disorders are genetic and are present at birth???
I wonder what % of the medical community believe that???