Discussion:
Newspaper article - are autistic people unable to believe in God?
(too old to reply)
d***@fsmail.net
2012-05-31 18:46:26 UTC
Permalink
This is quite interesting:

http://www.dailymail.co.uk/sciencetech/article-2152585/Are-autistic-people-unable-believe-God-Ability-think-inside-peoples-heads-key-religious-feelings.html

To the extent it is true, I think it would just mean that someone autistic is less likely to believe in a God as a sort of person, as some people do. I am not sure what I believe, but my concept of God is not of a single person. That said, I appreciate I cannot know.

Dolphinius
(Male, age 40 +/- a few months, UK, self-diagnosed AS)
Catriona R
2012-06-01 07:57:38 UTC
Permalink
Post by d***@fsmail.net
http://www.dailymail.co.uk/sciencetech/article-2152585/Are-autistic-people-unable-believe-God-Ability-think-inside-peoples-heads-key-religious-feelings.html
To the extent it is true, I think it would just mean that someone autistic is less likely to believe in a God as a sort of person, as some people do. I am not sure what I believe, but my concept of God is not of a single person. That said, I appreciate I cannot know.
Interesting idea. I don't believe in any god(s), but I don't think
it's that I can't understand what another person may be thinking (I
don't always find that easy, but I don't believe I'm fully impaired in
that way, since I can often get a fair idea). More that I consider it
utterly illogical to believe in a being for which there is no
evidence, other than that which is claimed (and produced) by the
believers in said being. So with me it's a simple case of a logical
mind being the cause of my disbelief.
d***@fsmail.net
2012-06-01 19:51:47 UTC
Permalink
Post by Catriona R
Interesting idea. I don't believe in any god(s), but I don't think
it's that I can't understand what another person may be thinking (I
don't always find that easy, but I don't believe I'm fully impaired in
that way, since I can often get a fair idea). More that I consider it
utterly illogical to believe in a being for which there is no
evidence, other than that which is claimed (and produced) by the
believers in said being. So with me it's a simple case of a logical
mind being the cause of my disbelief.
Logically, one might argue:

1. How can we exist if there is not God to create us?
2. However, if God created us then who created God? So something must have created God.
3. By iteration there is no solution to explain creation because each creator must have been created by something else.
4. Hence the concept of God in creation does not exist because there is no closed solution.

However, what if God created the rules of logic that we are subject to and which prevent us understanding?

Dolphinius
(Male, age 40 +/- a few months, UK, self-diagnosed AS)
Catriona R
2012-06-01 21:29:42 UTC
Permalink
Post by d***@fsmail.net
Post by Catriona R
Interesting idea. I don't believe in any god(s), but I don't think
it's that I can't understand what another person may be thinking (I
don't always find that easy, but I don't believe I'm fully impaired in
that way, since I can often get a fair idea). More that I consider it
utterly illogical to believe in a being for which there is no
evidence, other than that which is claimed (and produced) by the
believers in said being. So with me it's a simple case of a logical
mind being the cause of my disbelief.
1. How can we exist if there is not God to create us?
We don't know yet, but whether a god theory is any more viable than
any other theory is very debatable. There's no more evidence for a god
than for anything else, it's just some people seem to like the idea of
a big man in the sky looking down on them, perhaps that's easier to
relate to than the concept of not actually knowing. Personally I'm
comfortable with admitting: "I don't know" :-)
Post by d***@fsmail.net
2. However, if God created us then who created God? So something must have created God.
3. By iteration there is no solution to explain creation because each creator must have been created by something else.
4. Hence the concept of God in creation does not exist because there is no closed solution.
Agreed there. I don't think it's fully possible to understand our and
the world's origins, simply because we can't really conceive infinity
- there's always the question of, well, what was there before? How did
whatever created/became the world, come to exist? Be it god, big
bangs, or any other ideas, everything has the same holes. I just don't
believe deities are more likely to be the answer than anything else.
Post by d***@fsmail.net
However, what if God created the rules of logic that we are subject to and which prevent us understanding?
Another good question. But it seems a tad illogical to me for a god to
prevent us understanding, give no concrete signs of his/her existence,
and yet expect us to believe in him/her, go through all kinds of
rituals (of which every splinter group insists *their* version is the
right one and everyone else is wrong), all on the say-so of a bunch of
people who believe in him/her.

I remember being aged about eight, reading a book of greek myths, and
asking: "Why are these only myths and legends, when the Bible is 'the
truth', yet they seem very similar to me?". I'm still to find a good
answer to that one... since they're all based on much the same stories
and traditions, it just so happens the Christian stories won the
popularity contest (or were enforced on people, as in, "go to church
or be executed"). I find the various tales quite interesting,
actually, but none strike me as likely to be more than just stories,
invented in days of zero scientific knowledge, to explain or at least
give names to various natural phenomena which weren't then understood.
Kind of like how people once believed the world was flat.
Zeke Zebedee
2012-08-26 01:28:20 UTC
Permalink
Well as me old pal the Bishop (not the bank) says, if God stops believing in
you well you are well and truly f***ed.

Eke it's Zeke from where the tall trees grow.
Post by Catriona R
Post by d***@fsmail.net
Post by Catriona R
Interesting idea. I don't believe in any god(s), but I don't think
it's that I can't understand what another person may be thinking (I
don't always find that easy, but I don't believe I'm fully impaired in
that way, since I can often get a fair idea). More that I consider it
utterly illogical to believe in a being for which there is no
evidence, other than that which is claimed (and produced) by the
believers in said being. So with me it's a simple case of a logical
mind being the cause of my disbelief.
1. How can we exist if there is not God to create us?
We don't know yet, but whether a god theory is any more viable than
any other theory is very debatable. There's no more evidence for a god
than for anything else, it's just some people seem to like the idea of
a big man in the sky looking down on them, perhaps that's easier to
relate to than the concept of not actually knowing. Personally I'm
comfortable with admitting: "I don't know" :-)
Post by d***@fsmail.net
2. However, if God created us then who created God? So something must have created God.
3. By iteration there is no solution to explain creation because each
creator must have been created by something else.
4. Hence the concept of God in creation does not exist because there is no closed solution.
Agreed there. I don't think it's fully possible to understand our and
the world's origins, simply because we can't really conceive infinity
- there's always the question of, well, what was there before? How did
whatever created/became the world, come to exist? Be it god, big
bangs, or any other ideas, everything has the same holes. I just don't
believe deities are more likely to be the answer than anything else.
Post by d***@fsmail.net
However, what if God created the rules of logic that we are subject to and
which prevent us understanding?
Another good question. But it seems a tad illogical to me for a god to
prevent us understanding, give no concrete signs of his/her existence,
and yet expect us to believe in him/her, go through all kinds of
rituals (of which every splinter group insists *their* version is the
right one and everyone else is wrong), all on the say-so of a bunch of
people who believe in him/her.
I remember being aged about eight, reading a book of greek myths, and
asking: "Why are these only myths and legends, when the Bible is 'the
truth', yet they seem very similar to me?". I'm still to find a good
answer to that one... since they're all based on much the same stories
and traditions, it just so happens the Christian stories won the
popularity contest (or were enforced on people, as in, "go to church
or be executed"). I find the various tales quite interesting,
actually, but none strike me as likely to be more than just stories,
invented in days of zero scientific knowledge, to explain or at least
give names to various natural phenomena which weren't then understood.
Kind of like how people once believed the world was flat.
Zeke Zebedee
2012-06-08 21:01:36 UTC
Permalink
I find it easier to believe in God than to believe in newspaper articles.

Eke it is Zeke, wondering if those dry bones can live.

<***@fsmail.net> wrote in message news:14e1fd5a-e1ff-4bd5-9273-***@googlegroups.com...
This is quite interesting:

http://www.dailymail.co.uk/sciencetech/article-2152585/Are-autistic-people-unable-believe-God-Ability-think-inside-peoples-heads-key-religious-feelings.html

To the extent it is true, I think it would just mean that someone autistic
is less likely to believe in a God as a sort of person, as some people do. I
am not sure what I believe, but my concept of God is not of a single person.
That said, I appreciate I cannot know.

Dolphinius
(Male, age 40 +/- a few months, UK, self-diagnosed AS)
Lars Kecke
2012-06-12 10:44:20 UTC
Permalink
Post by d***@fsmail.net
http://www.dailymail.co.uk/sciencetech/article-2152585/Are-autistic-people-unable-believe-God-Ability-think-inside-peoples-heads-key-religious-feelings.html
To the extent it is true, I think it would just mean that someone
autistic is less likely to believe in a God as a sort of person, as
some people do.
funny that the writers of this article seem to think that belief a
personalized God is somehow "better" than belief into some Spinoza-type
God-is-nature. I wouldn't call myself an unbeliever, but I would think
that those who do need a God with beard, hair and human emotions come
dangerously close to making graven images.

Lars
Kerry
2012-06-16 13:35:31 UTC
Permalink
Post by d***@fsmail.net
http://www.dailymail.co.uk/sciencetech/article-2152585/Are-autistic-people-unable-believe-God-Ability-think-inside-peoples-heads-key-religious-feelings.html
To the extent it is true, I think it would just mean that someone autistic is less likely to believe in a God as a sort of person, as some people do. I am not sure what I believe, but my concept of God is not of a single person. That said, I appreciate I cannot know.
Dolphinius
(Male, age 40 +/- a few months, UK, self-diagnosed AS)
It is interesting, I have quite a struggle with organized religion and I never have thought of god as a person...more of an energy thing.
Buzzard
2012-08-05 04:20:53 UTC
Permalink
Atheist here.
Evidence and logic (to me at least) indicate evolution, not god.

Big motivation for belief appears to be pure emotion.
Need for security, even if false security. Fear of Hell.

Excuse grammar, migraine in progress at moment.

Wish Eternal September carried this NG, googlegroups is awkward.
Legal Alien
2012-08-05 21:27:44 UTC
Permalink
Post by Buzzard
Atheist here.
Evidence and logic (to me at least) indicate evolution, not god.
Big motivation for belief appears to be pure emotion.
Need for security, even if false security. Fear of Hell.
Excuse grammar, migraine in progress at moment.
Wish Eternal September carried this NG, googlegroups is awkward.
Believing is fine as long you`r respectful to others ,...

How many Gods / religions are there anyway ?

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Deprogramming ;-)
Passer-by
2012-08-05 22:40:02 UTC
Permalink
Post by Buzzard
Wish Eternal September carried this NG, googlegroups is awkward.
Eternal September DOES carry this NG. Posting this message through it.
Buzzard
2012-08-26 04:53:40 UTC
Permalink
Post by Passer-by
Post by Buzzard
Wish Eternal September carried this NG, googlegroups is awkward.
Eternal September DOES carry this NG. Posting this message through it.
There it is.
I had typed a partial name into the search box,
it didn't find it.
Scrolled down the list anyway, its there.
_.-Mozilla Thunderbird-._
--
buzzard
l***@aol.com
2012-09-14 19:59:58 UTC
Permalink
Thought I'd post this link.

http://lorisealy.blogspot.com/2012/09/communicating-with-carly-about-autism.html
Loading...