I probably don't need to tell you this, but what you see in the news isn't broadly representative. Far more people worship Taylor Swift than worship Trump, who, at the end of the day, is just another entertainer.
Please bear with me. Sometimes I derail or go around the merry-go-round a few times before I arrive at my destination, but I do eventually get there. I promise. I’m also a learning and development professional in the adult learning space, so I’m always looking for opportunities to learn and grow, and to provide those same opportunities to others. What’s the point of gaining knowledge if we selfishly hoard it?
Sometimes, I try to not post comments to things I watch or read online because I struggle with the fear or being judged or ridiculed. My decision late last year to start long a fearlessly authentic life as a late-discovered Autistic person (my word choices here are intentional, and neuro-affirming), has caused me to face that head on. How can one be authentic and never say anything?
Anyway (usually signifies I am sensing a derailment has occurred), I spent the first 55 years of my life believing my faith was simply one of the gifts I have been given. Exploring the authentic me has helped me realize that while I do possess the Gift of Faith, the fact that I am Autistic and the characteristics I possess as an Autist, have helped strengthen my faith through the years.
How? One of my strongest Autistic characteristics (again, intentional word choice) is that I see things as being right or wrong (black or white). There are no ‘gray (or grey, if you prefer) areas’ in my beautifully designed Autistic mind. This characteristic, therefore, is why I have never wavered on the subject of faith. Or on what I believe in. They are firmly affixed. No variations.
That’s not to say I haven’t wandered away from organized religion a time or two. Because, I have. I’m realizing that this also occurs, in my personal experience, because I am Autistic. If you’ve ever attended a Mormon/Latter-day Saint meeting, you’ll know how overwhelmingly social they are. At times, maybe even more often than not, they are more social than spiritual. I struggle with social events and the fact that they ARE social events. I have also spent the bulk of my lifetime studying human behavior in an attempt to fit into societal norms and expectations, so I know non-neurodivergents love their social events! But, it’s an exhausting, frustrating, overwhelming, anxiety-ridden, and even meltdown-inducing sensory experience for me and a lot of other neurodivergents.
Anyway (see?!), I could spend hours on this topic! But, I need to save what time is left in this day to rework the lyrics of Neon Trees’ “Everybody Talks” to work with “Everybody Worships.”
Making a practice of being open about your experience can't help but be valuable to other people. It's inspiring to see how you're using it to strengthen both your faith and your self-awareness. Especially within the a faith community where some personality types are bound to struggle to feel comfortable. Although I think that's sort of the nature of social institutions -- it's always going to be a mixed bag, and some people will always feel like outsiders.
Keep learning, keep sharing. It's the only way forward.
Have you read Yuval Noah Harari's stuff about Dataism? It's the Big New Thing, apparently.
I have not. Now I feel like I have to!
A lot of worship on display at the republican convention. Strong Life of Brian vibes.
A lot of worship on display everywhere! It's what we do.
Hmmm. The Trump worship at the convention was next level.
Usually not much worship for politicians.
In Australia, we don't do worship, especially not for politicians. It's so bizarre watching Americans.
I probably don't need to tell you this, but what you see in the news isn't broadly representative. Far more people worship Taylor Swift than worship Trump, who, at the end of the day, is just another entertainer.
Maybe so, however, Swift hasn't been president, and she's not on the ballot for November.
Please bear with me. Sometimes I derail or go around the merry-go-round a few times before I arrive at my destination, but I do eventually get there. I promise. I’m also a learning and development professional in the adult learning space, so I’m always looking for opportunities to learn and grow, and to provide those same opportunities to others. What’s the point of gaining knowledge if we selfishly hoard it?
Sometimes, I try to not post comments to things I watch or read online because I struggle with the fear or being judged or ridiculed. My decision late last year to start long a fearlessly authentic life as a late-discovered Autistic person (my word choices here are intentional, and neuro-affirming), has caused me to face that head on. How can one be authentic and never say anything?
Anyway (usually signifies I am sensing a derailment has occurred), I spent the first 55 years of my life believing my faith was simply one of the gifts I have been given. Exploring the authentic me has helped me realize that while I do possess the Gift of Faith, the fact that I am Autistic and the characteristics I possess as an Autist, have helped strengthen my faith through the years.
How? One of my strongest Autistic characteristics (again, intentional word choice) is that I see things as being right or wrong (black or white). There are no ‘gray (or grey, if you prefer) areas’ in my beautifully designed Autistic mind. This characteristic, therefore, is why I have never wavered on the subject of faith. Or on what I believe in. They are firmly affixed. No variations.
That’s not to say I haven’t wandered away from organized religion a time or two. Because, I have. I’m realizing that this also occurs, in my personal experience, because I am Autistic. If you’ve ever attended a Mormon/Latter-day Saint meeting, you’ll know how overwhelmingly social they are. At times, maybe even more often than not, they are more social than spiritual. I struggle with social events and the fact that they ARE social events. I have also spent the bulk of my lifetime studying human behavior in an attempt to fit into societal norms and expectations, so I know non-neurodivergents love their social events! But, it’s an exhausting, frustrating, overwhelming, anxiety-ridden, and even meltdown-inducing sensory experience for me and a lot of other neurodivergents.
Anyway (see?!), I could spend hours on this topic! But, I need to save what time is left in this day to rework the lyrics of Neon Trees’ “Everybody Talks” to work with “Everybody Worships.”
Thanks for sharing, Anna!
Making a practice of being open about your experience can't help but be valuable to other people. It's inspiring to see how you're using it to strengthen both your faith and your self-awareness. Especially within the a faith community where some personality types are bound to struggle to feel comfortable. Although I think that's sort of the nature of social institutions -- it's always going to be a mixed bag, and some people will always feel like outsiders.
Keep learning, keep sharing. It's the only way forward.
Ehhhh I don’t trust this one
Ha. Ha.