"Curing Autism", this bothers me

[Au Naturel]

Well, a disease doesn't have to be leprosy. It can be common cold. So yes, common cold is still bad, but it won't make you a pariah.

So maybe with autism the problem is really the history, that historically its been viewed more like leprosy than common cold, at least they were treated that way. Which means that maybe just convince people to view it as common cold and, once you succeed at it, go ahead and call it a disease.

But then again, what about not being able to play piano? Is it a disease? If not, then why would not being able to socialize be a disease?

I guess disease vs non-disease is all relative and there isn't black or white ways of drawing the line. Which would have been fine if it wasn't for the social implications. So deal with social implications by convincing NT-s to be more accepting of it (however you choose to call it), and the rest would become moot.

If it were just a matter of not playing the piano, nobody would care. Piano playing is relatively unimportant in this world. Social skills are absolutely central to life. Oversensitivity to stimuli doesn't help. Neither do any of the other traits that cohabitate under the autism label. Or the depression/anxiety/anger that goes with it.

Autism isn't a disease. It is a disability. There are things you cannot seem to do or understand or be cope with with that most people can. That's what a disability is.

You look and sound and act like anyone else but the truth is you have an invisible disability. Probably don't even see it yourself. Because it is invisible, people just assume you are being strange/lazy/obnoxious and don't try to help or understand.

If only you'd just...

Even if a medical person tells you you're autistic and you try to relay this new discovery, it just confirms how crazy you are. You're just choosing to not be normal because you're weird/lazy and now you're making up an excuse.

That is my autistic experience.

 

[Forest Cat]

If I were "me" and didn't have autism, the odds are I'd be an ordinary person. Ordinary people are not asses.

No, I didn't mean that people are asses. I meant that if I didn't have ASD I would be a different person. And no one knows what that person would be like.

 

[GypsyMoth]

A couple years ago I did meet one Christian lady here who I had a conversation with, and ask me if I wanted to be cured of Autism? I think you probably know my answer...

Earlier I commented on the other part of the OP. Now I’d like to answer this as well. I like who I am & I know myself a lot better than I know about autism. If someone were to ask me—and the question has already been raised to me not as a question but as the only ‘solution’—if I wanted to be cured of autism, my answer is “absolutely not.”

I am finding that my new job is addressing for me ‘what it means to be autistic’ on so many, fundamental levels that I feel like it is opening the door to an entirely new way of being with people. In a recent conversation with my supervisor, I mentioned that I am likely autistic and she said “I know.” She too has an autism profile (I suspected) and recognized it in me. That makes my nearest 7 co-workers all either have AS profiles or have close family who are, and another coworker is openly ND with ADHD. Actually, they’re all quite open about it. I cannot believe any of them would want to be ‘cured’. They are all exceptionally talented people who love their jobs and daily their jobs pour a huge amount of good into our community.

I am most grateful to have found myself working alongside them. It is the most positive, most collaborative work environment I have ever been in.

 

[Kalinychta]

Just because some people MISUSE religion in this way, doesn't mean that that is all religion is about. If you read the Gospels, you will see that the bulk of the argument between Jesus and the Pharesees was all about the way Jesus claimed how Pharesees misused religion. In Jesus' words, Pharesees "used as doctrines the commandments of men" (Mark 7:7,8). Today's religions people are the same way.

However, that is not to say that God is okay with gays and stuff like that. Because when it comes to things like homosexuality then Bible condemns it. However, you will not find the Bible ever condemning autism. So just because both gays and autistics are minorities, and Bible is against gays you can't just automatically decide that Bible is against autistics too. Its not! In fact, Jesus spent much of his time DEFENDING the ostracized, which would include autistics.

As far as Christians, yes I saw Christians that have bad attitude towards autism. But Christians do not represent Christianity as a whole. It is always important to go back to the Bible and see whether Bible actually backs up what Christians you are talking to believe.

With this prelude, I had some bad experiences with Christians. In particular, I remember Christians saying autism is demonic and autistics need deliverance. But, what I realized later, is that this whole deliverance business is part of Pentacostal/Charismatic movement. Those particular Christians didn't identify themselves as such, but it is common practice to purposely skip the name of your denomination in order not to lose authority in case your audience doesn't like that denomination. But from what I learned later, they were almost certain Pentacostal/Charismatic. I wouldn't find Baptist talking about deliverance and stuff. If only I knew it back then, I wouldn't have taken it so personally.

I don't know much about Orthodox Christianity as I only came to believe in Jesus when I was in US, so the Christianity I was focused on was various branches of Protestantism. But my advice would be: try to find out whether what you are dealing with is specific to Orthodoxy. Don't dismiss the whole Christianity just because you don't like certain denominations. Find the denominations where you fit in better.

I’ve read the Bible. As mythology, it’s unremarkable. As a religious and moral treatise, it’s terrifying. I’ve definitely met enough Christians to make me, nowadays, terrified of them, as opposed to merely annoyed with them, as I was before recent events. As a woman, and an autistic woman, I see Christianity as a hate group. So, it absolutely doesn’t surprise me, and is by no means outside of my personal experience, to hear that Christians believe a cure for autism is an order. But I mean, it’s not like that’s anything new.

 

[Sherlock77]

I’ve read the Bible. As mythology, it’s unremarkable. As a religious and moral treatise, it’s terrifying. I’ve definitely met enough Christians to make me, nowadays, terrified of them, as opposed to merely annoyed with them, as I was before recent events. As a woman, and an autistic woman, I see Christianity as a hate group. So, it absolutely doesn’t surprise me, and is by no means outside of my personal experience, to hear that Christians believe a cure for autism is an order. But I mean, it’s not like that’s anything new.

I hear you, but please don't lump all Christians together, certain elements do resemble what you're saying, but I would say that most do not think as extreme as that... My church certainly doesn't

 

[Polchinski]

I’ve read the Bible.

and

So, it absolutely doesn’t surprise me, and is by no means outside of my personal experience, to hear that Christians believe a cure for autism is an order.

So can you show me the exact passages of the Bible that would support the idea of cure for autism?

I think the Christians that support the cure, and yourself, make the same mistake. Namely, the assumption that the Bible promotes something when it doesn't.

 

[Rachie]

If some autistic's have wanted their autism cured and if they are like level 3 and are not verbal then I am not going to say anything about that, just as long as things are done respectfully. I though believe that God created them and knows how to communicate with them. If they became verbal, this opens up for them to serve their faith more in the church. I have seen this with some videos that are on Youtube.

I have autism and score 2 in the Communication and Social ones, hypersensitivity as well so am moderate in those areas. There are some 1's as well. I wonder if those who have said they have been cured still have a moderate degree of Autism residual. Me myself I don't pray for a cure, I have been prayed for though for management and I think it helped me to manage with being overwhelmed.

For me as well, I was given a Spiritual gift despite having Autism at 17 and an eating disorder and it has walked with me through my life and at one point was serving my faith with it in Church. Well, it obvious God didn't chose to heal my Autism but use it. To read how it all came about there is a link in my signature to my blog.

 

[Crossbreed]

Hello & welcome.

I wonder if those who have said they have been cured still have a moderate degree of Autism residual.

I believe that ASD1 is the cured/healthy form of autism. It is the severe co-morbid conditions --not the autism itself-- that creates the main troubles for 2s & 3s.

Autism Subtypes...

The common feature of all autism is that we are dys social (not anti -social); that is, we are social klutzes who still desire to connect w...

autlanders.blogspot.com

 

[Captain Jigglypuff]

I find the idea of “curing autism” to be both insulting and extremely ableist. First of all, I literally have no idea what it’s like to not have autism. Sure I was diagnosed when I was 19 but the symptoms were always there. I never had a moment in my life where I didn’t have autistic traits. Second, by wanting a cure, you’re basically telling me that I’m not good enough to be who I am naturally and that I must change a core aspect of my life. There is nothing wrong with my life and I’ve learned to adapt to life having autism. I am not sick and dying and I’m not contagious. I hate the idea that people think that you can “cure” autism. Why is it okay to treat autism like it’s some dangerous thing that needs to be eradicated but if you do the same thing to any other disability like diabetes or paralysis, people chew you out for being ableist and not being a good person? A disability is still a disability no matter what it is and all forms of ableism is wrong.

 

[Crossbreed]

There is broken and there is different.

• Autism (as well as giftedness & left-handedness) are "different."
• Severe co-morbids (with or without autism) are "broken."

The latter is a type of TBI. While such are deserving of love & respect, it will never meet the medical definition of "healthy."

 

[Au Naturel]

I am firmly in the ASD 1 category. If I could "cure" my autism and it was something within my means to do so, I'd do it in a heartbeat. I'd happily erase 40 points of IQ to be rid of it. Autism has given me nothing but rejection and exclusion my entire life. There is no benefit to it.

I am where I am despite autism.

 

[Rachie]

Hello & welcome.

I believe that ASD1 is the cured/healthy form of autism. It is the severe co-morbid conditions --not the autism itself-- that creates the main troubles for 2s & 3s.

Autism Subtypes...

The common feature of all autism is that we are dys social (not anti -social); that is, we are social klutzes who still desire to connect w...

autlanders.blogspot.com

Thank you. This is one of the videos I have seen. I went into watch it again today and they do indeed seem to have some residual Autism. They have talked about hand gestures in later life.