Atheism linked to autism? Study points to relationship between the two

quote:

People with 'mild' forms of autism are more likely to be atheists ... and more likely to shun organised religion in general.

The study, which looked at posts on autism forums, focused on people with high-functioning autism such as Asperger's.
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Autism quotient (AQ) scores among the surveyed adults are plotted against their declared religious beliefs - atheists are a clear majority

16% atheist in the neurotypical population, 26% atheist among those affected with the brain disorder, Aspergers Syndrome

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In the group of high-functionining autistic individuals, 26 per cent were atheists, compared to 16 per cent of 'neurotypical' individuals.
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The paper, 'investigates the proposal that individual differences in belief will reflect cognitive processing styles, with high functioning autism being an extreme style that will predispose towards nonbelief.'

http://www.dailymail.co.uk/sci...points-link-two.html

Can brain defects lead to atheism?

And you are an outright idiot if you believe in god or that bible bull****!

quote:

Originally posted by Victor Laszlo:
And you are an outright idiot if you believe in god or that bible bull****!

Really? Well I'm most certainly a Theist. I didn't realize that was such a problem for you. How can I help?

Maybe jesus can help?

 
I deal with adolescents with all forms of neurological disorders --including autism and Asperger's-- every day I work.

These kids have a hard time grasping the "concept" that they can't whip out their penis every time they want to feel good... or the "concept" that they have to get up in the middle of the night and pee in the toilet rather than their bed... or the "concept" that their peer's food isn't their's to grab and eat at will.

And you want them to assimilate the concept of God? Seriously...?

*CJ


NB: Zorro, the affliction is Asperger's, not Aspergers; named for an Austrian doctor.

*CJ, Zorro's trying to prove atheists are autistic.
Victor is helping him by example.

Even Victor thinks zorro is an idiot.

quote:

Asperger's-- every day I work.

These kids have a hard time grasping the "concept" that they can't whip out their penis every time they want to feel good... or the "concept" that they have to get up in the middle of the night and pee in the toilet rather than their bed... or the "concept" that their peer's food isn't their's to grab and eat at will.

Adult Asperger's struggle with that? Right...

quote:

Originally posted by Zorro:

quote:

Asperger's-- every day I work.

These kids have a hard time grasping the "concept" that they can't whip out their penis every time they want to feel good... or the "concept" that they have to get up in the middle of the night and pee in the toilet rather than their bed... or the "concept" that their peer's food isn't their's to grab and eat at will.

Adult Asperger's struggle with that? Right...

Gawd. You have NO IDEA what you're talking about.

Yes, adults w/ Asperger's -do- struggle with "that," each and every day. It's due to years and years of struggles to achieve a decent medication regime coupled with years and years of behavior therapies that allow these individuals to be somewhat socially acceptable (not masturbating in public, peeing in a toilet every time, and not grabbing someone else's food)... but there's no question that most adults w/ Asperger's are challenged daily to assimilate rudimentary concepts in order to be a part of society.

And you think these folks are concerned with an entity they can't see, touch, hear or "know"? That would be funny except it shows a huge gap in your education re: autism spectrum disorders (ASDs).

*CJ

quote:

autism spectrum disorders (ASDs).

Certainly ASD's would struggle with this, and while Aspergers is an ASD, I doubt very seriously that you deal with these issues routinely with Aspergers folks, but ASD's? I'm not surprised.

The study was on folks with the specific condition of Aspergers, not ASD's in general.

quote:

Originally posted by Zorro:

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autism spectrum disorders (ASDs).

Certainly ASD's would struggle with this, and while Aspergers is an ASD, I doubt very seriously that you deal with these issues routinely with Aspergers folks, but ASD's? I'm not surprised.

The study was on folks with the specific condition of Aspergers, not ASD's in general.

No, the study was NOT conducted on ONLY "folks with the specific condition of Aspergers (sic)."

Read your own source: "The study, which looked at posts on autism forums, focused on people with high-functioning autism such as Asperger's.

There are other ways to be classified as a high-functioning autistic w/out having Asperger's.

*CJ


NB: You're having a real issue w/ knowing where the apostrophe-s goes, and where it doesn't, aren'cha?

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high-functioning autistic

Pretty tough to get classed as "high functioning autistic" if you are masturbating in public and having toileting issues, don't you think?

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Originally posted by Zorro:

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high-functioning autistic

Pretty tough to get classed as "high functioning autistic" if you are masturbating in public and having toileting issues, don't you think?

You're REALLY outta your league knowledge-wise if your question was a serious one.

Autism is extremely well-defined and the diagnosis of autism is highly (like "unquestionably") valid... not so with Asperger's despite the fact that Asperger's has been in the DSM for more than a decade now.

All "higher functioning" means is an absence of mental retardation (i.e., an IQ above 70)... and yes, one can be a "higher functioning autistic" and still struggle with issues such as public masturbation and personal hygiene.

The issues I used as an example --public masturbation, toileting and grabbing other people's food-- are all "social interaction" issues. And one of the must-haves for an autism diagnosis, in any of its forms, is a qualitative impairment in social interaction... and both drugs and therapies can assist an autistic to focus on overcoming their social impairments.

You can't cure autism, per se, but you -can- teach a higher functioning autistic that public masturbation isn't socially appropriate. They'll likely never truly understand "why" it isn't appropriate, but you can teach them not to do it unless certain criteria --in your room or bathroom, when you're by yourself, not within 30 minutes of having to leave the house for school/job/visiting, not more than X times a day, etc.-- is met.

*CJ

Flash:

Science discovers link between blindness and inability to see.

Science discovers a link between religion and gullibility!

quote:

Originally posted by Victor Laszlo:
Science discovers a link between religion and gullibility!

Zorro, not Science.

 
Personal insult.
        "... ample evidence that he's an a s s h o l e.

*CJ

quote:

The study, from University of Boston, speculates that common autistic spectrum behaviours such as 'a preference for logical beliefs' and a distrust of metaphor and figures of speech, could be responsible

Read more: http://www.dailymail.co.uk/sci...o.html#ixzz1knWAYAFq

This finding is actually so I'm amazed someone did a study or at least got a grant for it but perhaps there are a lot of people in this world, like Zorro, who benefit from such findings...unfortunately it seems he didn't benefit at all. Obviously he thinks ASD can be neatly packaged.

I once thought that people with lower IQ's were more suggestible but I'm finding that's not necessarily true. It amazes me that intellectuals fall for so many conspiracy theories. I attribute that to their "overthinking" while their more limited right-wing cousins' paranoia is perhaps borne from precisely the opposite -- an inability to abstract at all.

Peachy

Hiya Peachy!

I don't think intellectuals fall for this sort of crap.
A Republican claim of intellect is invariably suspect.

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you -can- teach an [Aspergers] that public masturbation isn't socially appropriate. They'll likely never truly understand "why" it isn't appropriate

That is rediculous.

I won't put up with Jesus freaks!

"Older mothers are more likely than younger ones to have a child with autism, and older fathers significantly contribute to the risk of the disorder when their partners are under 30, researchers are reporting."
http://www.nytimes.com/2010/02...health/09autism.html

What's religion got to do with this?
LOTS of Mormon guys marry young girls.
I wonder what their religion-linked autism rate is?

Hi Peach!
Will be to work for a few days--lovely to see your sweet Georgia avatar, girlfren'.

quote:

LOTS of Mormon guys marry young girls.

Link?

quote:

Originally posted by Zorro:

quote:

you -can- teach an [Aspergers] a higher functioning autistic that public masturbation isn't socially appropriate. They'll likely never truly understand "why" it isn't appropriate

That is rediculous.

1. I'll presume you meant 'ridiculous...

2. Don't change what anyone says when you're quoting them.

3. The fact that you think you can use "an Aspergers" [sic... still wrong, Zorro... there's no such thing as 'Aspergers'... it's 'Asperger's'] interchangeably with "a higher functioning autistic " shows you haven't a clue as to what you're talking about.

Again. Still.

*CJ

Maybe the link is that those children with autism are a lot harder to brainwash than those who do not have autism? If you don't have the senses to learn about jesus, does that make you an atheist?