Am I a Christian autistic or an autistic Christian?

My blog has two main topics: Christianity and autism. I sometimes relate my autism to the Bible because my thinking is different. When I come up with ideas and connections or focus on something, my thoughts often differ from those of non-autistic people, especially when it comes to my passion for the Bible.

The title is important. It is correct to say someone is a person with autism; you are a person first. However, many autistic people, including myself, disagree. For us, autism means our brains work differently, influencing everything we think and do. I also have a physical disability, which is something I have, but autism is a part of who I am.

One of my interests is being united with God or Christ. This unity doesn’t remove my autism; it shapes it. My autism also doesn’t erase God’s presence in me; it influences it. I view it as a whole. The aim is to reconnect the pieces and become a complete human being.

Sin is what Christians call the things that distance us from God and from others, like sex, gender, race, class, and money. It also breaks us apart as individuals. God helps to restore us. My autism, disability, and faith in Christianity are all part of who I am. Bringing these aspects together is God’s gift and part of my redemption. I cannot define myself as just a Christian autistic, or an autistic Christian; they are all parts of me.