Literalism and Autism

[factseeker]

Atheists often ask how do I determine whats literal and non-literal in the Bible.

I point out thats, easy, by treating the Bible as I would any other text, or figure of speech, or everyday language, and determine whether it was meant to be taken literal or non-literal (sarcastically, hyperbolically, metaphorically, etc...). We do based on a variety of contextual cues.  I manage doing this pretty well, without anyway having to telling me that they were being sarcastic, etc.... I was under the impression that most people do so as well. 

But people still seem confused, as if they have trouble in everyday language as well.  As if, many people here struggle in ways similar to how people on the autistic spectrum struggle. The tendency among folks on the spectrum, is that they're inclined to read things very literally, and struggle to understand non-literal expressions. So if you tell an autistic child to step on it, to get them moving faster, they'll possibly ask you what should they step on? 

You have to make all sorts of accommodations to ensure your child on the spectrum understands what you're saying, and avoid non-literal expressions as much as possible. 


There seems to be some parallel between that and the issue with recognizing non-literalism in religious text. And I can't tell if that's because many people here are on the spectrum, if something akin to the sort of tendency of people on the spectrum, has been repeated by a person's environmental factors. Or if they're just pulling my leg, when they act is if they struggle with such distinctions.  

Qs:

Do you struggle with deciphering literal and non-literal expressions in everyday language and elsewhere, and therefore struggle with doing so when reading the Bible? 

Is everywhere else just fine, just when it comes to the Bible, and religious texts that you struggle with making such distinctions? 



I agree that certain parts of the bible can be very confusing, not knowing whether text must be taken literally or figuratively.





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