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I was going to be quiet, but then I just skimmed this article on ASD in church, and I found that Orthodoxy kind of checks off all of the boxes there. https://www.thegospelcoalition.org/article/church-autism-spectrum-disorder/ (1)
Coming from a Charismatic background, Orthodoxy actually makes a lot more sense. Charismatic worship leaders want you to 'press in'. Press in? What? When do I know that I am 'pressing in' hard enough? How do I do it? If I scrunch my face up harder, will God like me more? (2)
In an Orthodox service, I can hear clearly what's going on. My ears aren't ringing from the loud rock music I just heard, so I don't have to let them recover before I can hear the homily. (3)
There's no sensory overload. I got used to the sensory overload from years of Charismatic worship (usually by closing my eyes). There's cantoring, and there are bells, and there's a homily. Orthodox churches are not noisy. (4)
I'm puzzled as how exchanging the peace will work after PlagueWorld, but that's actually kind of a relief to me. I'm really not sure how that works in the Greek Orthodox church yet. But since I don't like being touched by unfamiliar people, or smalltalk, that's OK with me :D (5)
Liturgy is worlds more simple than 'worship' in Charismatic nondenominational churches. I don't have to try to engage my emotions just right (am I doing it right? or is this it?), or feel this urgent sense of trying to accomplish something invisible and spiritual. (6)
That was a comfort in the Anglican church. There, I knew what to do: stand, sit, kneel, cross myself, Creed, no problem. But in Orthodoxy, I don't have to defend my heart against dodgy Protestant doctrine. (7)
The worst thing about waking up from 30 years of Protestantism is realizing all of the times I must have said 'amen' to prayers, sermons, or teaching that were filled with outright heresy. (8)
I read yesterday that formally renouncing heresies is part of chrismation. I can't tell you how much of a relief it will be to finally, verbally, renounce all the Solas, once and for all. (9)
One article I read stated that in Orthodoxy you don't have to spend all your time 'guarding your heart' and 'searching the Scriptures'--you can let your guard down a little. If I hear something in Orthodoxy that I disagree with, my viewpoint is wrong. Period. (10)
In reading the saints and elders, I feel this profound sense of safety. There's not this weird sense I always got in Protestant circles that I always had to be on guard. And nobody is hiding anything. If something doesn't make sense, I can look it up, or ask someone. (11)
