From Cyber Wars to Faith: An Autistic Journey Through Deconstruction and Reconversion

In this deeply personal and intellectually rich conversation, Christian Baxter welcomes Jon from the Christianity on the Spectrum Podcast for an extraordinary exploration of neurodiversity, faith, and personal transformation. Drawing from his unique background as an autistic cyber warfare veteran, computer engineer, and researcher, Jon unpacks his remarkable journey from conservative Evangelical Christianity through new atheism and back to faith - this time finding resonance in high church Anglican traditions.

Jon shares candidly about his decade-long research into how autistic individuals experience Christianity, interviewing over 450 Christian and ex-Christian autistic individuals. The conversation weaves through complex territories of autism, religious scholarship, and spiritual experience, offering profound insights into the challenges of social communication, the phenomenon of "high church drift," and the unique ways neurodivergent individuals navigate religious communities. With remarkable depth and nuance, Jon discusses his methodical approach to understanding faith through data collection, personal reflection, and a commitment to creating representation and understanding for autistic people in spiritual spaces.

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📍 Timestamps:

00:00 - Introduction and Background

02:30 - Growing Up on a Farm in Saskatchewan

04:45 - Discovering Autism and Early Experiences

10:00 - Military and Cybersecurity Background

20:15 - Deconversion and Academic Religious Study

30:40 - Research into Autism and Christianity

45:20 - Reconversion and Spiritual Exploration

52:10 - High Church Drift and Liturgical Experiences

01:05:30 - Navigating Trans and Gender Issues in Autism

01:19:00 - Research Methodology and Podcast Insights

01:25:40 - Interactions with Pastors and Church Leaders

01:30:15 - Relational Ontology and Autism

01:35:50 - Future Projects and Community Building

🔍 Key Topics:

Autism spectrum experiences

Religious deconstruction and reconstruction

Neurodiversity in faith communities

Cybersecurity and digital forensics

Christian theology and practice

Jon shares his unique journey from an Evangelical upbringing through atheism and back to Christianity, offering profound insights into how autistic individuals experience faith, community, and spiritual understanding.

🎧 About the Guest:

Jon is the creator of the Christianity on the Spectrum Podcast, a researcher who has conducted extensive interviews and data collection on autistic experiences within Christian communities.

🔗 Connect with Jon:

Christianity on the Spectrum Podcast

Youtube: https://www.youtube.com/@ChristianityOnTheSpectrum-k1y

Spotify: https://open.spotify.com/show/608sg9pTIvvKQj23kmdxIB?si=00d7e41c52e442be

X: https://x.com/ChristianityOn

#Autism #Christianity #Neurodiversity #FaithJourney