Found this interesting article from the Telegraph: Professor Richard Lynn, emeritus professor of psychology at Ulster University, said many more members of the "intellectual elite" considered themselves atheists than the national average. A decline in religious observance over the last century was directly linked to a rise in average intelligence, he claimed. But the conclusions - in a paper for the academic journal Intelligence - have been branded "simplistic" by critics. Professor Lynn, who has provoked controversy in the past with research linking intelligence to race and sex, said university academics were less likely to believe in God than almost anyone else. A survey of Royal Society fellows found that only 3.3 per cent believed in God - at a time when 68.5 per cent of the general UK population described themselves as believers. A separate poll in the 90s found only seven per cent of members of the American National Academy of Sciences believed in God. Professor Lynn said most primary school children believed in God, but as they entered adolescence - and their intelligence increased - many started to have doubts. He told Times Higher Education magazine: "Why should fewer academics believe in God than the general population? I believe it is simply a matter of the IQ. Academics have higher IQs than the general population. Several Gallup poll studies of the general population have shown that those with higher IQs tend not to believe in God." He said religious belief had declined across 137 developed nations in the 20th century at the same time as people became more intelligent. But Professor Gordon Lynch, director of the Centre for Religion and Contemporary Society at Birkbeck College, London, said it failed to take account of a complex range of social, economic and historical factors. "Linking religious belief and intelligence in this way could reflect a dangerous trend, developing a simplistic characterisation of religion as primitive, which - while we are trying to deal with very complex issues of religious and cultural pluralism - is perhaps not the most helpful response," he said. Dr Alistair McFadyen, senior lecturer in Christian theology at Leeds University, said the conclusion had "a slight tinge of Western cultural imperialism as well as an anti-religious sentiment". Dr David Hardman, principal lecturer in learning development at London Metropolitan University, said: "It is very difficult to conduct true experiments that would explicate a causal relationship between IQ and religious belief. Nonetheless, there is evidence from other domains that higher levels of intelligence are associated with a greater ability - or perhaps willingness - to question and overturn strongly felt institutions."
If so called "Atheists" think that religious people are stupid, then it's just a confirmation that they are arrogant.
I would agree with the statement that MOST atheists are arrogant, however I'm not sure if their perceived arrogance is any different or more or less intense than any other person hawking a religion. Thoughts?
I didnt say that religious people are arrogant, i am saying that both atheists and believers alike share the same level of confidence (and therefore arrogance) in their particular belief!
I firmly believe that within the next 100 years any form of Religion will be completely disproven, although it's arguably almost there now.
PokerVillian, i wish i could share that optimism. I personally think it will take closer to 200-500 years. For that to happen, even will all the evidence in the world, people will cling to religion as a means to keep the masses controlled, in the dark and complacent. My 2c
Yeah, that's why Atheists are still a tiny minority. Keep dreaming. EDIT: Atheists have no confidence whatsoever since it's impossible for them to travel to the edge of the universe and see what's there. They don't have a belief that "God does not exist". As for religious people, they all in believe in the Creator, and they are not arrogant for doing so, because there is too much evidence that makes it natural for man to believe in the Creator. Now here comes the controversial part: While they all believe in the Creator, not all of them worship Him. Only Muslims worship the Creator. The rest of the religious folk are confused and worshipping what we call "false Gods"..like Jesus, who was just a Prophet, but some foolish people starting worshipping him. It was narrated from ‘Abd-Allaah ibn Mas’ood that the Prophet (peace and blessings of Allaah be upon him) said: “No one who has an atom’s-weight of arrogance in his heart will enter Paradise.†A man said, “O Messenger of Allaah, what if a man likes his clothes and his shoes to look good?†He said, “Allaah is Beautiful and loves beauty. Arrogance means rejecting the truth and looking down on people.†Narrated by Muslim, 91. So beware of arrogance my dear Atheists.
Even if i have to agree with this OP wich prooved it's intelligence on other threads Yea ussualy RELIGIOUS People are kind of dumb ... and you can't discuss with them with no logical statments they know better ...
I'm sure Ricky Gervais sums this topic up pretty comprehensively on several occasions, I'll try and pull an interview or two of his when I have more time. It's certainly no coincidence that the overwhelming majority of scientists (higher educated, higher IQ) are athiests, that speaks volumes.
I probably wouldn't argue the study that higher IQ's appear to be related to lower religiosity. But, just to play devil's advocate, the religious could argue that higher IQ's have also been linked to having a lower level of common sense. What I personally believe, is your inclination to be religious or not, probably has many factors.
So long as a relevant statistic won't indicate that atheism = higher IQ this type of threads are just a free insult towards the religious . Well i guess that a religion that says it's based on science will have a high number of people frustrated with their religion - therefore the fervent need to try to prove that they are superior . Scientific research today is has areas where the best research philosophy is "question everything" . To guide your life by "question everything" means to put yourself in constant stress weather you are wright or not , anyway this is another matter .
The reason why most of the atheists are logical than most of religious people is because they are more open minded than majority of religious people. Wait, it does not mean religious people are stupid or anything ( I am religious myslef ) but that presenty most of the religious people become dumb because they percieve and practice god wrongly and some logical people among them find them stupid so they become atheists. Btw , there are only 2 kinds of people , one who intensify the meaning of god and other who supress it. Not believing in god is self deception. And i don't think if god does not exist then emotions can exist.
And what was the crucification in year 0....? Atheism is not the issue, the discriminatory use of intelligence is so old and reused for any and all dilatory purposes it is undoubtedly the keystone to mortality that the Atheist are more than welcome to owning. The issue is "Purity" as a goal without evil - accomplished with or without a Deities existence and the ensuing life that will follow.
Really? Atheists immediately say "nutjob" "idiot" "moron" "flying spagetti monster" when you talk to them..how is that open minded. They love to put their fingers in their ears and say "lalalala I can't hear you."
Althou a lot of the militant atheists are asses most atheist are normal decent people that accept me for who I am and even go the extra mile and greet me according to my religion . They are open minded and respectful towards me and I do the same for them . Do not mistake the few insecure morons for the atheist majority that would be a grave mistake .
Really? You mean you got something to say? Please do, I begged you to enlighten me since our first conversation. Save My Soul!