# religiosity or atheism and intelligence



## Artfuldodger (Jan 14, 2013)

Does education or intelligence follow one or the other? I was thinking about how people always lump scientist with Atheism. Can we put doctors and engineers in the same category? Would you as a Christian persuade your children not to become scientist because it could lead to Atheism?
would you as an Atheist worry if your child didn't get an education because they might start believing in God? Most Christians want there children to become Christians. Do Atheist want there children to become Atheist?
Sticking solely within Christianity, why is there a difference within education and the denominations? Most of the Holiness Baptist and Apolstolics come from uneducated backgrounds vs Lutherans so to speak. Are educated people looking for a more white washed religion? Preachers in big city Churches don't preach fire & brimstone like little country Churches. Is this related to education?
Are there any relations between religion, atheism, and education?


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## vowell462 (Jan 15, 2013)

Interesting. But to answer, I would think so. Well, it did for me anyway. My education ( and continued studies) is the main reason that I took a look at the world and said "wait a minute".


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## Four (Jan 15, 2013)

The last i checked, there is a correlation between skepticism/atheism/humanism and education.

There are several groups of Christians that will dissuade children from going to college, presumably for this reason.. although i doubt they would admit that.

Most notably the Mormons, Jehovah witness, & some evangelical protestants.

Oddly enough, there seems to be a big push in some sectors of Christianity to push some children to get science degrees, seemingly just to lend credibility to the religious pseudo-science.


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## ambush80 (Jan 15, 2013)

Search: "anti-intellectualism and the Bible" 

There's alot of info both ways.


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## Thanatos (Jan 15, 2013)

There is a reason the Bible says it is easier for the weak, physical and mental, to inherit the Kingdom of God. With lack of intelligence and sound reseasoning comes more reliance or faith in an all knowing all powerful God.


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## TripleXBullies (Jan 15, 2013)

Maybe that's my problem. I've been working out too much.


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## Thanatos (Jan 15, 2013)

TripleXBullies said:


> Maybe that's my problem. I've been working out too much.



Haha. I was speaking more to people who are physically disabled in some way.


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## Four (Jan 15, 2013)

Thanatos said:


> There is a reason the Bible says it is easier for the weak, physical and mental, to inherit the Kingdom of God. With lack of intelligence and sound reseasoning comes more reliance or faith in an all knowing all powerful God.



Didnt you say that it requires MORE faith to not believe in god?

But if the Bible says to have more faith, and it takes more faith to not believe in god.....

QED The bible says not to believe in god


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## Thanatos (Jan 15, 2013)

Four said:


> Didnt you say that it requires MORE faith to not believe in god?
> 
> But if the Bible says to have more faith, and it takes more faith to not believe in god.....
> 
> QED The bible says not to believe in god



Haha. You got! The secret of the Bible is to get people not to believe in the words within. 

Seriously though, when you are educated and have the reasoning skills you and I have IMHO it takes more faith to believe in cosmic goo creating "all of this" rather than a God.

As stated before and what the Bible teaches is that when people are successful/intelligent their pride gets in the way of belief or faith in God. If you can humble yourself before the evidence presented to us (ie weaken yourself) then you can get closer to having faith in him.


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## shane256 (Jan 15, 2013)

Well... as I posted in another thread... the Bible tells folks that it is best they should never hear the Gospel in the first place  (Romans 2)

http://forum.gon.com/showpost.php?p=7549802&postcount=46


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## bullethead (Jan 15, 2013)

Thanatos said:


> Haha. You got! The secret of the Bible is to get people not to believe in the words within.
> 
> Seriously though, when you are educated and have the reasoning skills you and I have IMHO it takes more faith to believe in cosmic goo creating "all of this" rather than a God.
> 
> As stated before and what the Bible teaches is that when people are successful/intelligent their pride gets in the way of belief or faith in God. If you can humble yourself before the evidence presented to us (ie weaken yourself) then you can get closer to having faith in him.



We would have to 'humble" ourselves to another thousand or so other Gods who's followers all claim are responsible for creation.


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## Thanatos (Jan 15, 2013)

bullethead said:


> We would have to 'humble" ourselves to another thousand or so other Gods who's followers all claim are responsible for creation.



Or the one that has the most evidence supporting it...that thread will come later.


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## bullethead (Jan 15, 2013)

Thanatos said:


> Or the one that has the most evidence supporting it...that thread will come later.



Hung Jury, not everyone agrees on the "evidence".


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## Thanatos (Jan 15, 2013)

bullethead said:


> Hung Jury, not everyone agrees on the "evidence".



I know it! I'm gonna try my best to put forth a compelling case to you guys when I get the time and the info together.


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## Ronnie T (Jan 15, 2013)

Thanatos said:


> Haha. You got! The secret of the Bible is to get people not to believe in the words within.
> 
> Seriously though, when you are educated and have the reasoning skills you and I have IMHO it takes more faith to believe in cosmic goo creating "all of this" rather than a God.
> 
> As stated before and what the Bible teaches is that when people are successful/intelligent their pride gets in the way of belief or faith in God. If you can humble yourself before the evidence presented to us (ie weaken yourself) then you can get closer to having faith in him.



We need an avatar of a little munchkin putting on a pair of rubber boots.


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## stringmusic (Jan 15, 2013)

shane256 said:


> Well... as I posted in another thread... the Bible tells folks that it is best they should never hear the Gospel in the first place  (Romans 2)
> 
> http://forum.gon.com/showpost.php?p=7549802&postcount=46



Could you expound on that a little more? Like maybe a specific verse in Romans 2?


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## gemcgrew (Jan 15, 2013)

stringmusic said:


> Could you expound on that a little more? Like maybe a specific verse in Romans 2?


I think he is perhaps referring to Romans 2:10-13.


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## Artfuldodger (Jan 15, 2013)

Good discussion and I have nothing to add. It must be bedtime.


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## ambush80 (Jan 15, 2013)

I mean, really, why are we even using the Bible as a reference for this discussion?  It should be lumped in equally with all the other religious materials.  If any of you think that "their" stuff is kooky, then in the context of the discussion so is "yours".


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## Artfuldodger (Jan 15, 2013)

ambush80 said:


> I mean, really, why are we even using the Bible as a reference for this discussion?  It should be lumped in equally with all the other religious materials.  If any of you think that "their" stuff is kooky, then in the context of the discussion so is "yours".



The second part of my op was asked towards Christians but we can include other religions. We could even switch countries to say Japan. They should have a mix of educated vs uneducated population. What about educated countries vs. uneducated countries or populations in history?
Do you think Atheists exist in  African villages or in Native American villages 500 years ago? What about Hippie communes of Big Sur in the sixties?


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## ambush80 (Jan 15, 2013)

Artfuldodger said:


> The second part of my op was asked towards Christians but we can include other religions. We could even switch countries to say Japan. They should have a mix of educated vs uneducated population. What about educated countries vs. uneducated countries or populations in history?
> Do you think Atheists exist in  African villages or in Native American villages 500 years ago? What about Hippie communes of Big Sur in the sixties?



From Wikki:
_
A 2008 poll carried out by the NHK Broadcasting Culture Research Institute and ISSP (International Social Survey Programme) surveyed 1200 Japanese people on their beliefs from 22 November 2008 to 30 November 2008, and 39% of the surveyed people reported having a religious belief: 34% declared to follow Buddhism, 3% Shinto, 1% Christianity (0.7% Protestantism, 0.2% Catholicism) and 1% other religions.[13]_

I would venture to guess there are very few to no atheists wearing loin cloths or bird feathers in tribal cultures.  Make whatever correlations you will.


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