Do you believe that many people who claim to be atheists just like to flaunt their "intellectual superiority"?

Question

I think that in college it is becoming "cool" and "hip" to be an atheist. If you ask most of these people to defend their beliefs, they don't have a clue. I am an atheist, but I'm constantly discouraged by people who claim to be atheists and launch weak attacks against anything they view as spiritual.

Some of the resondents don't seem to realize that I put quote marks around "intellectual superiority". I did this to show that I don't think the comment is accurate.

Answer 1

By virtue of associating himself with any particular group, an individual asserts the superiority of the group insofar as he is saying it is better to be a member of the group than to not be one. It's no different in the case of Atheists and Theists (particularly Christians).

I suspect that some atheists are zealous about atheism to the point of appearing pretentious or elitist simply because they perceive such a huge preference towards Christianity in our culture (examples of this being Christmas as a federal holiday, the entirely religious argument against homosexual marriage, the entire intellectually credibility of creationism), while Atheists are commonly depicted as crackpots who take up trivial causes (the token news report on the guy who crosses out "In God we trust" on U.S. currency). In a culture that so strongly favors the theists over the atheists, it seems natural that those who choose to be atheists or agnostics are angered by society's response to their views.

While some college atheists let the intellectual stimuli of the college environment inflate their ego, many outgrow the cocksure posturing of academia yet remain committed atheists. While some atheists outgrow the "intellectual superiority" complex of their youth, Christians of all ages can be charged with flaunting their (supposed) moral and religious superiority.

Answer 2

Well, I'm not in school right now so I don't know what's going
on there. However, by-and-large in the non academic
world, people generally hide that they are atheists. Indeed,
many people will hide that they are agnostics. I won't. For the
record:

I am a militant agnostic: I don't know and neither do you.

The term "spritualism" has generally been claimed by the
religious, but I don't think justifiably. I believe that interest
in the world around you and different models for looking at
it can, at some levels be considered spiritual and if that is
so, I am a very spiritual (and annoying about it) person.

In any case, similar to being homosexual - many people who
are atheists feel that they must be extreme about it. That is,
if you're in for the ride, you may as well enjoy it!

True, there are a lot of homosexuals (most, probably) where
their sexuality is low on their list of things to talk about - I have
to assume that the same is true of Atheism. That is, the ones
who are aren't brimming with intellectual superiority aren't all that
visible.

Anything unpopular will cause some to be in-your-face about it.

Since (going back to my own predelictions), we don't ultimately
know, we might as well tolerate each other - even if we
happen to agree with each other!

Answer 3

I agree to a point, I think some younger people say they are an atheist as a form of rebellion, to prove they can think differently then the masses. As an atheist I don't generally launch attacks at anyone, I will debate at times, I will give an opinion at times, but I don't feel the need to defend my beliefs or attack others. I am discouraged by anyone who puts others down as being less intelligent, immoral, having no common sense or anything as that is a personal attack.

Answer 4

I see what you are saying. I am an agnostic. But I don't think that giving someone some well deserved grief because they believe insane things like that the earth is ONLY 6000 years old is a weak attack. I think that most intellectuals don't put all their eggs in any basket. The more you learn about organized religion and world history, philosophy, astronomy, etc. It naturally gives you a more cynical view and an above it all kind of approach. Not everyone needs religion, not everyone needs Jesus. Other people just choose to rely on evidence and information, after all, we are in the information age.

Answer 5

I am not an atheists but I have several friends/relatives that are atheist and agnostics. It does not bother me. I don't care what people believe, it is their business. I believe that everyone is entitled to believe or not to believe whatever they want.

What I hate is, people that feel the need to talk about it all the time. I can't stand atheist that advertise their disbelief when it is not relevant and no one asked them for their opinion. I would then have to say the same about those poeple that do believe in God and try to convert everyone. Sometimes they are too pushy and can be annoying too. If you truly believe something, you are secure and satified. You don't need to advertise your beliefs to everyone or make them feel like you do. You are probably right, a lot of atheist are just trying to be "hip" or "cool". They want to be rebels. I for one am not impressed. I would be more impressed with a humble, quiet atheist.

Answer 6

I have certainly noticed that many people, particularly in college, grab hold of whatever position appears the most subversive, no matter what the cause. This can lead to atheism being ‘hip’ or whatever, and I think that is why a lot of people return to religion later in life.

Others, though, simply get sick of religion, particularly those brought up in strict religious households. This gives us the other stereotype, that of the kids growing up and turning wild in college.

Then there are those people, like me, who needed to get away from their parents’ home in order to get a better perspective on religion. College is often the first place where you can get away with challenging assumptions without dealing with angry family members. There is pressure in all directions in college, particularly from the religious groups (who tend to be really annoying on college campuses), but in the end, it’s finally a place where you can make your own decisions and discover who you really are.

For me, college was where I asked myself, “What would I believe if I came fresh to the world and had to decide between ideas, just looking at their merits?” The answer I came up with was that I wouldn’t buy into any religion. I wasn’t being hip; I was being honest, and for the first time.

Answer 7

I'm an Orthodox Agnostic, however, I usually side with the Atheists on social and legal issues. As for intellectual superiority, Atheists tend to be a relatively intelligent bunch, but I surely don't think of them as intellectually superior. After all, logic and reason happen to be on my side. I don't draw conclusions without evidence.

Answer 8

Atheists have a "superior" intellect? Okay - hold the phone, El-Nacho Leibre..., when did this happen? They would first have to possess it in order to flaunt it.

Anyone who professes "superior intellect" has the same mindset as cabbage eating, goose stepping, Adolf Hitler. He was not a superior man after all - beaten down by men he would have considered oafs and inferior monkeys.

Superior Intellect is gaged by who's standard? Individual self realization? A group? What group?

Answer 9

Yes, but we're not all bad, Atheists have their jackasses just like anything else with a following, just ignore them and practice your life under your values, that's the whole point. There are a lot more intelligent one among us the dumber ones are just the ones who get the spotlight, anyone who generalizes about us is just as ignorant as the people they're attacking and the same for Atheists who mindlessly bash on religions, have a reason for everthing you do.

Answer 10

Within every group they are going to be people who think they are intellectually superior and launch weak attacks. I'm sure there are atheists who think they are smart and aren't. It's amusing sometimes, but it's also annoying.

Answer 11

Most atheist questions I have seen on here are from uneducated rabble rousing trouble makers trying to get a rise out of someone, and usually I ignore them, but once in a great while there will be one on here I think needs answering, if by doing so, I can show him the way to salvation. But that doesn't happen often.