Are scientific people less likely to believe in God? (Pls. read the detailed question, otherwise no 10 pts)...

Question

Scientific people are more likely to believe in evolution (the vast majority of them see it as proven).

Scientific people are more likely to see natural explanations for bible miracles (for example, a great flood can be the result of a natural dam breakthrough), i.e. they are less likely to believe in miracles which can't be explaned by normal physics.

The question is NOT: can scientific people believe in God. The question is if they are less likely to believe in God then non-scientific people.

Also, the question is NOT about having to believe in God is not enough to be 'saved'. Also, i'm NOT asking what has to be done to be 'saved'. Also, the question is not: 'what are scientific people'. You'll have to follow your own definition.

Thx for all the elaborate answers.
I might let the community decide which answer was best.

Answer 1

Not necessarily. There had been scientists who had followed the religions of their own. Unless the scientific conquest results in the all pervading knowledge nothing can be said about the nature and its creation. By mere scientific inventions one cannot say that have found out something new. They were existing and we have found out now only. No one can clearly point out what happened before 5000 years from now? All recorded facts are available after that only. You want to surmise with this knowledge about creations existed millions and millions years ago.
The creation of multitude of species of birds, animals,trees and their contribution to nature is yet to be clearly defined and understood. We are still searching for an answer.
VR

Answer 2

There are about 20 studies, conducted over a period of 80 years, that reveal a statistically significant NEGATIVE correlation between intelligence and religiosity. In plainer language, they found that the more intelligent a person is, the LESS likely he is to be religious. Since scientists are generally in the upper part of the 'bell curve', and their training instills critical thinkig skills, it should be no surprise that most scientists ara NOT religious people.

If you think about it, this makes a lot of sense. Intelligence tests mainly provide an indication of reasoning ability and problem solving ability... critical thought. These are the very qualities that see through religion, and recognize it for what it is; i.e., religion cannot survive the glaring light of reason and critical thought. This was well understood by important figures in religious history. This is why the early church destroyed all the writings that were in conflict with dogma, such as Greek philosophical, medical and mathematical knowledge... which led directly to the Dark Ages.

Just to illustrate the point, let's see what Martin Luther, the 'father' of protestantism, had to say about it:

"Reason must be deluded, blinded, and destroyed. Faith must trample underfoot all reason, sense, and understanding, and whatever it sees must be put out of sight and ... know nothing but the word of God." ~ Martin Luther

"Reason is the greatest enemy that faith has; it never comes to the aid of spiritual things, but -- more frequently than not -- struggles against the divine Word, treating with contempt all that emanates from God." ~ Martin Luther

"There is on earth among all dangers no more dangerous thing than a richly endowed and adroit reason... Reason must be deluded, blinded, and destroyed." ~ Martin Luther

"Reason should be destroyed in all Christians." ~ Martin Luther

So, you see... religion is nothing more than a business... in fact, it is the world's longest running and most successful Multi-Level Marketing (MLM) scam. But, it only works on those who are dumb enough to fall for it. However, there are a lot more people who DON'T know how to think than there are people who DO know how to think. That is why there are a lot more religious people in the USA than there are 'tree-thinkers'... including Atheists.

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"Selling eternal life is an unbeatable business, with no customers ever asking for their money back after the goods are not delivered." ~ Victor J. Stenger


"Businesses may come and go, but religion will last forever, for in no other endeavor does the consumer blame himself for product failure."  ~ Harvard Lamphoon, "Doon" (paraphrase)

Answer 3

Yes, for a few reasons.

1. Individuals engaged in science and its related fields are generally well-educated, or at least more educated than the remaining populous. This feature itself has several parts ...

(a) Educated individuals often are those who desire such education, they seek knowledge and enjoy learning in general ...not solely that related to their specific field of interest or work.

(b) Education imparts the individual with a better understanding of the world around us. Just as in the way a man who has never been taught the nature of our planet as a semi-round spherical mass orbiting a star might suppose the Earth was flat ... so too does education in general allow us to lift the veil off those things which would otherwise escape our undertsanding and/or comprehension.

2. Scientists study the fundamental nature of things ... they see how the world interacts and realize it does not require divine guidance. They manipulate forces in the world through their own work that others might consider mystical ... yet know they are very much within our physical plane.

An example of this type of scenario might be found at the advent of any new technological enhancement ... such as with matches. How magical they must have seemed to earlier men ... a stick that bursts into flames on its own.

So while many people who do not study or have sufficient grasp of the material held within scientific disciplines (and there is quite a lot or material ... it's difficult to be well-versed in several areas) may view many things outside their realm of understanding as being unexplainable by man, scientists might consider them as mundane as we consider a match in contemporary times.


The cure for ignorance ... and the unbased supposition we proliferate when we invent explanations and justifications for things we do not understand ... is education.

Answer 4

I am a doctor and I hope I can answer your question.

Overall, I tend to agree with you that scientific people are less likely to believe in God. They are less likely to believe because it is the path of least resistance. Just accept everything that you have been thought.

However, on the other hand, scientists who believe in God, I feel, tend to be more passionate about their belief.

I think the reason for that is that these scientists had to consider personally why they believe in the presence of God even though science says there is no god. And when that breakthrough comes, it is like Eureka!

Answer 5

I realize that you are seeking a specific answer that is more than just a yes or a no. There are many reasons why scientific people would be less likely to believe in God, most of which are a result of speculation. Rather than focussing on speculation, allow me to focus on human behavior.

It is in the very deepest fabric of human experience to find SOMETHING or SOMEONE to believe in. This is why we have rock stars, sports figures, movie stars and a lot of different "heroes" we look up to. There are also those people who believe in ideas and ideologies. Science would fall into the realm of ideologies. Others would include music, religion, sports, and philosophy. There may be more, but they will be broad categories that have many books written by many authors over the centuries. Many will agree with each other, while many will disagree with one another.

Your question would be just as relevant if you had asked if Rock Musicians are less likely to believe in God. The are musicians who have a passion for and a "faith" in their music over anything else.

It boils down to a matter of FAITH and BELIEF. It takes more effort to commit and believe in an ideology because you aren't basing your faith or belief in your opinion. If a scientist embraces Atheism and Science as his (or her) ideology, then it must be constantly defended by books and experiments in order to be valid. For a scientist to believe in ANY god, would require him (or her) to leave this ideology and embrace a religious ideology. This would make him more religious and less scientific.

Granted there are some scientists that combine religion and science. They are called creationists. There are not very many because science demands a commitment of scientific minds and those who embrace science as their ideology do well in their careers, but cannot understand life from a religious perspective.

Answer 6

Yes, i do believe that science oriented people are more likely to believe something that is less bible-oriented. As you stated above, science often contradicts religion and God. They learn that science can prove almost anything and does go on to explain the 'miracles' that occur in the bible and since they can, the magic of religion is soon shortlived. Evolution, as you stated, creates a big problem because it contradicts the bible. So yes, i would say that scientist are more likely to be agnostic or atheist.

Answer 7

Decide yuorself with your 'scientific' knowledge whether GOD exits!!!

1) Plug the wire of a TV into the socket. Dont switch it ON. leave it as it is.
My question to you, if no body switches it ON, can it switch ON by itself?

2) You are lost in a forest, there you see a house in the middle of the forest. you are certain that this house has been built by someone. you may not know who he is but you are dead sure that the house has a owner. WHY?

3)You dont see Infra-Red radiations, yet you believe its existence. you dont see the waves that are meitted while we talk, yet you can feel it. you have not seen a single galaxy yet you believe the presence of millions of galaxies. WHY?

4) You were not present when an Apple fell over Newton. And he discovered Gravity. yet you believe Newton discovered 'Gravity'. have you seen it? Yet you believe in the phenomenon called 'Gravity'.

5) Nobody knows where is the exact location of 'Mind' and the 'Soul' in the human body, yet millions accept its prescence.

If you can affirm all these without seeing them, Can not the whole of the universe be built by ALmighty GOD???

The house in the forest has to have an owner, The Gigantic universe running in precise equilibrium, without an Owner?

GOD exists and HE is only ONE

The truth is Monotheism. There is only ONE GOD. Not 2, 3 or more.

This is the truth. A small school cant exist on 2 principals. Any organization has ONE final Authority. Therefore how can the entire universe be run by 2, Trinity or more GODs???

Then, the next truth is GOD is imageless. GOD cant be compared with anything on earth. GOD cant have wife and kids. If GOD can have wife and kids and still be called GOD then we all are GODs.

The final truth is that any religion that asks you to submit yourself to GOD is 'The Real Truth'. There can be no Law greater than the Law of 'The Creater'.

Apply the 3 principals and you get Islam. Which believes in Monotheism, doesnt give any image to GOD and asks its followers to submit their will (wholeheartedly) to GOD.

You cant have your own laws. If you buy a TV. Dont you refer to the instruction manual for the TV? Or you just mess it up as you like it since you OWN it?

The body which we have is not ours. Its a ctually a gift of ALmighty GOD which we have to use it as per his guidelines.

All the rules and Laws made by Man are subject to fail as Man doesnt know whats in store for him in the future. So Bow yourself to The will of GOD... In other words Submit your will to Almighty GOD. Enter Islam which means "Peace acquired by submitting your will to ALmighty GOD (ALLAH)"

Answer 8

I think scientific people are defiantly less likely to believe in God, mainly because science can be used to explain away most reasons why people believe in God. Also it has been sown that there is a spot in the brain, called the God spot, that effects people who are religious. It effectively closes off some of their reasoning skills in order for the to believe in the tenets of their religions.
A scientific brain is an analytical brain by nature, they are less likely to close off what their brain tells them is illogical, and to believe in something outrageous without proof.

Answer 9

Anyone who looks at the world rationally and honestly would find it very difficult to believe in God. The concept of God may have made sense up to a few hundred years ago or so but it can now easily be seen for what it is - an invention of man.

Answer 10

I for one believe that science is not eliminating God but the fake idols of God.
This is true that most scientists do not believe in God but it's more because of either they do not have enough knowledge of other religions or the religions they followed in past simply goes against science.

The question to those scientists should be "what if there is a religion that tells you everything what you have just discovered in past few years. Would you follow it or will continue to deny God?"