Are Christians or atheists more elitist?

Question

This ? brought to you by a Christian answer on a different question.

So, which is it? We have atheists who think they are smarter than Christians because they have it all figured out and have managed to think their way out of having to believe in religions.

On the other hand we have Christians telling everyone they are going to hell for not believing in Christ, forming their own Christian clubs, requiring others to conform to their view points in many cases (think gay marriages etc.)

So who is more elitist?

Hey Todd! Thanks for stopping by and dropping your load of BS. Next time try answering the question. The statement was atheists think they are smarter than believers, not "Atheists are more intelligent." Learn to read Ahole.

Answer 1

You are really asking some great questions Selnyk! I love it! Wow, I hate to say I am an elitist but I sure get intolerant fo the answer "because God said- that's why" Does that make an athiest an elitist? tough call...and Christians are always trying to get us to join their band, if we would only just believe... again-tough call, but excellent Q and A, You are really the best! Thank you!

Answer 2

If you're willing to share your arguments as to why you believe what you believe, and you do not exclude others merely on the basis of their beliefs, then you are not elitist. As a group, the intellectual arrogance level of atheists is no different than that of the general population, IMHO.

Everyone thinks they are right, so it's pretty asinine to say that thinking you're right makes you an elitist. It only becomes elitist if you also think you can not possibly be wrong. Of course, such a position would be an act of faith, not reason.

Bottom line - the mere fact of being an atheist does not make you an elitist. But, to be a Christian requires that you believe you have been given knowledge that not everyone is given. That IS an elitist position in its own right, as it implies there is something inatly special about you.

Answer 3

I don't think there is a terrible IQ difference between Christians and Atheists. I think it has to do with the way that the mind fills in the gaps of the things that we do not know. Atheists are more adept at realizing that there are things that we do not know. Religious people have a hard time with this and need to find a reason for the unknown. So everyone may have a common level of smartness, but the Atheists are better cognitively when it comes to the unknown.

Answer 4

What makes an athiest more intelligent than a Christian? Why? Is it because through misguided "logic and reason" you have come to a conclusion that God doesn't exist and the only way a Christian can conclude He does exist is by side stepping the two and only come to this conclusion through "faith". Yet because religion has been around since the dawn of man we must be brainwashed or need a psychological crutch and you are not held to those bounds because you have come to this great conclusion after thousands of years of religious rule through logic and reason that theists are wrong as if you are the first to ever deny God's existence. RIIIIIGGGHHHHTT. Your belief that there is no God and that logic and reason can be used as proof requires more blind faith than anything. Since saying God doesn't exist you are implying that you have absolute knowledge of the universe to know this as fact, correct? Would this not make you omniscient? If we as humans only know 1% of all knowledge of the universe then how can you make an absolute statement stating you have empirical proof or evidence of the lack of existence of God?

Do not be intellectually intimidated by an "athiest" who claims logic and reason and complete knowledge of the bible no matter how many times they have read it more than you. They are lying. For a person to have complete knowledge of the bible it would take a lifetime to understand all of the truth it contains as well as expertise in various academic disciplines, none of which anyone on here who claims to have complete knowledge of the bible has (and this includes you Christians, you are just as bad if not worse when you misquote and misrepresent the bible in your defense or offense towards others.)

Answer 5

Whats so elitist about agnostics? I dont get your good judgment O.o There are 2 kinds of agnostics. The "we can under no circumstances recognize" and the "we dont recognize yet" thats easily the definition of the medical technique for the second one one. perchance its merely that ive under no circumstances somewhat considered that form on the following or everywhere. Fundamentalist Christians have led to the most issues yet Militant Atheists do act like each and every round douchbags too merely an identical yet a minimum of their movements arent as undesirable.

Answer 6

Neither, because one has emerged as adults or young-adults with their own ideas about religion and its place in society. Just think about it, every new born baby is a canvas that is painted with beliefs of their parents, grandparents, aunts, uncles and etc. Everyone influences who you are and the way you think and this forms the basis for the beliefs we all hold in the present day. So the answer is the title of elitist belongs to the individual's upbringing and the way their parents taught them.

Answer 7

Taking each group as a whole, they're probably the same. Some christians are very elitist - some are pretty humble. The same goes for atheists.

Answer 8

I think that the people who are at the polar opposites, who think they are soooooooo right, and everyone else is wrong, are the most elitist of the 2 groups.
Most people are somewhere in the middle, believing whatever they believe, but willing to live and let live. It's the ones who are convinced that they need to convert the rest of the world to their way of thinking, who think they are the "cream of the crop".

Answer 9

Neither one has a lock on being more elitist.

As a pentecostal Christian evangelist, I find other Christians won't speak to me on the street, much less invite me to speak in their church.

Atheists are much the same way. Some of 'em won't give me the time of day.

All of 'em are jerks and I'll tell that one to God when I meet Him face to face. But, I'm also praying for all of 'em.

Some Christians welcome me with open arms. One of the most tolerant athiests I've come across is the gent at www.about.com. I am a huge fan of his website. He's posted my commentary to his website (under my real name) and we chat a few times a year.

Answer 10

As a liberal christian(yes there ARE some of us still around) I've got to say that the fundamentalis and evangelical cults of Christianity are definitely more elitists. Athiests tend to accept anyone who is athiest, as long as they are sincere. However, the so-called christians insist on you proving you have been "SAVED" in order to join their ranks, and I think that means you actually have to have given up and abandoned someone you love in order to belong.