Is religion and intelligence inversely proportional?

Answer 1

I certainly don't think so. Alot of famous scientists who I look up to are quite religious. Many of them won Nobel Prizes. I love this question...it's like: "will someone be more religious if they are less intelligent?"

In some cases yes, in some cases no...therefore I have to conclude that there is no direct corelation at all. I know plenty of atheists who certainly have IQs less than 100.

P.S. I asked pretty much the same question a month ago and got some really good answers as well.
http://answers.yahoo.com/question/index;_ylt=Ah2oR033TbE5Ln_.5TTRMAfsy6IX?qid=20060820083109AAaKdxH

Peace

Answer 2

Many smart people believe in a religion with a god or gods or other supernatural beings. Even scientists will compartmentalize their religious beliefs, not subjecting them to the same doubts and questions -- "How do we know that?" "What could show that that's false?" -- they apply to other parts of the world.

Religions evolved as a way to seek answers, to fulfill certain basic human needs, and to let our whole brains, not satisfied with abstract words, turn to and talk to an embodiment of everything that's good and right.

Quite a few intelligent people are religious humanists, who accept religious ritual while insisting that gods are human inventions.

Many other intelligent people are secular humanists, who believe in living a good, full, moral, and exuberant life without turning to gods at all.

(We should ask, does "religion" have to involve the unprovable and supernatural? Liberals from some religious traditions allow for reinterpreting "God" as an explicit personification, rather than a "Mr. Universe in the heavens with a white beard" with an independent existence.)

Answer 3

I'm inclined to think that atheists and agnostics as a group are generally above average in intelligence, because their position indicates that they are critical thinkers who have examined the evidence for a supreme being and rejected it as insufficient.

There is, however, no correlation between belief and intelligence. Many deeply religious people are highly intelligent. They have one quality that others lack: faith. Faith is irrational and cannot be commanded; you either have it or you don't. I have spent a lot of time in a Dominican monastery; the brothers I met were all highly intelligent and well-educated, but all had a deep faith.

Answer 4

I'm not sure what you mean by the question but all I know is that I have known people who had very little academic education who had tremendous spiritual understanding and those who have had tons of academic education and are very humanly smart who can not understand anything spiritually. I think that is because it is a gift that God gives to those who are truly seeking Him. Religion "smarts" is something you can't buy or go to school for. Interesting.

Answer 5

I assume you mean "ARE religion and intelligence....?"

If so, the answer is no, of course not! Some of history's most intelligent people have been devoted followers of their religion. Intelligence level is not at all related to one's personal religious faith.

Answer 6

The funny thing is that these answers are just a succinct and opinionated as religion itself. ONE person posted an ACTUAL study.. i'm guessing a non religious person..

Anyhow rather than tout another know it all opinion, here is the wiki link..

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Religiosity_and_intelligence

Answer 7

Some of the most highly intelligent people are deeply religious.

Einstein, Tesla, Galileo, just to name a few.

Answer 8

nope:
R~I
R=Religion
I=Intelligence

Answer 9

primal knowledge is the way to heaven as temporal knowledge tends to lead you astray, as a child your mind is pure and conducive to the recharging of your soul, while as you grow older you learn laws and rules plus behavioral patterns which use up the minds energy needed by the soul. a child has full concentration while an adult is full of distractions and confusion

Answer 10

70 years ago the most religious were the only ones with an education. Of course you wouldn't have know that being from Africa.