Do I need "intelligence" in order to make a decision based on religion? Does a belief make one intelligent?
2006-12-21 10:51:45 · 18 answers · asked by samanthakhz 2 in Society & Culture ➔ Religion & Spirituality
Belief = untested (perhaps untestable) hypothesis. I can believe in flying dogs even though I've never seen one. How can I test this belief (hypothesis)? At some point I will have to make an assumption that "all dogs cannot fly" because no rational person has seen a dog fly. This is likely a true assumption, but does not discount the possibility that a flying dog exists somewhere. As for religion, depending on how fundamentalist you want to go, you will have to accept certain premises that defy logic but are nonetheless "true" because all believers accept it as true (just as you accept as true that no dogs can fly because no one has seen a flying dog). Are you willing to "believe it to see it", to suspend critical thinking, to deny the reality fed to you by your own senses?
2006-12-21 11:04:17 · answer #1 · answered by TruBlevr 2 · 0⤊ 1⤋
There are few decisions which are not based on the "belief system" of a person. It may not be religious, but as we mature we accept certain understandings/beliefs about ourselves, others and the world.
Intelligence and Christianity are not antagonistic. There is no being more intellegent than the one who created the whole world and you.
Much of what is called intelligence today is false intelligence. If there were an absolute intelligence on earth......we would all believe whatever they said was true. But instead we have a world of arguements and even wars.
2006-12-21 18:58:24 · answer #2 · answered by Anonymous · 1⤊ 0⤋
Belief and intelligence are two different things. Regardless of your intelligence you make your life choices based on what you believe, whatever it is. This can be a belief based on truth or a belief based on fanatsy or even a truth assumption that you have not really defined yet you accept as true because you have accepted an implied truth based on this assumption. Many times people do not even realize they have done this with their beliefs.
Intelligence is not how much you know it is how well you are able to learn and apply what you have learned. This means that you gain knowledge, develop understanding and now have wisdom.
Solomon, considered the wisest man to ever live was given knowledge with understanding and the ability to apply it from God. It was his ability to put knowledge into practical use that made the world around him consider him wise and to have wisdom.
2006-12-21 19:14:45 · answer #3 · answered by David R 3 · 0⤊ 0⤋
A belief or having a religion doesn't make anyone more intelligent than anyone without one. Making any decision should be involved with some sort of intelligent thinking and careful consideration.
2006-12-21 18:57:16 · answer #4 · answered by Anonymous · 0⤊ 0⤋
You don't need intelligence to make a decision about belief. Some people with very low I.Q.'s have very strong belief and some people with very high I.Q.'s don't have any spiritual belief. Belief doesn't make you intelligent. It makes you spiritual, connected to a higher power. It can give you a understanding of things you didn't know before and can confuse you and make you ask why. It's all part of believing in something.
2006-12-21 19:01:15 · answer #5 · answered by firefly 3 · 0⤊ 0⤋
Belief and intelligence are both needed to make a correct decision. One cannot rely solely on one's intellect without a valid basis for belief; nor can on rely solely on belief without knowing the facts.
That's why Christianity is called the "thinking man's religion".
2006-12-21 18:57:10 · answer #6 · answered by lookn2cjc 6 · 0⤊ 0⤋
Making decisions are always based on what is proper in a certain situation and you must have wisdom which you may not believe it or not is much different from the 2 you have mentioned here!
And i shall explain - Most spiritual individuals are look upon by most as having a special insight or down right insane you understand now!??
2006-12-21 18:57:58 · answer #7 · answered by wise 5 · 0⤊ 0⤋
It depends. Reality is disgustingly indifferent to what one believes. However, if your belief corresponds to reality then your belief is true.
You will discover intelligent religious people and unintelligent religious people. You will also encounter intelligent atheists and unintelligent atheists. Intelligence seems to have little to do with it. On both sides, there are an intelligent core and then mindless masses who repeat the little they've been spoon fed.
2006-12-21 19:01:23 · answer #8 · answered by sickblade 5 · 0⤊ 0⤋
Ummmm.... No.
When you make a decision based on intelligence, you gather data, form a hypothesis and utilize experience to put forth a decision based on gathered data.
When you make a decision on belief, you are simply hoping for the best.
2006-12-21 19:14:36 · answer #9 · answered by hyperhealer3 4 · 0⤊ 1⤋
Intelligence is a figment of your imagination...lol, I like that line...
umm, Faith based decisions rely on one thing, Faith. That you believe that this will work for you, and many things have been done relying only on this.
Intelligence, real intelligence anyway, is to use what you believe, know, and have some understanding of to accomplish something. In part a faith based belife is as much a part of intelligence as a working understanding of Math.
So to answer your questions, no, and somewhat, as it is a part of what makes up the abstract that is intelligence...
2006-12-21 18:56:49 · answer #10 · answered by Anonymous · 0⤊ 1⤋