Is It Possible To Be Intellectually Sophisticated And Modern and At The same Time Devoutly Religious???

Question

Is it possible to be on the one hand intellectually sophisticated, modern, Forward Thinking, educated and one the other hand a devoutly religious and spiritual person???


Many people have said that intellect and faith are two incompatible concepts. What do y'all think???

Answer 1

Of course you can be both.WHo said you cant?

Answer 2

It is very possible to be intellectually sophisticated and religious at the same time (easy), and possible to be intellectually sophisticated and spiritual at the same time (difficult); the problem is just that the intellect gets in the way of spirituality, religious being more or less like a social affair. The realization of the limit of the intellect in spiritual matters is the beginning of divine wisdom, for Divine Love has nothing to do with the intellect which is a function of the mind.

Answer 3

Being devoutly religious often means following the traditions of men, being a creature of habit and in this respect you can make it what you want. Religion relies and often founders on mans logic where as Faith relies on spiritual wisdom but since the wisdom of this world is foolisness with God one might well ask what has sophistication got to do with the original question except to a sophist :-))

Answer 4

It is possible, yes. However, faith is not an "intellectual tool," so to speak.

Our rational faculties only work if and when we choose to use them. Reason is not "automatic." A person can be clever, intellectually creative, and highly educated, using his mental facilities to move great leaps and bounds...and then simply not use the same tools when it comes to a single area of his life. For example, I'm sure we all know somebody who balances his thinking as objectively as he can; who makes careful, cautious judgments...then does foolish, silly things for a person for whom he's absolutely smitten, even though the object of his attention isn't really all that great or special. It's not that he's turning off his brain; he's just not applying it.

Any dogma, religious or not, is the same way. You use your mental abilities, or you do not. It has nothing to do with education, learning capacity, or intellectual creativity. It has to do with making the decision to apply them or to not apply them. And, when you take something on faith alone, you are deciding not to apply them.

Answer 5

Yes it is possible, but I think you will find that these people, while devout and full of faith, are not people who take the Bible literally.

People can believe strongly in God and live His Word without giving up being intellectual, educated, and discerning about what they believe.

Some people will say you have to blindly accept the whole package that is being fed to you and they are wrong. Jesus himself argued against simply going along with what people said was piousness.

God looks within.

Answer 6

No but you could be Spiritually devout and the modern and sophisticated for example Russell Simmons.

Answer 7

What would you consider a man who has a doctorate in neuroscience from Yale University, and four undergraduate degrees (molecular and cellular biology, chemistry, biochemistry and philosophy)? Would you consider him to be "intellectually sophisticated, modern, forward thinking, and educated"?
http://www.texascatholic.com/default.asp?NodeId=891

Answer 8

Obviously, I disagree with the assertion that intellect and faith are incompatible.

Answer 9

Sounds like youre talking about me! thankyou, anyone can have faith, from the most intellectual, to the least!

Answer 10

Yes. As long as the person realizes that they have the right to a life I think that they can achieve all that they want to.

Answer 11

Many go about seeking knowledge, but never getting to the truth, first gain the truth, then you can add whatever you like... :)