In your opinion: How many IQ points does someone lose once they admit to believing in creation?

Question

and believing the world is only 6,000 years old?

calm down people...geesh.
I'm one of the idiots that believes the earth is only 6,000 years old too!
I was just putting the question out there to see what people's OPINIONS were. Don't take everything so personally....whatever happened to turning the other cheek?

Answer 1

I am Atheist and still think that question bites. I know some REALLY intelligent Christian people. People should be able to believe whatever they want without ridicule as long as they are keeping it out of the government etc. True thier beliefs may seem silly or odd to me, but in case you have not noticed they have a really hard time wrappin' their heads around the fact that we DO NOT believe

Answer 2

I don't think it has to do with IQ points, but I must admit it seems to be inconsistent with a reasonably decent education in basic science, as well as just plain good sense and observation.

Perhaps it's not so much losing IQ points, but demonstrating that you never had a great many to begin with. I understand that if you grew up in a fundamentalist home, you probably were offered various explanations for how the 6,000 figure was calculated, and you may indeed have a certain amount of intelligence to be able to remember and recite these arguments.

But face it, arguments based on the interpretation of a book written by 66 different authors (at least) over a period of centuries, all a very long time ago, are not objectively very convincing. You need to start with an assumption that such a book has some very special validity not given to other writings. So the arguments become circular, only fitting inside that assumption.

Answer 3

Thank you, CG; thank you, secretsa...

You do realize that not ALL people who believe in God as primary Creator believe the world is only 6000yrs old, right? To believe that God created the Universe does not mean you HAVE to abandon science; you just acknowledge that SomeOne/Thing existed before our Universe, and that that Creative Force at least initiated the beginning of our Universe. IMO, there is nothing unintelligent about believing in a Primary Creator at all.

Now, with regard to people who do ignore science in favor of exact interpretation of ancient Biblical passages, who read every word in the Bible as if its supposed to be LITERAL, I don't think it's a matter of a reduced IQ at all. Rather, as secretsa... stated, it is more a matter of ignorance, i.e. not being appropriately exposed to enough scientific training to understand what the evidence indicates. They can read one ID or Creationist's viewpoint that "there's not enough evidence for evolution", and believe that statement at face value.

I believe this refusal to acknowledge Science and carbon dating stems from fear: if they acknowledge the Earth is really billions, not thousands, of years old, then that messes up their literal timetable calculations from the Bible, which to them translates as "Oh no! Now the WHOLE Bible is false!" Of course, many of us realize that is NOT the case. Genesis was NOT written as a book of science, nor even history. It WAS written as an allegorical representation, in order to better illustrate to the ancient Jews why evil exists, and why evil should be shunned.

BUT, on the flipside, just b/c Genesis isn't 100% accurately true from a historical/scientific perspective, it doesn't mean that there is no God, or that God wasn't involved in Creation. Please, folks, expand your minds; open them for just one instant, and see that there is some truth in BOTH sides of this ridiculously played out debate...then we can all focus on much more important and pressing issues... :)

Peace.

ETA: Umm, suicide..., just so you know, in undergrad biology, I had to write a paper that researched the evolution from prehistoric reptiles, like the dinosaurs, to modern avians (birds). And there is TONS of fossil, embryological, and other evidence to support this evolution. Yes, the reading is not super-easy, but it is fascinating; you may want to look into that! Good luck!

Answer 4

Is it so hard to except faith that you believe a creator created this world . . I really don't see the proof of evolution . Find me a a species of animal that's in mid evolutionary state .... Or an old picture of one , or one of those discovery channel people that put specials together about how bones from an older species correlate to the another that evolutionized from it ...You can't , because in my opinion that was just another species that's extinct . I think Your I.Q . needs questioning .

Answer 5

to believe in creation read this from the holy Quran and you do lots of search on this matter

5- O mankind! if ye have a doubt about the Resurrection, (consider) that We created you out of dust, then out of sperm, then out of a leech-like clot, then out of a morsel of flesh, partly formed and partly unformed, in order that We may manifest (our power) to you; and We cause whom We will to rest in the wombs for an appointed term, then do We bring you out as babes, then (foster you) that ye may reach your age of full strength; and some of you are called to die, and some are sent back to the feeblest old age, so that they know nothing after having known (much), and (further), thou seest the earth barren and lifeless, but when We pour down rain on it, it is stirred (to life), it swells, and it puts forth every kind of beautiful growth (in pairs).
6 This is so, because Allah is the Reality: it is He Who gives life to the dead, and it is He Who has power over all things.
7 And verily the Hour will come: there can be no doubt about it, or about (the fact) that Allah will raise up all who are in the graves.

Answer 6

I don't believe that's a fair question.

Most creationists I've met are not suffering from a lack of IQ, but from a lack of introduction to science, and BASIC science principles (like what is a "theory", or the difference between "evidence" and "proof"). These people are vulnerable to being given simplistic CARTOONISH versions of evolution (like "man evolved from monkeys") that are nowhere close to the theories that scientists actually believe.

Many of them have also been persuaded early on of the basic equation: evolution = atheism (which is not true). This causes them to view the battle against evolution as a fight to the core in defense of God.

And finally, much of creationism is not just a bad science eduction, but (IMO) a bad *religious* education as well ... religious leaders feeding people a simplistic CARTOONISH version of religion (the *literal* interpretation of the Bible as describing physical events and conversations that occurred 6,000 years ago ... or that the list of generations from Adam to Abraham need to be taken *literally* as a way of measuring the age of the earth). There is no concept of religion as dealing in grownup questions of theology, a way of *thinking* in a changing world, but just a litany of literal events, which justifies the litany of literal rules to follow unthinkingly.

In other words, I don't blame creationists, but rather fundamentalist leaders who deliberately use this as a wedge issue to allow manipulation of people with a weak science education. Part of that battle is to *keep* science education weak ... which is the basis of the "teach the controversy" strategy.

Answer 7

How many IQ points does someone lose when they ask a stupid question?? IQ points aren't based on believe, they're based on knowledge.

Answer 8

Absolutely none. It is the person that feels a need to ridicule others for their beliefs that is losing IQ points.

Answer 9

-1000 ie, they gain points not loose them.

Not all creationists (intelligent design) believe that the earth is only 6000 years old.

For you to believe that evolution is responsible for all life on earth and the variety / complexity / abundance requires BLIND FAITH in science.

Any scientist worth his salt would tell you there are more holes in the theory then material between the holes.

Many creationists that I know have university degrees (yes, many athiests that I know do too). Faith does not negate faith. You put your faith in science. I put mine in a living loving God - the great designer.

No matter what you have done, He loves and died for you, wants to have you with Him in Heaven for ever. Repent and accept His salvation.

Answer 10

There probably weren't a lot of IQ points for them to lose to begin with.