In your experience, do you think that religious people are more/less intelligent than non-religious people?

Question

I don't intend to offend with this question. I'm just very curious as to what people think about this link that some say exists between religion and intelligence. I read up on this topic for my History of Psychology paper, for which my internet source was

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

Most researchers seem to think regilion and intellence, however you want to define that, don't possitively correlate. And I must say they make as compelling case as you could expect. But I want to know how people see this question from an personal point of view. Tell me what the tests and tables can't.

Answer 1

I honestly don't think there is relationship between the both. As far as people saying that religious people are closed-minded and can't think for themselves, that isn't true. Yes, they place a lot of faith in God and feel that they are obligated to perform certain duties that they believe are right. But with all honesty, it all comes down to how you let your religion govern your life. Some people are deeply religious, while others not so religious but yet fulfill duties. Making the statement about them being narrow-minded and not making decisions for themselves, but instead being governed is kind of blind.

Either way, I feel it all comes down to how you, as an individual, prioritize intelligence and what you make out it. Religion, has nothing to do with it, although it may have some impact. I've met people, who were extremely intelligent, and also religious in my lifetime. I think it all comes down to it individually.

Answer 2

If you want an honest answer, intelligence has nothing to do with faith or being religious. Some of the most brillant people of all time believed in God including DiVinci and Einstein. Knowing many doctors who have strong religious beliefs (of more than one faith) you can safely say having a belief in God does not equal a lack of intelligence. Also, many anti-religious views within the study of psychology come from Freud who had very strong views of religion as pathology. However, the APA now acknowledges the importance of spirituality and encourges psychologists to respect their patient's belief systems whatever they may be. In addition, most History of Psychology books I have had to study are often outdated or grossly biased depending on what year/era they were published. Learn to think for yourself and not wikipedia.

Answer 3

No offense but Wikipedia is not a great source for a research paper. Although most of what it says is usually true, anybody can add to it, therefore there is really no main authority on this page. For this reason exactly, my psychology instructor advised her students against using Internet sources at all. Your school should have ebooks and ejournals which are much more reliable sources.

However, I do not think there is a difference in the intelligence in non religious and religious people. There are equal amounts of intelligent people in both beliefs. Just because they don't believe what each other believes doesn't count for their intelligence.

Answer 4

There is an interesting study that will add to your research..
http://undergraduatestudies.ucdavis.edu/explorations/2004/clark.pdf

found it interesting....I feel that there is a correlation between religious affiliation and intelligence. Many Nobel Prize winners and noted geniuses are well documented in having expressed that religion itself is harmful to humanity. If you think deeply and care about humanity, the contradictions and fallacies would appear obvious. Religion does serve a purpose and for some it is the guideline that they require. Research does show that those who believe in a higher power and are active in a religious community have better health, lower rates of suicide, less delinquency in youth, and an overall happier existence. That is a good enough reason I suppose. I can't stomach the hypocrisy however.

Answer 5

The human heart cannot and should never be measured by intelligence but by creativity and soul, however, if you want to challenge yourself, read one book by one very divinely devoted man and answer this very compelling question for yourself.

"My Utmost for His Highest" by Oswald Chambers or even ANYTHING by C E Lewis.

Some of the most dull, dreamless people, who have no curiosity and no natural aptitude for either science or fiction can be found on both sides of the fence.

Boomer,s answer, BTW, is perfect.

Answer 6

i dont think the two have any correlation. and for those who try to say that religious people are not as smart as agnostics/atheists, consider this: Some of the greatest thinkers and artists of our time and in history were and are deeply religious. Galileo, Bach, Mozart, Leonardo da Vinci, Pythagoras, Sir Issac Newton Beethoven (almost all Baroque composers), the founding fathers of America (i dont care what religion they were, they were religious), C. S. Lewis, and the head of the school of government and ethics at Harvard is Christian, to name a few, but the list goes on and on. People say Charles Darwin was so smart, but in his extremely flawed theory of evolution in The Origin of Species, he "proved" that some races are superior to others, and we all (hopefully) know that's not true. Just as well, there are many great minds that did not have a religion or belief in a higher power. The two do not correlate. I believe the "non-religious people are smarter" lie is something created by atheists and agnostics to cover-up doubt/insecurity and ignorance of man's purpose (ignorance referring to lack of knowledge/not knowing) and counterpoint religious people's security in life and death. In my opinion, to believe a world that tilts perfectly and floats through the universe in perfect coordination with all the other heavely bodies came SPONTANEOUSLY FROM NOTHING is absurd. There had to be a perfect source. From what we have seen throughout time, everything comes from something. and that something was always there, and even though that is hard to impossible for the human mind to grasp, it's true.

Answer 7

In my experience (60+ years) the most intelligent and thoughtful people have been Christians. There are of course intelligent non-Christians as well. Sometimes intelligence and education doesn't correlate, I have known many very educated people who weren't very intelligent.

Answer 8

I have not noticed that atheists or Marxists or anyone else is less or more religious or intelligent than people how have adopted a formalized belief system.

Whatever floats your boat. Religion does not deal with intellect, and never has. It deals with spirit and emotion -- the very things that intellect fails at.

Answer 9

I've known some hyperintelligent devoutly religious people, and I've known some hyperintelligent devoutly atheist people. I don't think there is any correlation whatsoever.

Answer 10

I do hate to say this, but I believe religious people are LESS intelligent than non-religious people. The reason is that no one, not one single person, can scientifically prove the validity of any organized religion. So if a person believes in something that is not scientifically proven, beyond a doubt, then how can they call themselves intelligent? Organized religion does not allow a person to think for themselves. They all want to dictate to their congregation what to think and what to believe. People who have their own minds to explore what they actually believe, are the ones who are more intelligent in my opinion.