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Generally speaking, why are we the ones to break the mold. Is it our intelligence? Are we smarter. But surely there are very smart people in the world who still believe in god, heaven, hell, and all those things that seem illogical to us. So is it our wisdom? Are we just wiser than a lot of people. Or is it our life experiences? I could see myself still being a believer if certain things in my life didn't make me question religion. So is it our willingness to question? What is it?
Intelligence? Wisdom? Life Experiences? A Willingness To Question? All Those Things? Something I Didn't Mention?
2007-07-16 08:47:46 · 22 answers · asked by Moxie! 6 in Society & Culture ➔ Religion & Spirituality
I think it is a mix of all those things. We tend to be smarter, and tend to think in a more logical way. Wisdom could definitely be another way of putting it.
I know some people that decided there wasn't a God when their family member or friend died.
We do tend to be less gullible, and search harder for answers. They take what they hear as truth. We take what we hear as a theory, and explore other theories eventually finding the one that is most logical and science based.
Great question!
2007-07-16 08:53:37 · answer #1 · answered by Dr. Bradley 3 · 1⤊ 0⤋
Not sure it is intelligence I have met some very intelligent believers. I have met some very wise one also. It always makes me wonder how can an intelligent being believe in the magic and fairytales. In truth I have no answers. FOr me however I did believe and then I started to question and research and learn and then no of the things that I had been taught made any sense. When you take all of the scientfic facts and look at religion they just do not work together nor does religious dogma really does not make much sense in the light of science.
Best I could do sorry really do not have an answer for this question and I am not sure that there are many people that could answer this question. This is a tough one.
2007-07-16 08:58:36 · answer #2 · answered by dlee_75 3 · 2⤊ 0⤋
I don't see a huge difference. Being a believer is a lifestyle, being an atheist is also a lifestyle. Usually atheist people are more open minded, though it's not always like this. There are many different things that make a man be a believer (sometimes believing blindly, other times a life experience) and also, many things that change a man into being an atheist (also a life experience, or being very scientific). Being an atheist also means to believe in some idea - the non existence of God. Besides fanatic people, nobody makes a huge difference.
2007-07-16 08:57:43 · answer #3 · answered by larissa 6 · 1⤊ 0⤋
Its funny because those are also qualities of believers as well... though we both have our idiots among both sides.. both believers and Atheists believe they have intelligence and wisdom because they can understand what the other side cannot. Both sides have life experiences that reinforce their beliefs, Most believers including myself are very willing to question and be questioned (but there are also Atheists who don't believe simply because, they just dont... kinda the Atheist 'blind faith') And both sides have those that read and quote from books as though its going to change anyones mind on the other side. To me, there is no difference other than who/what is believed in (or not believed in)
2007-07-16 08:57:06 · answer #4 · answered by impossble_dream 6 · 1⤊ 0⤋
The working of the mind. Belief or non-belief come in many different stages. No two minds operate in exactly the same way. There are People who don't believe in God, but do believe in the evil eye, casting of spells, mind reading, and all sort of foolish superstitions.
I, personally believe in no - -NO supernaturals. If it's not natural like you or I, or the next guy on the street, to me, it's just foolish superstition.
2007-07-16 08:57:41 · answer #5 · answered by Anonymous · 1⤊ 0⤋
Maybe it is just that we do not believe in God
Other than that it is hard to say because there aree so many differences between us.
Smart or dumb, young or old, mail, female, straight, gay or a blend. The only thing that seems to define an atheist is a lack of belief in God(s) .
2007-07-16 08:58:16 · answer #6 · answered by ? 5 · 1⤊ 0⤋
Apparently there are two different areas of the brain which deal with decision making - One is based on emotion, the other is based on reason. We all feel the same kind of emotions (distress at the thought of our own mortality, the desire for an easier life etc.) and these translate into wishful thinking, but in rational people the other part of the brain overrides these emotional responses and we come to the conclusion that things don't become real just because we wish they would.
2007-07-16 08:51:31 · answer #7 · answered by Anonymous · 1⤊ 2⤋
That's an itty-bitty bit arrogant. "Why are we right"? You have to assume the that atheism is correct before positing wisdom as the cause of atheism.
"there are very smart people in the world who still believe in god". Yes, and they may be right, in which case it would be "more prone to error" as the basis of atheism.
You're beginning to sound like RIchard Dawkins.
2007-07-16 08:57:24 · answer #8 · answered by anthonypaullloyd 5 · 0⤊ 0⤋
I don't believe Atheist are smart at all! We are all here because of God. You don't have to serve God in religion because I don't but I refuse to not believe because I know there is life after death and I want to be with God and no where else! Now I do not believe in religion! I believe that you can love and praise God without going to church because God is everywhere and not just where a pastor, bishop, etc., will be. The smartest people in the world know that there is a God and they believe! There are dumb people in religion but at least they believe.
2007-07-16 08:57:35 · answer #9 · answered by sugahsweetened 2 · 0⤊ 3⤋
Someone on this forum posted a link a while back that suggested that belief/non-belief in God might have a genetic component.
2007-07-16 08:52:29 · answer #10 · answered by Let Me Think 6 · 1⤊ 0⤋