Atheists – Are you more enlightened & intelligent than Francis Collins -- head of the Human Genome Project?

Question

Francis Collins -- head of the Human Genome Project -- discusses his conversion to evangelical Christianity, why scientists do not need to be atheists, and what C.S. Lewis has to do with it.

http://www.salon.com/books/int/2006/08/07/collins/index_np.html

Answer 1

I am not an Atheist. But Beleiving in a God or not is not a matter of intelectual power, it is a measure of personal faith. Some 'smart' people beleive in God, and some don't. And the converse is true as well.

Answer 2

What is the point? The fact is that some will be more intelligent than him. Some will be more enlightened then him. Some both, some neither. The fact that he is intelligent does not mean he is right or wrong. Some really really dumb people are evangelical Christians. So what. The Pope is intelligent, does that make him more enlightened that Collins? Would Catholics agree? As a Jew, finding Jesus is neither a plus or a minus in my book. Finding Jesus in a children's book makes me question how smart Collins really is. I believe in G-d. Atheists don't. So what?

Answer 3

I.... do not see the point in this. So the head of the human genome project is an evangelical Christian. So all evangelical Christians are now somehow smarter or better than anyone else? Are you implying that he is intelligent and enlightened because he is an evangelical Christian? Are you implying that he must be intelligent and enlightened because he is head of the human genome project? Where do you think Mr. Collins got a majority of his intelligence from, being an evangelical Christian, or being head of the human genome project?

Answer 4

Don't need to look at it. Yes, I am more enlightened. As for the intellegence issue, I can hold my own. I don't really think that a person's spiritual convictions are a reflection of intelligence, though. I don't have any problem with someone who practices true Christianity. My problem with most evangelical Christians is that many of them don't practice what they preach. They don't use non-violent, non-invasive techniques. They don't 'turn the other cheek' or 'love thy brother'. They incite hatred, war, racism, homophobia and an assortment of other foul behaviors.

I don't speak for all Christians when I say this. There are good and bad people of any religion. But I really don't need a 2,000 year old book that has been mistranslated, misused and exploited to tell me how to live my life. I am perfectly capable of determining that I shouldn't lie, cheat, steal or kill without reading a book full of fairy tales.

To those that need or want religion...more power to ya. I'm all about freedom of choice. Console yourselves that, even though you couldn't convert me, Heaven will be less crowded without me and my Atheist friends.

Answer 5

The question is flawed- it's a question of what you believe based on the information you have, not scoring points on the next man (though I accept that it doesn't always seem like it given the way some athiests gleefully piss all over the beliefs of others for the sake of it).
I'm an athiest because the idea of a god, or creating sentient force is very human-centric and bears too many similarities to the traditional patriarchal form of family units and politics (the idea of a wise old man at the top that creates and controls).

Answer 6

For every Francis Collins there are many many more people who feel that evangelical Christians are akin to the Taliban. People have a right to believe whatever they want, but no one has the right to pressure others to believe something else.

Answer 7

My husband is an atheist and I think this is a very huge flaw of theirs, the arrogance, it's insulting. Just read "The God Delusion", it was really insulting to me because he's very partronizing and he blatantly ridicules believers. Serves no purpose.

And yes, I believe in evolution and I don't feel it contradicts a belief in Christ. But I also don't believe the Bible was written by God, it was written by men and translated many times. It's not THE word for me, just a guide.

For me it's not even about intelligence, it's about how open minded you are to evidence and how rigid you are with your faith. It bothers me when Christians use the Bible as a means to condemn others behavoir but not their own. And I also believe that the Christian Right has really turned many people away from Church because my beliefs have nothing to do with my politics. Although it does influence them, I believe in turning the other cheek, worrying about the least of us and caring for those who cannot care for themselves.

Answer 8

Religions that base themselves on a greater being are scared of the thought that the scientific make up of a human is being discovered. That it isn't a bunch of magic and spirits, but cold hard reality.

One man cannot speak for the Atheist community like the pope can for some religions.

We are all people of science, and base our knowledge on facts and logic. One man's logic may seem absurd to another man.

Answer 9

Good Point! However, (drawing my double edged sword) I would remind creationists that this man knows full well that evolution exists and that it and genetics are two pieces of the same puzzle. It's very refreshing to me to hear from someone who knows that God and evolution are NOT mutually exclusive ideas!

Answer 10

I am a lot smarter than him yes I can prove all religion is man made and Christianity is a complete lie, no man of science can be a christian because science demands you are able to think in a logical way. here are a few facts that prove Christians are dumb and I have superior intellect
! Noah picking up kangaroos dropping them of again in Australia
2 Star leading people to a stable if you don`t understand why this is stupid again you are showing your a dumb retard
3 Different races from Adam and Eve
4 Believing a slave race were the people of God yet we are all meant to come from Adam and Eve so should all be one race anyway
5 Thinking God is loving as the Old testament says rapping women keeping slaves and killing children is ok

Read link and remember the fact you never spotted these things shows how dumb you are I can also destroy the Muslim faith as its equally as retarded

http://www.evilbible.com/