What is your education level and are you a Believer, Atheist or other?

Question

Someone yesterday claimed there would be a correlation between education and their beliefs.

I think the person was just an ignorant arrogant fool. But hey, let's do a survey and see if I am right.

I have a PhD, 3 Masters degrees and I'm working on my next (last) Doctorate degree. I don't follow any religion but I do believe in God.

Chippy: God is a title. The Christian God is the SAME God as the Muslim God and the Jewish God. Christianity and Islam are just groups that broke away from the original. It might help if you did some studying on the subject.

And His name is "I Am".

The Dude: Yeah, It's just a survey and not meant for anything other than entertainment. Relax a bit "Dude". GEEEEZ!

Look, I realize this is an informal poll and I'm not going to use it in any formal studies or government reports. People called me a stuffed shirt but WOW!!! Some of you just need to relax and take a chill pill. I'm not looking to do a ton of research on the subject but I do know how to. I was just throwing a question out there to see what I would get. I know it's not scientific by any means and will be skewed.

But the results are in fact FASCINATING!

Better than I would have guessed. It shows me that the majority of responding Atheists are humorless and so bound up by what they perceive as facts that they can't have fun with a stupid little survey. Sounds like you are as insufferable to be around here as I have found in real life. In the time I spent in the educations system, I was surrounded by those that don't believe and I made sure to never say I was a believer. I heard the most vile comments from Atheists regarding believers but never the other way around. Interesting indeed.

Dream: Christians believe in the Trinity do they not? God the Father, Jesus (the son) and the Holy Ghost. The FATHER is the same God as the Muslim God and the Jewish God. Even Jesus acknowledged the Father.

The Muslims split off at Abraham and the Christians split off at Jesus. You do remember Abraham right?

It looks like I need to go further on the same God issue.

OK. SO I have a car. I really like my car and so does two of my friends. I (Israelites) call my car Amy. My friends decide they don't like me anymore but still really like my car. The first guy (Christians) calls it Jessy and the second guy (Muslims) calls it Ally. Now is it the same car that they are calling by different names or is it a different car? It is in fact the same car even though it is called by a different name. Same God too. Just worshiped differently and called by a different name. HE never changed only the people worshiping him did.

Answer 1

3.9 in my senior year of college. I am a believer. The person who said that is pretty dumb.

Answer 2

I have an Associates Degree, and believe in the God of the Bible, Old Testament and New.

This claim of Atheists has been going around for a while. They present evidence of it, but there is another possible interpretation of the statistics.

Since most of the world's population falls in the category of the less educated, and most of the non-third-world higher educational institutions promote atheistic doctrines, it would be a natural consequence that Atheists appear to be more educated.

One should ask Atheists, WHEN they acquired their beliefs? It may be found that they did not acquire them as a result of independent study or rarely from heritage. Many go into collage with open and UNGUARDED minds, allowing anything to be put there by anyone who appears to have scholarly authority, unquestioned.

Evidence of this unguarded, open mindedness of Atheists can be seen on this very forum. Whenever a popular Atheist comes along, all the Atheists recite that persons words like a whole chorus of mindless parrots. Their "Spaghetti Monster" has given me indigestion.
-~<=>~- -~<=>~- -~<=>~- -~<=>~- -~<=>~-

BTW, if 'God' is only a title, then we must look to the attributes (what he can/cannot and will/will-not do) of the various gods to compare them to see if they are the same or not. If you do this, you will find that the Muslim god is NOT the same as the Judao/Christian God. And in fact, neither the Jewish nor the Catholic/Protestant beliefs match with the Bible.

And though it is true that these groups share a common theological ancestry, their differences are primarily in their beliefs in the attributes of their god.

Answer 3

"Someone yesterday claimed there would be a correlation between education and their beliefs.

I think the person was just an ignorant arrogant fool. But hey, let's do a survey and see if I am right."

LOL. Someone as educated as you should know that a poorly done, small sample sized internet survey cannot prove anything. LARGE, WELL DONE surveys show an inverse correlation between education and beliefs. The least educated tend to be very religious believers (go to church very often, take their religious text literally). The most educated tend to be very liberal believers (may not have a text, if they do don't take much of it literally, go to church sometimes, or perhaps, don't believe in anything at all).

The trend is definitely there. And shame on you for claiming a poor little internet poll will matter.

EDIT - You said in new comments "Look, I realize this is an informal poll" Well bub, then don't write "But hey, let's do a survey and see if I am right" because that makes you come across as a ignorant fool. You should have the decency to admit you misspoke earlier (at best), or more likely conveyed what you wanted to convey correctly but in fact what you conveyed is wrong.

Pretending that your aim was to determine the humor level of atheists is ridiculous and frankly insults everyone's intelligence. Be a man and own up to your earlier misstatement. What you are doing now is childish (insulting other posters because they pointed out a flaw in your argument).

Answer 4

Studies have shown a correlation between education level and a lack of belief in some Sky Father. Yet...

I have known brilliant men and women with substantial post secondary education that have not only a belief in some higher intelligence but great human spirituality. One member of this group is a nuclear physicist who was involved in the creation of the Canadarm for the space shuttle. Point?

I believe greater study needs to be done in the genetics of this issue. As a god gene has been discovered, study into its effects on the individual need to be executed Through this, we might garner greater understanding of the believer no matter the education level.

Answer 5

There are a lot of educated fools out there...."The fool has said in his heart there is no God".

Being intelligent has nothing to do with being educated. Some people are born with enough money to go to college and some are not....they may have a better education but that doesn't make them intelligent...Some college educated people, can't even add. So this is a stupid way to judge...

EDITED: FOR RED F...You need to do some studying yourself there....The Christian God is not the same as the Muslim God....Christians believe Jesus Christ is God..the Muslims think he is only a good teacher and prophet...BIG difference...

Answer 6

I am a born again believer in Christ. I graduated from high school with excellent marks (not bragging, just telling what happened!). I could have gone to college but I chose not to. I wanted to marry my fiance right away and be a homemaker.

And before anyone jumps on me for "wasting my brain" (sorry to ASSume, but that happens lot and it's a sore spot with me!)...I use it all the time. I still learn. I love to read, I love information, I love science and history and music. I still learn. I am also planning to teach my children myself (homeschooling - I will be their teacher), so that will be a big learning experience too! I can't teach them if I am ignorant on the subject so there will be a whole lotta learning going on in my house for the next, oh, 25 years or so!

College education isn't the only way to be an educated person. Besides that, some people come out of college more ignorant and close-minded than they went in. It's what you do with what you know that determines how smart and educated you are!

Answer 7

Three years in college plus many other types of continued education.

I was born into a Christian family. I am a Christian but I study other religions. I am considered a rebel because I am open minded about God. I do not believe that Christians are right and everyone else is wrong as I was taught. I learned that I was lied to in many churches so I have stopped listening to preachers and other people tell me about God and started studying Him for myself. I guess you could say I am somewhat eclectic.

Answer 8

I have an AAS, and I'm finishing up a BA. I'm an animist.

ADDED RE: the CAR Analogy:
I'd prefer to walk or ride a bike than worry about the car, and not only because the car seems to cause nothing but silly arguments about what name it has. Thus, I am not only free of the car, its maintainance and fuel, but I also travel under my own power. The car, if it is working, may go faster, but those travelling miss the fine details I get to see. And in the end, I have had health and freedom while car users have had to punch a clock for someone else just to keep the car running.

Answer 9

I have a B.S. in computing sciences. I'm a Sr. Programmer/Analyst.

I first went to Bethany College of Missions and spent a year on the mission field in Puerto Rico.

I minored in math, studied chemistry, and other related sciences and maintained a place on the dean's list the entire time I attended college (3 years due to transfer credits).

I am a Christian, and I believe that we are to love God not only with our heart, but with our mind and intelligence as well.

Answer 10

One year at a major university.
26 on the ACT
116 IQ
Self taught in Spanish, Arabic, history, religious studies, and psychology.
Widely read.
Believer in the Christian God (note I capitalized it---that's good psychology here)
Oh , self taught in the use of computer software and installing hardware.

I may not be educated, but I'm no dummy either.

Answer 11

I'm college educated (biochemistry) and also have some post-college education in several areas: history, philosophy, project management, plus a good deal of science. I regularly read publications like Scientific American and Reason, and follow a few areas with great interest, especially biology, artificial life, and artificial intelligence. I do a lot of personal research in these areas out of sheer curiousity. I'm also reasonably famiilar with the bible and Greek mythology. I guess I'm something of a Renaissance dood!
And I'm a pedal to the metal atheist! Rock on!