why do most (NOT ALL) athiests state that not only are we believing in a false God but that were also of a lower intelligence? and please, a serious answer would be nice.
2007-11-06 08:21:53 · 27 answers · asked by Anthony C 6 in Society & Culture ➔ Religion & Spirituality
i wont even say most athiests, just most of them on yahoo answers
2007-11-06 08:26:53 · update #1
No Atheist would ever say that you are believing in a false God. Another religious person would say that.
2007-11-06 08:27:13 · answer #1 · answered by ? 7 · 4⤊ 0⤋
I would never say that believing in god makes one stupid but I do question the intelligence of creationists which is part of some people's religion. Its just how with all the evidence against it they struggle to adhere to ancient stories. The Pastors who taught religion classes at my university even said that most scholars accept Genesis was a fable and not something to be taken literally. It is also widely accepted that is was one of the last books added to the OT.
2007-11-06 08:33:06 · answer #2 · answered by discombobulated 5 · 3⤊ 0⤋
I'm pretty much agnostic, and as long as you stop telling me you are "praying for my soul" and whatnot, I really couldnt care less who or what you believe in.
But I believe the atheistic reasoning for these comments is that
1. they have had a bad run-in or two with christians who tell them they are going to burn in hell because they dont believe the same thing they (the christian) do, and are tired of it (I've been there, after 45 minutes of my landlord's son preaching to me instead of fixing my fridge, I finally told him off and called him an idiot)
2. They think that you believing in in some story that was written and then rewritten and edited and re-edited so it can tell people how to live their lives, and believing some ridiculous story only, most of the time, because its what mommy and daddy told you, makes you dumb/weak.
Personally, if it makes you happy and you dont judge me about my beliefs, I couldnt care what you do. But I know there are athiests out there who are just out to prove you wrong... but trust me not all of us are like that. its the same with christians who fanatically try and convert athiests because they think its their "duty" to save our souls.
2007-11-06 08:35:19 · answer #3 · answered by sami_sam 4 · 3⤊ 0⤋
I don't think believers are ignorant fools.
I think that they are ill, their brains have been affected by a virulent mind virus passed down culturally through the generations. There are many strains of the virus and one of the features that makes it so successful is its ability to block any rational questioning of that particular belief.
When you hear the stories of other religions eg Mormonism its easy for them to see that its simply a made up story, similarly with Islam, Santa Claus etc.
Unfortunately when it comes to your religion the same standards of judgment are not applied. That's what makes the belief virus so successful. They reject or rationalize any evidence that doesn't fit their view of your god. Some of these rationalizations are all encompassing, eg "Its Gods plan", or "God works in mysterious ways". Using these mechanisms they can paper over any contradictory evidence they are presented with.
At present there is no known cure. Children are particularly vulnerable to the infection as their minds are set up to believe what adults tell them and are easily indoctrinated.
Some people do spontaneously cure themselves and in the longer term science is working on explaining the remaining mysteries of the universe. This will gradually leave the religious virus with fewer and fewer hiding places and may eventually lead to a permanent cure.
2007-11-06 08:29:31 · answer #4 · answered by Celestial Teapot 3 · 3⤊ 1⤋
We do not say you are believing in a "false god" I really don't even know what that is. We simply know that god is an imaginary creation of ancient and primitive, Hebrew sheep herders.
For the record, I will agree with you and say most atheists do think that that sort of belief is extremely stupid.
2007-11-06 10:13:55 · answer #5 · answered by Anonymous · 1⤊ 0⤋
I've thought about that one a lot and I think it comes down to the way we all percieve learning. The idea that a group of people could follow and completely believe in something of which there is no concrete proof comes as stupidity to those for whom learning and belief is based on concrete principles. It's a difference in thought processes and that is usually based on upbringing and personality.
In reality, no one really knows who is right and arguing about it doesn't do anything but upset people. I personally think that we should live and let live.
2007-11-06 08:32:31 · answer #6 · answered by A.R. 4 · 1⤊ 0⤋
A lot of us (not all) do it because we have come to the realization that there is no God through common sense and analytical thought, both of which require a decent level of intelligence.
Also, many of the greatest and smartest people in the world's history were and are atheists. Coincidence? I'm not so sure. On a personal level, most of the smartest people I know are atheists and as far as the others go (intelligent people I know), I think they are kidding themselves and they really know better but don't want to admit it.
2007-11-06 08:28:58 · answer #7 · answered by Gen•X•er (I love zombies!) 6 · 3⤊ 1⤋
Well, when faced with the tripe that the fundies on here spout, what else can a person assume? (I know they are hardly representative of Christians, but your question was a generalization, too.)
Sorry, but half the questioners can't spell atheist. Or monkeys. And they expect to be taken seriously...
I've only three times been actually ashamed of a question posted by a fellow atheist because of the faulty logic. I wonder how many Christians can say the same after a year and a half...
2007-11-06 08:27:21 · answer #8 · answered by Anonymous · 4⤊ 1⤋
Correlations have certainly been found to exist between belief in the supernatural and lower intelligence. But one should never judge individuals on the basis of correlations derived from populations. There are certainly individual theists who are intelligent as well as some dumb atheists.
2007-11-06 08:29:41 · answer #9 · answered by Dendronbat Crocoduck 6 · 4⤊ 0⤋
Christians are irrational. One of my best friends was invited to go to a Christians church one Sunday. My friend agreed and she went. My friends last name is Love and the sermon happened to be about Love. When the Christian girl asked her how she liked her church and my friend made a joke and she said she learned she was very important. The Christian girl freaked out and started being really mean. My friend tried calming her down by explaining that since her last name was Love it was just a joke. The Christian girl rolled her eyes and kept saying that my friend was wrong to make a joke about her church. She said she couldn't be friends with her anymore because they had different beliefs. If that's not irrational and stupid I don't know what is.
2007-11-06 11:32:40 · answer #10 · answered by Laughing all the way 5 · 1⤊ 0⤋