Is it normal to think that religious people are less intelligent?

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33 Comments

I always wonder if religious people are less intelligent than me, as I don't believe in anything about theism that is told to me, with a lack of evidence.

It gets even more stupid when someone like a christian would reject the theory about the existence of ghosts or other gods than their own. They have no proof of their own god's existence, so how can they reject one other? I don't get it, and I don't get the interreligious hate.

People often say that atheists are ignorant, but actually that is excactly what they are themselves?

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69% Normal
Based on 61 votes (42 yes)
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Comments ( 33 )
  • ScooterNyne
    10 years ago

    Richard Dawkins says that most religious people he talks to seem far less intelligent.

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  • [Old Memory]
    10 years ago

    Yet you believe in your ability to evaluate and comprehend "evidence".

    Not smarter in the slightest, exactly the same in the sense that both yourself and the religious think they know something to begin with.

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  • q25t
    10 years ago

    I don't think it's actually a legitimate difference in intelligence. I compare it to running programs on a computer. Religion and any god claims show up as a really shitty OS that bogs everything down and doesn't allow for running other programs. Non-theism allows one to use all of their available capacities on the problem at hand.

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  • Terence_the_viking
    10 years ago

    Your dumb for thinking that.

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  • [Old Memory]
    10 years ago

    It's sort of like B.F. Skinner's superstitious pigeons. However, belief in whatever it is they believe doesn't equate to less intelligence.

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  • RomeoDeMontague
    10 years ago

    Spoken like a true idiot! No being religious or non-religious does not make you stupid. Being black, white, Hispanic or Asians does not mean you automatically stupid. Being gay or straight does not make you stupid. Being a prejudice asshole is what makes you STUPID.

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    • handsomeshooter
      10 years ago

      Sorry no, religion IS stupid and you tell me why it is not.Tell me what can possibly be construed as intelligent about practicing religion. That's all, just one example..I will give you a straight forward example of why it's thick.Because to follow a practice that has such an impact on peoples lives just because somebody says you should, and with no further evidence goes against everything we do as human beings.Go on off you go mate...

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      • RomeoDeMontague
        10 years ago

        Go to hell Hitler. Killing off the jews is not going to make you look any better.

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        • handsomeshooter
          10 years ago

          As ever a sound response from an astute factual observer, so tell me, what is intelligent about religion? Also I didn't realise being black or gay was a belief? Read carefully now, you have included black and gay in with a discussion on religion..people can stop believing whenever they like..

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          • handsomeshooter
            10 years ago

            I had a chat with a black pal of mine and he agrees that he's not stupid JUST because he's black. He is very astute and realises there are many reasons for being so thick..

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    • lem0nkeyface
      10 years ago

      I'm afraid you see religion as some kind of personal attribute, but it is not. People have their own choice whether they believe in fiction or not, it has no similarity with ethnicity or anything like that.

      I'm asking this, because in my opinion, if you believe in things that are told to you, which obviously lack evidence, then how can your brain keep its integrity?

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      • RomeoDeMontague
        10 years ago

        Well no one knows what happens after we die. So you can not disprove or prove things like a soul. Things like this have no evidence either way. So its not stupid to believe or not believe.

        Some things we have yet to answer. So having a different opinion does not make you stupid. Many people believe in things like spirits and ghosts. Even in japan they seem to have some superstitions and these are some of the smartest people on earth.

        That and even if these beliefs are incorrect it hurts no one to follow them. It is like attacking someone for not eating meat. If they don't want to eat meat let them do what they want. Long as they are not bothering people who choose to eat it. Now trying to get meat banned is going to get a lot of backlash. People who choose to abuse animals though is another story.

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        • lem0nkeyface
          10 years ago

          I partially agree with this, it's just that Religious people often tend to be disgusted of people that are following the same lifestyle as theirs, that's mainly what pisses me off.

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          • RomeoDeMontague
            10 years ago

            Anyone who pushes any kind of view on others is close minded, and ignorant. We all have a right to believe what we wish. We all should have the right to live how we want. We should not sink so low as to insult everyone who is different. Whats the point of it? Making someone else feel like shit is not going to fix anything. If you disagree you disagree. It is like beating up the kid with glasses since you think glasses are dumb. I don't see the point at all.

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            • handsomeshooter
              10 years ago

              I've never beaten up a religious type as far as I know, and I agree that they do tend to be, not thick, but er..more simpelarlar..? However I DID beat up the guy with the glasses, and typically it had nothing to do with glasses..he was a little shit, the little shit, and he deserved it too!

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          • RomeoDeMontague
            10 years ago

            Do you mean that are or that aren't? Also yes its very rude for someone to be snobby to people who do not have the same belief as them. This goes two ways though. People should not insult each other for having different beliefs.

            If its something like abortion, rape, killing or something like that yes it is a bit more complicated. Saying I hate someone simply because they believe or don't believe in god is stupid. It is like hating someone for being gay. If they are not hurting anyone let them be.

            If you agree or disagree if they hurt no one why should we care? A lot things in religion answers things we don't really have an answers to yet. Many people who have had near death experiences have claimed to have out of body experiences and seen dead loved ones.

            Not all religious people like that and its very stereotypical. Just like not all white people are nazis, all Mexicans are not smelly, and all black people are not criminals. A true christian does not judge people even if they disagree. A true christian lets god decide. So a true christian is not going to go around saying "You go to hell"! You go to hell"! they might pray for you but its as good faith.

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            • handsomeshooter
              10 years ago

              No, religious practice and the people that practice it are shit. I don't know how to wrap this comment up in myth and legend and then present it in song so I just wrote it as is....(think about it)

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  • Nephew7
    10 years ago

    Take away all the retarded ass storys, apply the logic we know and look at it upmost basicly, everything works so perfect and a higher power created this, it isnt that farfetched at all seeing how complex life in of itself is let alone harmonious cosmic configurations that allow it, but it always falls to what created god then? Surely you cant deny random creation when you have a super being that....came from nothing? And furthermore cannthing even exist? What is nothing? Even empty space is something...normal

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    • handsomeshooter
      10 years ago

      There's my common sense theory...upside down inside out and back to front, but there it is.

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  • KayDeeBee
    10 years ago

    I don't think so. Religion is more than believing in stories about a man walking on water or a being who created the universe, Religion is about learning how to be a good person and giving reasons to be good to others.

    I think religious people who miss the core principle of their own religion and focus on the stories and the traditions rather than what they mean are pretty stupid, but only because most people are stupid.

    Also religious extremists who think their other people deserve to die for not conforming to their idea of goodness.

    But no, religious people are no more stupid than Athiests, it's completely possible to meet an Athiest just as venomous and counterproductive about what they believe as well.

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    • handsomeshooter
      10 years ago

      That there is the problem..when are you fukin' holy lot gonna' understand that 'goodness' does not, and was not invented by fukin' religion. This is why you are smug self serving morons because you truly do , no matter what noises you make in public,believe Atheists are not as 'good' as you. Cut and dry, 'dat is 'dat.

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      • KayDeeBee
        10 years ago

        Just for the record, I'm an Athiest, I never claimed Religion had a Monopoly on being a good person. There are many Religious people that DO feel that way but also many that do not, and it does not do well to generalise.

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    • lem0nkeyface
      10 years ago

      I somewhat agree with this.

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  • SuperBenzid
    10 years ago

    Perhaps on average but not necessarily on a case by case basis. I'm sure there are stupid atheists and intelligent religious people.

    I think this is actually a bad path to go down though. Even if religious people were far more intelligent on average that still would make their arguments no more compelling. Even if Atheists were far less intelligent it wouldn't invalidate their arguments either.

    Put it this way. Slavers in the 18th century America were likely far better educated and knowledgeable than the slaves they owned yet that didn't make slavery correct. The slave that yearned for freedom did have the better argument regardless of the relative ignorance between the two parties.

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    • handsomeshooter
      10 years ago

      I think he means the very act of practicing religion IS in itself thick...I think.Nice to see a coherent answer..by the way.

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  • [Old Memory]
    10 years ago

    yes cause they listen to others , but who doesnt need friends ?

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  • KnightNigelWellingtonXXI
    10 years ago

    And atheists call religious people "close minded bigots".

    Signed,
    Knight Nigel Wellington XXI

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  • Anime7
    10 years ago

    T.S Eliot believed in God and many have regarded him as an important figure in 20th century literature. Just because you believe in God doesn't mean you're stupid; there are plenty of dumb atheists as there are theists. Judge a person on their character, not there religion.

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    • handsomeshooter
      10 years ago

      He also believed in fairys and dragons...

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  • Username125
    10 years ago

    Only if you're a self absorbed jerk that believes that your superior to others that don't believe the same thing as you...that happens a lot in religion too by the way. If you are gonna believe in God it will be by your own choice and if you carry around a prejudice about those who believe in a higher power you will never see God's work through others because you're to busy grading their intellect.

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    • handsomeshooter
      10 years ago

      Absolutely, I mean you couldn't accuse the religious types of being superior, or condemning anybody who dares disagree..are you for real?????? You even realised what you wrote as you wrote it, but that still didn't stop you. You must be very devout to know that even when you're wrong you are right.Surely you don't have to choose to believe in a god, surely god has enough power to simply contact his own creation..why do I need some prick at the door telling me god wants me, can't he speak for himself? Yeah that's right, god, I called you a fukin' pussy..what ya' gonna' do about it ya' big beardy tossbag?

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  • voges
    10 years ago

    No, some religious people are extremely intelligent

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    • handsomeshooter
      10 years ago

      Intelligence and common sense are two different things. I feel that all religions simply don't add up when put to this measure. If your grasp of common sense is so weak you are able to believe these things you are told, then all the degrees in the world won't change it.So religious people do tend to be more thick in this sense.

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