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Debate Info

106
102
Yes No
Debate Score:208
Arguments:130
Total Votes:215
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Argument Ratio

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 Yes (57)
 
 No (67)

Debate Creator

Srom(12206) pic



Does a person's intelligence dictate their choice of religion?

Yes

Side Score: 106
VS.

No

Side Score: 102
9 points

Yes, better educated people/smarter are less religious.With greater understanding of the world that surrounds you, less you tend to religions, myths, magic and rituals.

Side: Yes

A better education is not necessarily a mark of higher intelligence. Also, the question concerned choice of religion, not whether or not to have one, which is more likely determined by culture and surroundings.

Side: Yes
Nox0(1393) Disputed
1 point

If you compare numbers, for example percentage of theists between Physicist and Farmers, you will see that there is a huge difference.

Side: No
2 points

Pretty much yeah :D

Side: Yes
3 points

Thank you ...but actual argument would be better :)

Side: Yes
2 points

that's the most ignorant thing I have ever read in my life, sir

How can you propose to have a better understanding of the world around us than people who are in tune with the metaphysical?

If you were in tune with the metaphysical you would be religious/spiritual. And I don't mean religious as sitting in a church

Side: No
Nox0(1393) Disputed
2 points

your reply is completely off the context .

Side: Yes
Nebeling(1117) Disputed
2 points

A lot of clever people are/were religious. Einstein was, Newton was, Kant was. I could name so many important intellectual figures who were deeply religious, and because I can do this, I think your idea is refuted. Intelligence isn't reversely proportional to religiosity.

Side: No
Nox0(1393) Disputed
1 point

Einstein wasn't religious, he was polite to religious people. Newton was a horrible cunt, he used religion as a tool, he was a chairman of Anti-catholic society. If you read his "Principia mathematica" which is his life work, there is no word about god, I wouldn't believe him his religiosity.

Kant was a very complicated person in his early works it seems to me that he was religious but very critical to the standardized view of god. From his later work ...he looks even less religious.

Often many smart people tend to present them self in public as Agnostics instead of what they really are (atheists) simply because they aren't interested in debate with religious freaks.

Side: Yes
2 points

This is a great point. But the case is different for those who were taught religious values before an adult-like intellect formed.

Side: Yes
Nox0(1393) Disputed
1 point

If children are properly brainwashed and became so called "creatards". They will most likely not persuade to higher education simply because they think that "they know enough", everything they need to know is in the holly book and all problems can be solved by praying.

They will lose their curiosity and without that you will not go to the research...

Side: No
Centifolia(1319) Disputed
2 points

I hope you can explain how it happened that Einstein nor Richard Dawkins was unable to claim themselves as non-believers.

Side: No
Nox0(1393) Disputed
1 point

Politeness ?

Side: Yes
Thewayitis(4071) Disputed
2 points

Nox0, Your argument should read; People with a formal education are less religious.

Formal education is merely buying into that which you have been told. People with a real education decide things on their own from all information available to them.

“A learned fool is more a fool than an ignorant fool.” ― Molière

Side: No
Nox0(1393) Disputed
1 point

Critical thinking, mathematics, Physics, chemistry aren't matter of opinion, you cannot be "lured" by evil teacher to believe that 3+3=11

Side: Yes
skywh(104) Disputed
1 point

You may be surprised, those familiar with paganism or magick regard love,compassion and kindness a form of magick. Meditation can be ritualistic. It is not common one pursue these fields just to be Harry Potter. Those feat are impossible to do and not productive whatsoever.

Side: No
6 points

Statistics show that there are more atheists among the higher IQ level than theists. I only think theres a corrolation between IQ and being thiest or non theist but not between different religions. Actually, scratch that, Mormons and scientologists are probably far lower IQ levels than Christians or otherwise.

Side: Yes
skywh(104) Disputed
2 points

There are plenty of cult leaders in the past and present that have an extremely high percentage of IQ. Etc. Charles Manson, Anton LaVey. Furthermore, most people have about an average IQ and yet their perceptions of reality differs from one another.

Side: No
AveSatanas(4443) Disputed
4 points

Here are links to some of factual studies:

High IQ = Liberal, Atheist, Monogamous: http://www.outsidethebeltway.com/highiq…

High IQ Linked to Liberalism/Atheism: http://www.upi.com/HealthNews/2010/03/0…

Higher IQs turn into Atheists: http://www.timeshighereducation.co.uk/st…

Why do Atheists Outscore Christians: http://theweek.com/article/index/207591/…

Video: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=gI2LhaclI

All of these confirm higher atheist IQ levels. Thats all im arguing.

Side: Yes
Nox0(1393) Disputed
2 points

As he said most of high IQ people do not tend to magic/religion . Charles Manson was just murder with a fanclub, Lavey wasn't really smart.

Side: Yes
5 points

Of coarse it does. Anybody with any intelligence would never rule out what cannot be proven or disproven. To say I'm an atheist, takes no intelligence.

Side: Yes
3 points

I've really missed seeing some of your arguments. Humorous, yet completely earnest.

Side: Yes

Theists may hate it but studies do show as education levels rise, the belief in God(s) fall, this shows to me how the belief Gods survive purely of ignorance of things like science, which is why almost everyone was one hundreds of years ago before science could explain things.

Side: Yes
Troy8(2433) Disputed
2 points

The amount of education one receives does not really mean the same thing as intelligence.

Side: No
1 point

so if you had a near death experience and you witnessed hell you would just dismiss it as nothing and not even think about it?

I highly doubt that it wouldn't bother you in the least bit of sense

Side: No
AveSatanas(4443) Disputed
3 points

Sure it might be traumatic but it certainly wouldnt be proof or even very sufficient evidence to base belief in Hell and christianity on at all. The rational thing to do would not be to dismiss it but to asses it. What is the most likely cause for it? Maybe you're an atheist but the idea of hell always bothered you and being an atheist means you live knowing that (should christianity be correct) youll go to hell (not that it bothers most of us). This might mean that the brain simulated an imagnined dream of hell, spurred on by fear of hell mixed with a frightened shocked body and all kinds of hormones rushing like adrenaline. That is a more logical approach to it and after which, yeah, it can pretty much be dismissed.

Side: Yes
3 points

I guess it depends on whether they base their choice of religion on evidence rather than on faith, but as a result that kind of makes atheism more intelligent than anything else.

Side: Yes
2 points

"Every one who is seriously engaged in the pursuit of science becomes convinced that the laws of nature manifest the existence of a spirit vastly superior to that of men, and one in the face of which we with our modest powers must feel humble. The pursuit of science leads therefore to a religious feeling of a special kind, which differs essentially from the religiosity of more naive people." Einstein

Side: No
StickinStone(649) Clarified
0 points

He said a lot more about strict scientific rigor, so let's not have the above out of context. Still, he did say it.

Side: Yes

Well, to be honest I believe that intelligence truly does dictate someone's choice of religion. However, not always. First of all, those who are extremely smart in the sciences are almost always Atheists, because they know a ton of information that all goes against the belief in god. Than there are other people who are not as intelligent as far as science goes, so they are the people who are more willing to believe in god. Then there are people who have an average intelligence, so most of the population, who simply just decide for themselves whether there decision is based off of what they know or not. There are many factors that go into whether a person is religious or if they are not, and intelligence does play a role in some cases, but not always. But for the most part, I would say yes.

Side: Yes
skywh(104) Disputed
2 points

For Christians to believe everything that is mentioned in the bible without questioning has nothing to do with any inferior intelligence but ignorance. Intelligence is used to analyse information. If that information is limited and controlled anyone can be 'stupid'. Even cavemen.

Side: No
2 points

I am an Atheist, however you are basically saying that all Christians believe that everything is mentioned in the bible without questioning it. That is not true, however. There are a lot of so called "Christians" who do not fully believe everything in the bible. And I will say that it is not always ignorance like you like you claim. Yes, I think a lot of religious people are ignorant. But you also have to understand that sometimes it is just choice. They choose to believe in something because it makes them feel better, it gives them help to put faith in a "god" It doesn't mean they are ignorant nessacarily.

Side: Yes
2 points

Of course it does. If one is a pseudo-intellect, then your choice is atheism. If you are actually intelligent then one of the other religions is your choice.

Side: Yes

Intelligence can influence one to choose a religion that centers on peace.

Side: Yes
4 points

No, plenty of great civilisations, empires, cultures in the past have indeed a strong religious background. Polytheism in fact. China, Egypt, Greek. Many have had made incredible scientific discoveries. It is only the Abrahmic religions that insist that the meddlings of their dusty tome contains absolute truth and persecute anyone that goes against them till this very day.

Side: No
Nox0(1393) Disputed
2 points

most of them fallen because of other religions .

Side: Yes
skywh(104) Disputed
2 points

No, conquer was a very common game. I bet most religions do not permit slaughter among kingdoms. Japan and China were Buddhist countries but they were at each others necks and this still happens today.

Side: No
4 points

To some extent yes, but I think that in most situations it has more to do with the people you are surrounded by.

Side: No
3 points

I'm not religious but if you think about it, the life of ignorance in which you can push all your problems on a "god," is ingenious. To live through bliss is a dream i have. "Perception is suffering."

Side: No
Nox0(1393) Disputed
3 points

I think that person has to be really dumb to willingly lie them self, ranter than accepting the reality

Side: Yes
3 points

Well anyone who is consumed in religion and the government don't view it as a lie to them selves; that's the beauty of ignorance.

Side: Yes
Quocalimar(6470) Disputed
1 point

It's not dumb to put faith in a higher power, when your house get's burned down because electricity struck it, when the reality is that it was just a freak accident. It's just more comfortable to believe that happened for a reason, and that when you die, you won't just rot in the ground, but instead you'll be transported to peace. It's also not dumb to believe that good people are rewarded and bad people are punished, it's just more comfortable to.

Side: No
3 points

The media state and culture has boiled the world down to global awareness of only 5 options 'Christian', 'Catholic', 'Agnostic', 'Jewish', and 'Athiest'. The world isn't so straight forward and these religions are so massive and convoluted that we can't really see that there are any others. Truth is that any fact or logic contained with in them has been jumbled by humanity to the point of mass contradiction.

Take a look at American History and tell me the religion which most ever founding father and hero is - its Deism. The belief in god/gods and not churches and their books - mostly that god exists without influencing our earthly existance. It is possibly to believe in god without mass corruption or false devotion.

Side: No

Believe what you want to believe, know what you want to know.

Side: No
1 point

intelligence, we can all agree is book knowledge. If I have spent years studying anything concerned with religion, I could be considered intelligent in those regards.

Side: No
StickinStone(649) Clarified
1 point

Clarify:

Being smart or having book knowledge is not necessarily the same as intelligence. I think that's the disconnect here. Some people are very intelligent without formal book knowledge. They have a knack for critical thinking or analysis.

Side: Yes
Kittiana(154) Clarified
1 point

That's called being analytical or wise. They aren't the same thing.

Side: Yes
1 point

I cannot comprehend how degrees of intelligence can correlate with a belief system. Religions is most often sprouted from a long and strict process of teachings and experiences guided by parents or other authorities. Intelligence is a personal journey which constantly changes and forms new shapes as time passes. Religion is most often a stable growth. In short, intelligence is more of a personal occurrence which we create ourselves and religion is more of a set of principles in which we do not need certain levels of intelligence to understand or follow it.

Side: No
Kittiana(154) Clarified
1 point

But I wasn't talking about just following religion. I was referring to people who are deeply immersed in their religion and know the history and terms quite well.

Side: Yes
Nox0(1393) Disputed
0 points

According to many statistics Smarter people or in least better educated are much less religious...

Side: Yes
Axmeister(4322) Disputed
1 point

Care to provide those statistics?

Side: No
1 point

I don't think it does religion is a personal journey and your choice of which path to take on that journey does not imply how intelligent you are, although your intelligence may determine how much you understand the religious teachings

Side: No
Nox0(1393) Disputed
1 point

"smarter" people can compare mythology to reality distinguish it from it and bin it. Idiots can't do simply because they are not capable of such comparison also they lack knowledge to compare it with.

Side: Yes
1 point

Not really. There are way too many exceptions among the religious and non-religious for this to even be generally true.

Side: No
1 point

One's preference for a certain way of thinking is dependant on the environments that mould him, not his degree of cleverness or knack for understanding divine/humane concepts.

Side: No
0 points

Why do people think is a atheist / theist debate? This is about religion which doesn't necessarily imply theism.

Side: No
3 points

My guess is that although they think they are more intelligent their are some Atheists who don't seem to understand the difference between religion and Theism.

Side: No
Nox0(1393) Disputed
1 point

Theism and religion are same thing, one without other literaly means nothing

Side: Yes