Interesting article on losing your faith

Originally posted by scottishinnz
I don't think he'll ever be going to church again. But there are many stories like his.

Jesus hardly ever went to church so he's in good company

Originally posted by knightmeister
Jesus hardly ever went to church so he's in good company

Satan neither.

Originally posted by knightmeister
Jesus hardly ever went to church so he's in good company

Nor have I for a while.

But then you deliberately misinterpreted what he meant didn't you.

Your answer is also incorrect and possibly intentionally misleading.

Jesus never went to Church as churches did not exist. However, he almost certainly did go to the Jewish equivalent regularly.

Or he could be in the process of readjusting his pre-concieved image of God?
What is a "pre-conceived image" and what is the alternative? Is your image "post-conceived"?

Originally posted by scottishinnz
I have already pointed out that NOONE BELIEVES THAT BELIEVING IN GOD LOWERS YOUR IQ. However, that said, more well educated people are less likely to believe in god. The reason for this, in my opinion, would principally be that more intelligent people tend to more likely to critically examine the evidence for or against their beliefs, and they also te ...[text shortened]... out they've been lied to by people in positions of trust in their lives for so many years.

come on, i don't think you really believe that first sentence. most atheists believe they are smarter than theists. that's nonsense, of course people believe they have lower IQs; that doesn't make it correct, but many people do believe so. also, there are more aspects to intelligence than just IQ, and from my experience, theists seem to be more lacking in EQ than anything.

Originally posted by scottishinnz
You think McGrath is any better?

Neither are exactly the sharpest knives in the drawer.

Originally posted by scottishinnz
Satan neither.

Don't count on it. He's alive and well in many right wing fundie churches in the US

Originally posted by EcstremeVenom
come on, i don't think you really believe that first sentence. most atheists believe they are smarter than theists. that's nonsense, of course people believe they have lower IQs; that doesn't make it correct, but many people do believe so. also, there are more aspects to intelligence than just IQ, and from my experience, theists seem to be more lacking in EQ than anything.

No, I don't believe that beieving in God lowers your IQ. However, people with lower IQs tend to believe in God, in my opinion. Belief in the supernatural is (in some but not all cases, there are a variety of reasons) a result of a low IQ, not a cause.

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Religiosity_and_intelligence#Studies_comparing_religious_belief_and_I.Q.

(interestingly, intelligent people who believe are more likely to go to church than less well educated people, perhaps the more educated people are more motivated individuals?)

Originally posted by knightmeister
Don't count on it. He's alive and well in many right wing fundie churches in the US

And they say the same about your church.

Originally posted by scottishinnz
No, I don't believe that beieving in God lowers your IQ. However, people with lower IQs tend to believe in God, in my opinion. Belief in the supernatural is (in some but not all cases, there are a variety of reasons) a result of a low IQ, not a cause.

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Religiosity_and_intelligence#Studies_comparing_religious_belief_and_ ...[text shortened]... an less well educated people, perhaps the more educated people are more motivated individuals?)

i said nothing about cause and effect; i was only speaking about correlation

Originally posted by EcstremeVenom
come on, i don't think you really believe that first sentence. most atheists believe they are smarter than theists. that's nonsense, of course people believe they have lower IQs; that doesn't make it correct, but many people do believe so. also, there are more aspects to intelligence than just IQ, and from my experience, theists seem to be more lacking in EQ than anything.

Are you basing this on what? Posts on chess forums?
Where do you get the notion that most atheists think they are smarter than theists? Do you believe that?
I know there's a hell of a lot of theists smarter than I'll ever be ...

Originally posted by EcstremeVenom
i said nothing about cause and effect; i was only speaking about correlation

scottishinnz made a statement about cause and effect.
You denied that statement with a correlation defence.
scottishinnz has stated that he agrees with the correlation but not the cause and effect that he originally posted.

Originally posted by amannion
Are you basing this on what? Posts on chess forums?
Where do you get the notion that most atheists think they are smarter than theists? Do you believe that?
I know there's a hell of a lot of theists smarter than I'll ever be ...

i am talking about my own personal experiences

Originally posted by twhitehead
scottishinnz made a statement about cause and effect.
You denied that statement with a correlation defence.
scottishinnz has stated that he agrees with the correlation but not the cause and effect that he originally posted.

I actually disagree with Zahlanzi's rather repetitive opinion that atheists believe that believing in God somehow lowers ones IQ.

Originally posted by amannion
Are you basing this on what? Posts on chess forums?
Where do you get the notion that most atheists think they are smarter than theists? Do you believe that?
I know there's a hell of a lot of theists smarter than I'll ever be ...

This is an important point. I should elaborate.

I am not trying to say that all theists are stupid (actually, I believe most are deluded, not stupid). I am not trying to say that all atheists are smarter than all theists.

I am saying that, on average, with a large sample size, the average IQ of people who do not believe in God (largely a trait in the developed world) is, on average higher than people who believe in God (largely a trait of the developing world, and, strangely, the US.).

There are many stupid atheists, and many smart theists. And many stupid theists, and many smart atheists.

Originally posted by scottishinnz
This is an important point. I should elaborate.

I am not trying to say that all theists are stupid (actually, I believe most are deluded, not stupid). I am not trying to say that all atheists are smarter than all theists.

I am saying that, on average, with a large sample size, the average IQ of people who do not believe in God (largely a trait i ...[text shortened]... many stupid atheists, and many smart theists. And many stupid theists, and many smart atheists.

Yes, I agree with you, but I take exception to EV's statement which smacks of elitism.