Atheists do you look down on religious people?
Discuss religious, spiritual, and theological issues concerning Christianity, Judaism, Islam, or any other religion.
| Announcements | Posted on | |
|---|---|---|
| Enter our travel-writing competition for the chance to win a Nikon 1 J3 camera | 21-05-2013 | |
-
View Poll Results: Do you look down on religious people?
No 175 53.03% Yes 155 46.97%
-
- Reputation:
- TSR Idol
- Posts: 7,660
Re: Atheists do you look down on religious people?I don't really know how to respond other than to say that they must be able to do this, because I and multiple people I am friends with did.(Original post by TurboCretin)
Children simply do not do this. At least not from the outset. They are programmed to trust their parents and learn quickly from them. That much is a biological imperative. I think it is a little naive to suggest that children do, or even should, sit and philosophise about every proposition put to them from such a time as they can begin to process them. -
- Reputation:
- Respected Member
- Posts: 183
Re: Atheists do you look down on religious people?I don't believe that humans originally happened to be apes. But the other species which seem to adapt and appear different from how there used to be well I believe that, but not apes into humans.
I heard that the devil is one of the most deceptive being around, it says in the religous books that he can put out a silly idea out there and make people believe it.
the idea: apes evolving into humans, silly idea some people out there believe it. -
- Reputation:
- Section Moderator
Re: Atheists do you look down on religious people?No, the closest I would come to 'looking down' on people is when people believe in something solely because their parents did. That applies to both theists and atheists. Even then, it's not really 'looking down' because it's hardly their fault for being fed info from an early age.
I disagree with people that believe without evidence, and I strongly disagree with people who think they have evidence (but really don't), but it's their own choice. As long as it doesn't impact me (i.e. as long as they don't shove it down my threat), I have no problem with it, and I would respect their beliefs.Last edited by Xotol; 24-04-2012 at 17:24. -
- Reputation:
- Vengeful, Imperial Overlord of The Student Room
- Location: Canada | Posts: ∞
Re: Atheists do you look down on religious people?Does a possibility not exist that these religious people (myself included), did in fact question the religion that was presented to them?(Original post by Aspiringlawstudent)
I simply can't accept that it is the case that ordinary people do not immediately question information presented to them. Surely indoctrination cannot be immediate - one would not be indoctrinated by hearing someone say 'God is real' and then immediately accept it. It would surely have to be some sort of sustained campaign of force-feeding of information?
As such, as soon as it is introduced I would expect someone to question it.
If you were to attempt to convince me that the sky is purple, for example, at the very first mention of the concept it is surely appropriate for the ordinary person to say 'well, is it? It doesn't appear that way, I see no evidence for it'.
Does religion fall so outside the scope of rationality that you believe that anyone who rationally questions religion will find that it is useless?
Why do you so firmly believe that every single person requires some sort of empirical proof or evidence to formulate a belief upon? Does the word faith have no place in your vocabulary?
Your basic argument seems to be that rational people would never believe in religion, and the only ones that do believe are a result of "sustained campaign of force-feeding of information".
Why is it so irrational to understand that many religious people are not religious from the get go (myself included). I wasn't brainwashed into believing Christianity. In fact my parents weren't even that big on Christianity. Add to that the fact that I grew up in Saudi Arabia, where saying Christianity was enough to get your tongue cutoff.
But it was only over time, following personal study/reflection, along with reading scriptures, hearing sermons and speaking with other Christians that I was able to formulate my belief model. Until then, I too was confused as to how people could actually believe this stuff. -
- Reputation:
- Section Moderator
Re: Atheists do you look down on religious people?You and a few friends did it, therefore everyone should? Cool story bro.(Original post by Aspiringlawstudent)
I don't really know how to respond other than to say that they must be able to do this, because I and multiple people I am friends with did.
For me, it took me until about 14 until I started critically evaluating my beliefs. And it took a year and half more until I left my religion. It's not that easy, at all. -
- Reputation:
- Vengeful, Imperial Overlord of The Student Room
- Location: London
- Posts: 4,541
Re: Atheists do you look down on religious people?Are you seriously suggesting that children have the intellectual maturity to challenge the validity of something which their parents have unshakeable faith in? I am ecstatic for you if you had greater mental acuity at age four than Isaac Newton or Ramanujan. Most children, meanwhile, believe in Santa and the Tooth Fairy for the first few years of their lives.(Original post by Aspiringlawstudent)
I don't really know how to respond other than to say that they must be able to do this, because I and multiple people I am friends with did.
I might add that I'm not sure how your learning/survival got off the ground if you didn't take certain parental input as read.Last edited by TurboCretin; 24-04-2012 at 17:41. -
- Reputation:
- Banned
- Posts: 146
Re: Atheists do you look down on religious people?I don't begrudge any individual any sense of a personal salvation. If they find that within religion... then good for them.
But when this religious momentum spills into other areas like legal and ethical issues and medical ethics and scientific advancement etc or when it is converted into a form of extremism then yes, because in those situations it is removing other people liberties.
In general though, just because somebody is religious isn't a reason to believe they are beneath you. That's just low :/ -
- Reputation:
- New Member
- Posts: 22
Re: Atheists do you look down on religious people?So applying what you say to the past 2000 odd years (i.e. the existence of Christianity) the only possible explanation for the fact that the vast majority of Europeans were Christians is that they simply lacked the intelligence of 21st century man?(Original post by Aspiringlawstudent)
I simply can't accept that it is the case that ordinary people do not immediately question information presented to them. Surely indoctrination cannot be immediate - one would not be indoctrinated by hearing someone say 'God is real' and then immediately accept it. It would surely have to be some sort of sustained campaign of force-feeding of information?
As such, as soon as it is introduced I would expect someone to question it.
If you were to attempt to convince me that the sky is purple, for example, at the very first mention of the concept it is surely appropriate for the ordinary person to say 'well, is it? It doesn't appear that way, I see no evidence for it'.
Surely you can accept that environmental factors have an effect? Not everybody has the luxury to sit back and, with their razor sharp minds (unclouded by prejudice) cut through to the purely objective truth as you clearly are able to. -
- Reputation:
- Exalted and Worshipped Member
- Posts: 1,014
Re: Atheists do you look down on religious people?No, I do not, and it's people with an attitude like the OP that create unnecessary tension between atheists and religious people.
You don't believe what they believe based on a lack of evidence, that's fine, but IN NO WAY does that make you superior/more intelligent/whatever than them. That attitude only gets people's backs up. -
- Reputation:
- Respected Member
- Posts: 248
Re: Atheists do you look down on religious people?http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Importa...ion_by_country(Original post by facdroit)
I absolutely look down on religious people in fact I feel religious people are less intelligent for believing in such nonsense.
Fellow atheists do you also feel the same way?
What makes people in the Niger so unintelligent? -
- Reputation:
- Respected Member
- Location: Belfast
- Posts: 207
Re: Atheists do you look down on religious people?No, of course not. I would complain if a religious person looked down on me, so why would I do it to them? I don't agree with their views but I don't dislike them for it. I don't think it means their less intelligent either, and even if I did think that, I think it's wrong to look down on someone just because they aren't as smart as you.
-
- Reputation:
- Benevolent Member
- Posts: 760
Re: Atheists do you look down on religious people?We still are apes...(Original post by Freddy12345)
I don't believe that humans originally happened to be apes. But the other species which seem to adapt and appear different from how there used to be well I believe that, but not apes into humans.
I heard that the devil is one of the most deceptive being around, it says in the religous books that he can put out a silly idea out there and make people believe it.
the idea: apes evolving into humans, silly idea some people out there believe it. -
- Reputation:
- Respected Member
- Posts: 248
Re: Atheists do you look down on religious people?But it's a fact that some religious people have extremely high IQs.(Original post by Aspiringlawstudent)
Of course it does
If someone told you that they thought Hagrid of Harry Potter was the omnipotent creater of all things in the universe, surely you'd think he was mad or mentally feeble?
You surely wouldn't think him intelligent or respectable, would you? -
- Reputation:
- Exalted and Worshipped Member
- Posts: 981
Re: Atheists do you look down on religious people?It depends on the issues at hand. With some religious people, over issues such as homosexuality, and they call it wrong because the Bible says so, I will look down on their views. Otherwise, no, not really.
-
- Reputation:
- Exalted and Worshipped Member
- Posts: 1,014
Re: Atheists do you look down on religious people?...And that some atheists have exceptionally low IQs... such as the ones who think that their atheism makes them superior to religious people.(Original post by orcprocess)
But it's a fact that some religious people have extremely high IQs. -
- Reputation:
- Adored and Respected Member
- Location: London
Re: Atheists do you look down on religious people?I don't think you understand what indoctrination is. I refer you back to my first post in this thread. People are indoctrinated in a very gradual fashion SINCE BIRTH. You cannot expect small children to conjure the intellectual capacity to reject religious information. As they grow older, the self-generating, self-perpetuating parasite that is religion continues to manifest itself amongst individuals, communities and future generations.(Original post by Aspiringlawstudent)
I simply can't accept that it is the case that ordinary people do not immediately question information presented to them. Surely indoctrination cannot be immediate - one would not be indoctrinated by hearing someone say 'God is real' and then immediately accept it. It would surely have to be some sort of sustained campaign of force-feeding of information?
As such, as soon as it is introduced I would expect someone to question it.
If you were to attempt to convince me that the sky is purple, for example, at the very first mention of the concept it is surely appropriate for the ordinary person to say 'well, is it? It doesn't appear that way, I see no evidence for it'. -
- Reputation:
- Peer Of The TSR Realm
- Posts: 1,640
Re: Atheists do you look down on religious people?They do - they just come to different conclusions to you. OMG.(Original post by Aspiringlawstudent)
Surely they ought to be expected to have the mental strength to question such beliefs, though?
I never accepted anything my parents said without explanation and rational scrutiny - for example, if they supported a particular political party, I would ask why and ask questions about it, then do my own research, and make up my own mind about it.
Why would people not do the same about religious beliefs?
Why do your political ideas differ from other people's? Is one of you right and one of you wrong or are you just different brains exposed to different experiences and hence having different present ideas? -
- Reputation:
- Respected Member
- Posts: 248
Re: Atheists do you look down on religious people?And there are extremely intelligent racists, creationists, misogynists, Scientologists etc. Being intelligent doesn't make you right, and being right certainly doesn't make you intelligent.(Original post by TheHistoryStudent)
...And that some atheists have exceptionally low IQs... such as the ones who think that their atheism makes them superior to religious people. -
- Reputation:
- Full Member
- Posts: 93
Re: Atheists do you look down on religious people?I "look down" on religious people and atheists in equal measure.
"Look down" is the wrong term though. I simply find it hard to comprehend how both groups can blindly hold a belief with no evidence whatsoever. That's just me though.
As long as they're not harming anyone...good for them! I don't see why you're trying to draw a correlation between intelligence and faith. I know lots of intelligent religious people and some pretty thick atheists.
[/agnostic master race]
