"Loudest" is unfair. Most articulate would be more appropriate, as those who find no need for a faith-based existence are generally of a higher level of intelligence, logic, and independence of thought, as opposed to superstitious group-think where, in some cases, to be an apostate means shaming or even death.
@Aidan I am privileged in that I have a PhD in physics, but perhaps I should have added "higher level of education" as well. Even with average intelligence, a good education teaches us to enquire, dispute, question and form opinions that may run counter to your culture and your society's norms. And where those norms are based on the ignorant superstitions of bygone eras, then rejecting them is the most logical thing to do.
@angela2106 [quote]Most articulate would be more appropriate, as those who find no need for a faith-based existence are generally of a higher level of intelligence[/quote]And you'll be able to reference appropriate research on that?
@angela2106 running contrary to society's norms means that you would approve of perversions, abortion, rape, murder, abuse and other Criminal acts. Because contrary to what a society has come to decide was acceptable is lawlessness.
@Disgustedman What?? I Don't know an answer to your question; if one actually exists. If you're implying these were actual historical events committed exclusively by non-religious non-zealots, please give us the dates, locations and references to the statistical breakdowns of the aggressors' belief systems.
@Disgustedman Never heard of the Spanish Inquisition? How about the Witch Trials? That's REAL history. I note you haven't offered anything to support your claims.
@Really Oh, please! There are a myriad of references! Although it is an area fraught with definitional difficulties, there is a great volume of social research that either directly or tangentially studies this question. And from the research, it is possible to make one clear assertion. [b]The better a person’s education, the more likely they are to reject faith-based beliefs.[/b]
Of course ‘education’ and ‘intelligence’ are different things. Intelligence is harder to define, but using the traditional understanding of IQ, several available studies do suggest that possessing a higher IQ correlates to a lower rate of religiosity.
Here are some references for you to follow up, all of which suggest the positive correlation between an individual's higher IQ and the rejection of a faith-based belief system
[i]Zuckerman, Miron; Li, Chen; Lin, Shengxin; Hall, Judith A. (15 October 2019). "The Negative Intelligence–Religiosity Relation: New and Confirming Evidence". Personality and Social Psychology Bulletin. 46 (6): 856–868. [/i]
[i]Lynn, Richard; John Harvey; Helmuth Nyborg (2009). "Average intelligence predicts atheism rates across 137 nations". Intelligence. 37: 11–15. doi:10.1016/j.intell.2008.03.004. (Authors compared belief in God and IQs. Using data from a U.S., the authors find that the average IQ of atheists was 6 points higher than the average IQ of non-atheists.[/i]
[i]Sickles, Julie; Huskey, Alisa; Schrantz, Kathryn; Lack, Caleb (2015) The relationship between intelligence and religiosity – a meta study https://www.researchgate.net/publication/283062772[/i]
[i]For a more lay explanation, although very well written, go to Graeme, Paton (11 June 2008). "Intelligent people 'less likely to believe in God'". The Telegraph.
@Disgustedman @Disgustedman I normally avoid [i]ad hominems[/i], but as you address another commenter as a “dimwit” I have no hesitation in describing your comment as total tosh, and your bizarre leap of illogic more suited to kindergarten.
My comment, phrased in the subjunctive mood, was [i]“a good education teaches us to enquire, dispute, question and form opinions that [b]may[/b] run counter to your culture and your society's norms.[/i] “MAY”, you dimwit, not “would”. Just because I think for myself, and use my intelligence – unlike some – in no way suggests my thoughts would inevitably tend towards social depravity. On the contrary, intelligence and education tends to define more enlightened and humanitarian people and populations.
@Sharon the Spanish inquisition was nothing compared to Russia. Or China or Cambodia. You're picking at a small single issue when millions were slaughtered just because the state could do so
@Disgustedman [quote]millions were slaughtered just because the state could do so[/quote] They weren't killed in the name of Atheism though, unlike the millions tortured and killed in the name of Christiany.
@StrictLoving [quote]atheists like Mao, Hitler, Stalin, Lenin and Pol Pot?[/quote] Hitler was a devout christian, that why Nazi Wehrmacht soldiershad the slogan [i]"Gott mit uns"[/i] ("God with us") on their belt buckles,
The others might have been Atheists but their actions were not for the purpose of furthering Atheism.
@Sharon Hitler expressed a mixture of religious and anti-religious views throughout his life, making it difficult to categorize him definitively as either a Christian or an atheist.
During his rise to power, Hitler occasionally made public statements expressing support for Christianity and its role in German culture. However, some historians argue that these statements were politically motivated rather than reflective of his personal beliefs. Hitler's relationship with the Christian churches in Germany was complex and often tense, particularly with regard to the Catholic Church. While he sought to exploit Christianity for political purposes, he also held negative views of certain aspects of organized religion.
On the other hand, Hitler's private statements and writings reveal a more skeptical and critical attitude towards religion. Some of his associates and close aides reported that he privately expressed disdain for Christianity and referred to it as a weak and effeminate religion. Hitler also admired certain elements of Germanic paganism and saw it as more compatible with his racist ideology.
A person's actions are the best way to ascertain their beliefs. Based on that notion, it is pretty clear that Hitler's actions were not aligned with the Jesus's ideas.
