photo by C4Chaos
Thanks to a new survey by the Pew Forum on Religious & Public Life, we can now claim that not only are intelligent people less likely to believe in god, but those unbelievers also know more about religion than religious people. As if American atheists needed even bigger egos (simmer down, people!).
Two reasons for this are stated in the article:
American atheists and agnostics tend to be people who grew up in a religious tradition and consciously gave it up, often after a great deal of reflection and study, said Alan Cooperman, associate director for research at the Pew Forum.
“These are people who thought a lot about religion,” he said. “They’re not indifferent. They care about it.”
Atheists and agnostics also tend to be relatively well educated, and the survey found, not surprisingly, that the most knowledgeable people were also the best educated. However, it said that atheists and agnostics also outperformed believers who had a similar level of education.
Another is that religious followers are often so focused on their own beliefs that they do not research, think about, or fully understand other religions. This doesn’t go for everyone (obviously this study doesn’t prove that), but it would make sense that if someone believes their beliefs are right and perfect, that it wouldn’t matter as much what the “other people” believe.
One thing this study and the publicity of it might do is help believers realize that many atheists and agnostics are not like ignorant children who haven’t yet heard the “good news.” We’ve heard it, we’ve thought hard about it, and we’ve even believed it for a time, and yet we still reject it.
The amusing part of the article to me is that oftentimes people involved in a specific denomination of Christianity don’t even understand that denomination’s theology. Such as:
A majority of Protestants, for instance, couldn’t identify Martin Luther as the driving force behind the Protestant Reformation, according to the survey, released Tuesday by the Pew Forum on Religion & Public Life. Four in 10 Catholics misunderstood the meaning of their church’s central ritual, incorrectly saying that the bread and wine used in Holy Communion are intended to merely symbolize the body and blood of Christ, not actually become them.
I feel a little sorry for the ministers. Sometimes all you can do is sigh…
I am sure we’ve all been asked this question or wondered ourselves. But have you ever heard the answers given by Buddhists? Scientists? Mormons? Taoists? Roger Nygard, director of Trekkies and Trekkies 2, took his curiosity and sense of humor on the road and asked this important question to hundreds of people. His new film The Nature of Existence tells the tale:
I wrote the toughest 85 questions I could think of, about our purpose and the nature of existence, and then asked hundreds of people all over the globe, such as: Indian holy man Sri Sri Ravi Shankar (The Art of Living), evolutionary biologist Richard Dawkins (The God Delusion), 24th generation Chinese Taoist Master Zhang Chengda, Stanford physicist Leonard Susskind (co-discoverer of string theory), wrestler Rob Adonis (founder of Ultimate Christian Wrestling), confrontational evangelist Brother Jed Smock, novelist Orson Scott Card (Ender’s Game), director Irvin Kershner (Star Wars: The Empire Strikes Back), Stonehenge Druids Rollo Maughfling & King Arthur Pendragon and many more… How would YOU answer?
I decided to take a look at these 85 questions, and I think we should all try them on for size. Here’s a taste:
- Why do we exist?
- What is the best thing about existing?
- What is our purpose?
- Should religions be challenged?
- Is skepticism a good thing?
- Which religion is right?
- Do we have a need to believe in something?
- What is spirituality?
- Is there a God?
- What does God need from us?
- Who is/are the Messiah(s)?
- How do we determine truth?
- Where does morality, or our “conscience,” comes from?
- Does God want to test us? Why?
- What determines sexual orientation?
- Why is God interested in our sexual behavior?
- Do we have free will?
- Is everything predetermined?
- What is best path to happiness?
- Does meditation work?
- Why do we need an afterlife?
- When does life begin?
- What is the greatest danger facing man’s existence?
I love them all, and I think I’d like to take some time to write out my own answers in the future. What do you think of The Nature of Existence? If there’s a screening near you, will you see it?
How would you answer the questions?
Jennifer of BlagHag.com suggested that a few writing prompts might get the ball rolling for people participating in The Honesty Project. Since I love asking questions, I wanted to give it a go! Feel free to use any (or none) of these ideas to get started on your blog, journal, video, or any other format you find most fun.
Original photo by Lady Vic on flickr
30+ Ideas and Writing Prompts
- Many people say the most influential persons in their lives are their parents. That’s just too predictable. What unexpected individual has had a significant affect on how your life is headed today?
- What have you missed out on because of fear? What different sorts of activities or experiences have you chosen not to do? Does fear play a part in your decision-making?
- Do you consider yourself to be sexually confident? Do you think you have a healthy outlook and perspective on what sex is for and what it means on a deeper level? What is that?
- What’s the story of your website? How would you feel if it was deleted tomorrow?
- What was the biggest lie you ever told? Did anyone find out? Did you benefit from it?
- Have you ever acted in a way that went against your values/morals/ethics? In other words, have you been a hypocrite?
- When was the last time you inspired someone? Feel free to toot your horn
- When was the last time you were truly enraged? What caused that reaction, and was it deserved?
- Do you have any addictions or obsessions? Maybe you’re a fangirl or an obsessive shopper?
- What’s the hardest thing you’ve had to overcome?
- Picture the worst sexual experience you ever had… now either tell us about it or tell us if it was bad because of inexperience, awkwardness, or a dislike for that individual.
- If you’ve converted from one religion to another (or left religion all together), was there a “honeymoon” phase after making that decision? How did you feel for the next few months? Has that feeling changed?
- What traits would someone have who was the opposite of you?
Couldn’t resist doing one of these circa 1998 memes to pass the time while under the weather. 
1. My uncle once: held me upside down by my ankles and I never fully recovered.
2. Never in my life: have I awakened early for the fun of it.
3. When I was five: I was the most self-conscious child on the block.
4. High School was: under-utilized for all its opportunities for shenanigans.
5. I will never forget: to never use the word never—just in case.
6. I once met: some famous people, but I have an aversion to people who name-drop.
7. There’s this girl I know who: is much smarter than me, but I don’t want her to figure that out while she still admires me.
8. Once, at a bar: The waiter gave all the girls free drinks except me.
9. By noon, I’m usually: just feeling good and awake…and starving.
10. Last night: I took a shower at 3AM because I couldn’t get back to sleep.
11. If only I had: A teleporter and some private income.
12. Next time I go to church: I hope I can sneak in a video camera.
Olin Thang on 
Cortez Frisch on 
Loading ...