Simple question?

The Jews are even admitting that there's zero
evidence the Exodus ever happened. In this
case absence of evidence IS evidence.

Quote: Evenbob

It's inarguable, the more educated a person is, the
more intelligent they are, the more likely they
are to be secular. It's the only intelligent choice
in a modern world.

Not only is it not inarguable it is also not true. I think intelligence is not the issue, as you and I both know the vast majority of the most brilliant people throughout history have all believed in God. I think the question is really about education, specifically the type of education people are getting. If you are taught to be secular and indifferent towards God and religion in higher education then I imagine it is no surprise that this is happening. It is the worst choice in our modern world but I will grant that more and more people make that disastrous choice.

Quote: FrGamble

majority of the most brilliant people throughout history have all believed in God..

Only because they had to or be ostracized,
or worse. It's only been very recently that
as atheist can express his lack of belief
without fear of reprecussions from a hateful
and violent Church.

More and more people aren't buying into
the lifelong shackles of religious bondage
and perpetual guilt. The usefulness of the
Church is gone, it's now just a quaint relic
of a horrific past. There's a reason 90% of
Catholics no longer attend mass or confession.
They've outgrown it, they wised up.

Quote: Evenbob

Only because they had to or be ostracized,
or worse.

It is so sad that you think this and so judgmental towards the most of the most intelligent and brilliant people the world has ever known. I'd hate to be so caviler in judging why someone is an atheist.

Quote:

More and more people aren't buying into
the lifelong shackles of religious bondage
and perpetual guilt.

You do realize that as a Christian I have no idea what you mean by this, nor does any faithful Christian. It might look like this from the outside viewing the Church with warped and bigoted glasses but it is not true. What people are buying into is the unconditional love of God who frees you from guilt and shame and helps you to become the best version of yourself. That is what people want and as they discover more and more the fact that what the secular world gives them just causes them more and more unease and emptiness then naturally will turn towards that which has formed and guided human civilization, namely religion and faith in God.

Quote: FrGamble

It is so sad that you think this and so judgmental towards the most of the most intelligent and brilliant people the world has ever known.

Yet Einstein, Sagan, Asimov, Hawking, and so many
many others, born in an age where you can be an
atheist and not be punished, chose to do so. Your
argument has no merit.

Quote:

You do realize that as a Christian I have no idea what you mean by this, .

You've never heard of Catholic guilt, and
how Catholics say it takes a lifetime to get
over it. Sure you have, we've discussed it
here many times.

Quote:

What people are buying into is the unconditional love of God who frees you from guilt and shame and helps you to become the best version of yourself.

So you're claiming that the Church has
never purposely instilled guilt and shame
into it's followers? That's the story you're
going with? Shall we go to Google and
see if there are any Catholics who disagree
with you. Catholic guilt, the Church was
founded on it.

Not sure how much it is related to intelligence, but if you have the ability to act as if any unproven thing is fact, then you have the ability to believe in gods.

What is weird though, is I think this applies to people who believed in something which turned out to be true before the actual evidence was in.

For instance if you believed in viruses before there was actual proof, you are a no better than a "religionist" who doesn't need the actual evidence to believe.

The point is, you didn't rely on the evidence being presented in the proper manner, not whether you turn out to be right or wrong.

So, even if FrGamble were to turn out to be right, his method is no better than belief in a fiction.

Before evidence you can only hold a potential unproven idea and perhaps hope. But that is not evidence.

Furthemore, I give little credence to the idea that because we haven't disproven a god this gives the idea any weight. There's so many things we could make that same claim for.

Heck, if the issue of manmade climate change could wait another 100 years to decide, I would just be on the side of let's wait until more and more evidence is in one way or the other. But if true, acting so much later doesn't make sense, so, it's a decision you have to make earlier than what would be ideal.

Quote: Evenbob

Are you saying it's not an axiom, that
ALL educated people aren't intelligent?
Thanks for clearing that up..

It's amazing how easy it is for you to see how other people are indoctrinated into a belief system but can't see it in yourself.

Quote: pew

It's amazing how easy it is for you to see how other people are indoctrinated into a belief system but can't see it in yourself.

Seriously? I was being sarcastic to you
because you were pointing out the
obvious. You didn't see that? Good
grief.