Are religious kids smarter?

[jennifer_bloom]

I was in the academic class, visual arts program, and gifted class as a teenager and 95% of the intelligent people in my social circle were religious. I only know one intelligent guy from high school who was not religious.

[Hardon-Collider]

Only if the religion changes them deep within. While the religion done wrongly can also lead to harm.

People who only ever think about ancient traditions and a very specific history of a specific tribe (or worse, not really caring about the information and just parroting to impress others), are obviously too busy to actually be smart in any other subject.

But that's only the shallow effect of religion, and not at all what religion was intended for in the first place. First variants of religions used imagery to convey metaphorical truths that cannot be put into words.

Anyway, even from modern, myopic understanding of religion, good things can still emerge. If the takeaway from religion is feeling an authentic internal censure of greed and boastfulness for example.

Humility is better for society, and on the personal level increases the rate at which one learns, such as by challenging one's own biases and correcting mistakes sooner.

And while we are at it, here is another way that religious people act smarter, which I can't stop hammering in enough on GaG, year after year, despite talking trash about religion itself simultaneously (because i am convinced that ancient christians taught a unique temporary cycle of reincarnation):

Non religious people ought to have an even more urgent reason to stop acting animalistically, but they make a contradictory conclusion that they should live like animals.

At least religious fundamentalists believe that the earth was formed in 6 days. Which is not true at all, by the way, and a modern misinterpretation of ancient texts. The word "create" used in the bible, was the term that implies the existence in another form, like a transformation.

But religious people believe that we are a very special creation and should hold ourselves to a higher standard than animals. Which, if we take something like the faulty darwinism, logically it should also end at this same conclusion. We should hold ourselves to a higher standard.

Think of this line of logic: monkeys have common ancestors with us, which means we were a third, in-between, type of primate. One half of us evolved upwards. The other fell downward.

Somehow, most people look at this, and conclude:

<<We are pretty close to monkeys, therefore it is ok for us to act like monkeys, copy their instincts. Including material greed (e. g. hoarding unnecessary resources, heck even how perdophiles who collect child pron excuse themselves "it's like collecting pokemon cards, I don't really even like it"), seeking approval by force (fighting just to have the last word and ensure they "respect you"), not taking responsibility (overall lack of care for another as long as you can get away, also theft without considering that the other person looses more than you gain by stealing, which results in a net loss for everyone), gluttony (a major source of addictions) etc.>>

These are harmful things monkeys do, and are incapable of avoiding. Unlike humans. But humans, especially non religious humans, think:

<<since we are so similar to monkeys, then there is no need to pretend that we don't have practically identical DNA. We are capable of feeling the same selfish instincts for a purpose, and the purpose is to act on them.>>

Think about the bigger picture. The fact that we diverged from a primate, common ancestor with monkeys means that we are capable of devolving as much as evolving.

So immoral people are basically saying "we want to become actual monkeys over time".

Although this will not happen to make us literally apes adapted to jungles, even in a high-tech world the consequences are not lesser, we have a choice: to lose our ability to be moral, and the ability of self discipline overall, or strengthen it (and eventually lose our ability to be selfish).

You see what I am saying? It's such a contradiction. First they prove that humans are capable of devolving as easily as evolving. Then proceed to encourage society to take the path that leads to devolving. The path of believing that morality is subjective and selfish instincts exist for our survival and we still need all of them. Look again at the longest paragraph above: most people think these things are totally ok.

Well, they're legal. And everything legal is ok and everything illegal is bad. Right?

Let me say it again: the vast majority of humans regularly does all of the things mentioned in the longest, bold paragraph above. Myself included, because i wasn't taught the proper information that enables me to avoid it. But i am dramatically reducing the frequency. All these things harm humanity and make us dumber, via real spiritual invisible mechanisms, they erode our ability to think, some quickly, some slowly, some across incarnations.

So yes, children who are raised by parents who are aware of spiritual truths, are going to be smarter.

[wkhan_87]

Yes because religion lead us discipline

[kmg9150]

Your comparing intelligence by an institutional structure designed to create compliant workers. Its based off of how well you comply and repeat the procedures they train you to do….. So if by intelligent you mean, how well someone can repeat and replicate the outcome they are train for, then sure. Otherwise no. There is nothing intelligent about simply repeating things you are told.


True intelligence comes from developing new concepts, accepting multiple views, being able to change ones beliefs when their current does not seem to be the way they actually are.

[Noredcarpet]

I would not think so but it has shown to be part of a safety way of the mind, heart, which in return as these kids when young effect them that if they feel safe and loved they can then afford to be curious etc. With that said I think sometimes religion can be used in other ways that instead scares the child, it all depends and so then it will have the opposite effect, sadly.

[Danzigdawson]

😆 Shit no, they're not 'smarter'. Religion doesn't make anyone smart. It's more likely to keep people in wilfull ignorance, as it sets boundaries for what one can and cannot think.

Religion is an enemy of critical thinking, scientific knowledge that contradicts the bible, skepticism, unabashed creativity and out-of-the-box thinking.

It doesn't necessarily makes intelligent people stupid, but it sure as shit doesn't make anyone smart.

[AviatorTom]

Smarter than what?

They may know more about their religion, but maybe not about other topics.

[Sudheerk]

Religion don't make us smarter, our smartness is depend on what we learnt and how we take action, religion can guide us what is good or bad, but don't make us smart,

[Anonymous]

Yes, especially Christian kids who are home-schooled

[purplepoppy]

No. I'm an atheist and practically a genius.

[AngryCarl2]

No, the smartest kids are atheists.

[Gadobutrol]

No, irrevelant