New research (ICE) that indicates brain structure changes as a result of home/community environment. To the point of DNA changes.

“Give me a child until he is 7 and I will show you the man.”
― Aristotle, The Philosophy of Aristotle

I've always said; "a person cannot believe in science and god".

Cognitive dissonance. They believe (and I have to include myself in that group, formerly) what their eyes tell them isn't so. (Mark Twain had a better quote but I can't recall it at the moment.)

Organized religion is many faceted, and much good has been done under its auspices. But many of its fundamental precepts are aimed at recruitment and the tactics used have proven effective over time. Funny how the same tactics are used by the political right these days; fear and misdirection. Even smart people can be suckered.

I always wonder how Doctors and other scientists can believe in God.

I know a great many intelligent people who believe in god, and I think it's because they compartmentalize. They separate all that biblical, faith-based dogma from their intellectual selves and never bring it out for examination. They walk into a church like it's a place for receiving, not reflection, but they'll walk into a college lecture hall ready to do battle. I don't understand it because I prefer to think and examine everything, but maybe it's a little like the powerful executive who enjoys being submissive in a D/s relationship? Religion lets them turn it all off and be submissive.

I wonder the same thing. Just my own opinion, but I think believers are a tad feeble minded. But at the same time, I do know that a small percentage of the usa's leading scientists are believers so there is that. The majority, though, are agnostic or atheist. I tend to agree with Richard Dawkins that "the more you know, the less you believe".

A combination of tribal affiliation and compartmentalism I would guess.

There seems to be a need in some humans for somebody else (god) to be in charge of things that they do not understand and thus a need for a god.

Intelligence doesn't guarantee rightness or clarity or self-consistency. Intelligence is like a fast CPU on a computer. That computer can still be running slow, buggy, or just plain wrong software.

Religion is also compartmentalized. It's entirely possible to be, say, a brilliant brain surgeon and at the same time, a young earth creationist.

Humans aren't logical, consistent, or logically consistent. Even unbelievers sometimes hold inconsistent, illogical views apart from their lack of god-beliefs.

My ex inlaws were very highly educated - Ivy League. Smith and Colgate. Very well read their entire lives revolved around their Congregational Church. My father in law was Deacon, my mother-in-law taught Sunday School and sang in the choir. They were very generous people,bringing Sunday dinner to the elderly and sick, and inviting lonely elders over for Sunday dinner. I respected them and their charity towards others, something I never saw in my Jewish parents.

I see there are already a lot of ‘answers’ posted here, and suspect something to do with repetitive lies rearranging one's brain might be the best, but deep down - I suspect they know their’s is a lie.. They may suppress that realization to the end, but it has to be there.

They have to know, cuz every once in awhile they meet one of us. Good, honest people - telling it like it is, and how everyone initially perceives it. Nothing to gain, and often times taking a loss for our honesty … that can’t be lost on them..

From what I’ve witnessed, their entire persona has developed around the lies of religion, often their business relations, neighbors, family & friends, too. So they cling to the lie.

I suspect most have been in a situation where ‘both of you’ knew you’d never see the other again, thus share an honest thought or observation. When there, like an interstate rest stop.. I suspect I’m seeing and hearing ‘the real person’ … perhaps one of few times they feel free to be honest. I wonder how that feels to them, and how envious they must be of someone who gets to do that on a regular basis

Our God is a awesome GOD and i want you to belief he's been so good to us.CHEEERS TO THE MERCY SEAT

Highly intelligent people over the centuries have put great effort into explaining and proving (to their own satisfaction) the existence of God. It's not a matter of intelligence. It has to do with a belief system and the premises of that system.

What I've had a tendency to notice is that not everyone has logic. Ask yourself why you're an atheist or agnostic? is it logically based or emotionally based. Do you logically "not" believe or do you "feel" that you shouldn't believe? One doesn't have to be ultra intelligent to possess logic nor lacking intelligence to feel. From a logical standpoint "Judge not lest ye be judged" None are better, just different.

I've wondered the same thing. How can a person who I know is extremely intelligent and is required take fact based decisions to be successful be so entrenched in religion? The inconsistencies really grate on me. I don't speak up unless it is directed towards me, which it rarely is. One of these people has been very sick in the past. His social media updates are always followed by the thoughts and prayers type support. I also hope for competent and caring medical professionals for him.

Your post begs the question: Are all atheists unusually smart (high I.Q.), people. When I came this site, I erroneously thought that to be true but after reading some of the member's posts, it is apparently not.

As to believers level of intelligence, I have come to believe that religious belief is a manifestation of social factors rather than a rational thought process. For instance, if one is brought up Catholic by Catholic parents from a Catholic family, live in a Catholic neighborhood, attend Catholic school, attend Catholic church, have all Catholic friends, one is not very likely to question the existence of God or see other faiths as being legitimate. Unlike myself (a high functioning Asperger's Syndrome person), most people are more influenced by social factors (personal interactions, friend's beliefs and actions, local social morays, etc.) than they are aware.

All the time. I am constantly perplexed by how people I know (who I know are reasonably intelligent, college-educated, professionals), could possibly have fallen for the bullshit that is religion? How can they believe that there is only one god and it cares about them?
Where the hell does that "disconnect" occur?

I wonder this all the time! With family members. Smart, well educated and boom the find religion.

I knew a Jesuit with a PhD in philosophy who was a theist. I just had to scratch my head.

It's a notion that has confounded me for the longest time.. I don't claim to be super intelligent..but am curious as to the how & why highly intelligent people don't dismiss the existence of god out of hand...

Of course I realise and speculate that most do..but it is difficult to account for the rest..perhaps they hide in the long grass..to avoid ridicule or career barriers etc. ?

and it's human nature to want a comforting explanation for life, that everything is under control and all will be OK..

I think it’s not so much a matter of smart/stupid. It is about indoctrination from birth. It is not coincidence that kids take on the religion of their parents. Of course some will be the sort that ultimately make a different choice down the road. It comes down to whether or not you are the sort of person that demands hard evidence as in God appears on a cloud and the whole world sees it. Which, of course, is not necessarily proof that that being was the creator of all. Soft evidence as in look around you at the beauty of the world and that proves God exists. Some, myself included, would call that no evidence.
Lastly, are those that just believe because they feel it’s true. We are certainly living in the era of this belief. If you look at the number of things people now believe, not only with no evidence, but with actual hard evidence that the opposite is a fact. All the hot button issues of the day seem to fall under this category, from climate change to vaccines, people believe what they “feel”is true rather that what the facts show.
Happy times! ?

Intelligence is vas concept, I am intelligent in my field of art as a wealthy man is intelligent in business.

If we were measuring in IQs. Atheist and other groups have a higher IQ than Christains. If we're measuring in emotions, christains would have a Monopoly. An EIQ would be moving closer to an balance intelligence.

Since 90℅ of biological scientist are non believers and I am a bio -organism first, not based on myth. It is better to take a realistic path. Rather than a blind faith, lost in space.

Intelligence and faith are two disparate things. There are very intelligent believers and very low intelligence non believers (and everything in between). A lot has do with how you were raised, how you view the world, and how desperately you need have sense made out of a non sensible world (much like how children look to adults to help make sense of their confusing world).