What Makes the Religious Think They're Wiser than Everyone Else?

[beso]

prompted by an earlier question

[jomifl]

They have access to books sponsored by an omniscient being so have a far greater understanding of everything than the non-religious. Because of this they are more tolerant and kind and are able to solve enormous problems simply by refering to their religious books. Without the wisdom of the religious the world would be continually at war with itself and millions of people would be displaced, slaughtered, starved or die of horrible diseases. That however is how they see it.

[rojash]

Nicely put, jomifl.

[China Doll]

Being wise or intellgent should not always be measured in what you do or don't believe. Only in your actions and the way you treat others. If your beliefs or lack of them lead you in to being an arse or treating people unfairly then it really doesn't matter about either belief or lack of, you're just an arse. I would no more think all atheists are intelligent and wise than I would think all people with religion are stupid and ignorant, it just isn't the case.

[ll_billym]

There is a saying 'Wisdom is distilled experience'.

Religious people believe they are wise because they confuse 'reading out of a book' or 'because my group says it is so' experience with their own actual real-life experience.

[keyplus90]

I don't.

[Wharton]

Knowledge is knowing that a tomato is a fruit.
Wisdom is knowing not to put it into a fruit salad.

[mibn2cweus]

Same 'reason' they believe in an invisible omniscient Super Santa Claus in the sky. One false premise leads to another . . . then another . . . then another . . .

[birdie1971]

I think that most religious people don't think they are 'wiser'. Not because they are aware of their own illogical word-view but because they effective look down at 'wisdom' as being something inferior to faith. For them, faith is everything. It is greater than wisdom (which is an Earthly concept and a conceit); it is greater than logic (which it frequently violates); and it is greater then rationality (which it considers to be a malleable concept).

There is an old saying [George Chapman] that goes, “Young men think that old men are fools but old men know that young men are fools.”. I consider that to be correct.

I think it is also true and entirely appropriate to paraphrase that comment thus, “Religious people think that atheists are fools but atheists know that the religious are fools.”.

[jomifl]

Do they do a version with illuminated script?

[naomi24]

If the religious didn't think they were wiser, they wouldn't be so convinced that they have the right answers and would, therefore, seriously examine their beliefs with a rational eye – but they don’t.

[birdie1971]

I think the word 'wise' and its derivatives are (as usual) interpreted differently by the theists than by those pesky atheists who seek real meaning, rationality and logic in this world.

[naomi24]

True Birdie. How can it be wise to choose to believe in things that can so easily be demonstrated to be false?

[bigbadmarty]

Well , if aetheists ruled the world ...

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=qO9IPoAdct8

[naomi24]

.... morons like that ^^ would hopefully have more opportunity to become educated.

[bigbadmarty]

these guys are just repeating quotes from fundamentalist websites etc.
the morons are the clowns who said in the first instance :)

[naomi24]

Marty, yes, I realise that. :o)

[bigbadmarty]

yes naomi I kinda thoughta knew you would :)

[jomifl]

Thanks Marty, as the last one said, 'scary isn't it'

[naomi24]

It's worrying, to say the least.