Published by Over the last several years I’ve spent a great deal of time talking to people about every issue under the sun. We’ve talked about global warming, climate change, energy policy, government regulation or intervention, gun control, what is taught in schools and why and whether or not there should be a Nativity Scene on public property and in many cases people are reasonable. However, some issues are just impossible to talk about rationally, because some people won’t listen to reason. Now, these folks that won’t listen to reason typically identify themselves early and often as Christians and not just as Christians, but Christians who believe in the inerrant Word. I used to not get the connection, but now I think I do.
In a conversation I was having with a member of Propeller.com I stated that people of lower education tended to identify more with the conservative movement. I knew that I had heard or read it somewhere, but I could not confirm the information. As a researcher and historian, I make every effort to ensure that what I say is both true and accurate and because I could not confirm it, I was forced to hedge my statement.
In the course of my effort to find out whether or not what I said, in reference to conservatives, was true I found that in 2006 Baylor University did a landmark study about religion in the United States and it was in this study that I found the answers to much of what had bothered me.
I wish to be crystal clear, so I will spell this out. Education does not equate to intelligence. There are many people that are very intelligent that have not been educated, but a person can be born a genius and if they are never taught how to read it is unlikely that they will pick it up on their own. Further, I want to be clear that education is more than just learning about a subject. It is, in many ways, learning how to think. As we become more educated we learn that things are rarely as black and white as they appear at first. Most of us were taught that 1 + 1 = 2 and that is true. However, later we learned that 3 + -1 = 2. So, if we were never taught about negative numbers we would say, with certainty, that 1 + 1 = 2 and there are no other addition solutions that will lead to that answer. And as far as we know, we would be right, but a more educated person would tell us that we were incorrect.
With mathematics it’s easy to prove that someone is right or wrong. In the higher areas of science it is more difficult and it is especially difficult when you have a bunch of yahoos out there with doctorates making money off of the ignorant. Unfortunately, education is not a cure for greed or sheer stupidity. It is possible to receive a degree from an accredited university with a D average. So, just because a person has a degree does not mean that they know what they are talking about. We all know the guy from high school or grade school that barely squeaked by. We all know the guy that passed high school Government, but still didn’t really understand the three branches of the U.S. government. So, education is also not a perfect indicator for whether or not someone knows how to think rationally, but typically the more education one has the more likely they are to think with reason.
According to the study by Baylor 33.6% of Americans fit the category of Evangelical Protestants. The study identifies these people as:
“Protestant groups that emphasize the authority of the Bible, salvation through a personal relationship with Jesus Christ, personal piety, and the need to share the “Good News” of Jesus Christ with others (i.e., to evangelize).”
I think that accurately reflects the group upon which I would like to focus. According to the U. S. Census Bureau (12/18/07) there are about 303 million Americans. So, 33.6% of that would be nearly 102 million people. Of all Americans with a high school education or less nearly half (45.4%) identify with Evangelical Protestantism and less than a quarter (23.5%) of those with a college education or more.
The category of Evangelical Protestants and Black Protestants are the only two categories of the seven categories named where those with a high school education or less account for a larger percentage of the group than those with a college education or more.
So, now we come back to my original assertion that people that have less education are more likely to be conservative. Based upon the data from this study we can see that nearly half of the Evangelical Protestants have less than a college education. Also in this study are questions about “conservative” issues. Evangelical Protestants, which we have noted tend to have less than a college education, significantly identify with conservative issues and since Evangelical Protestants account for over a third of Americans one can safely say that having less than a college education tends to make one more conservative than not.
We have already identified that having an education does not make one more intelligent, but it does allow one to more fully understand that most issues are not black and white. Education also gives us the ability to look at a subject rationally while realizing our biases and trying our best to keep them out of the equation.
So, why can’t we talk to the hyper-religious? There are many factors, but most of them have to do with that bugaboo called religion. Most Evangelical Protestants identify with some form of authoritarian god, which intervenes in daily life and answers prayers. At this point, those of us that want to have a rational discussion about certain issues that question this belief or bring any part of it into doubt, need to realize that the cause is already lost before it begins. It is not possible to have a rational conversation with a person that believes in an intercessory god.
Now, I’m not saying that Evangelical Protestants aren’t rational in their daily life. I’m sure they take out the trash when it’s full or change the baby when she is wet. That is rational behavior by any standards. However, it isn’t rational to believe that a deity had anything to do with hurricane Katrina. It isn’t rational to believe that one hundred and fifty years of science, coupled with genetic evidence is wrong because it contradicts what is written in the Bible. It isn’t rational to assume that one man, Mr. Al Gore, is responsible for a “global warming conspiracy” and is in it just to make money. It’s like talking to people that think the U.S. never landed men on the Moon.
It becomes even more problematic when we note that those of us that are “liberal” or atheists are considered loony and part of the “tin hat brigade” by conservatives in general and those of the Evangelical right in particular. It assumes facts not in evidence. If we know, as the Baylor study certainly suggests, that conservatives and Evangelicals are typically not as educated as those who are liberal and not Evangelical then how is that they assume that we haven’t done our homework? They assume, because it conflicts with a worldview that is black and white, that any deviation from what they perceive as the “norm” is not rational.
However, we’re back again to the idea that 3 + -1 can also equal 2 and while those of us that are educated need to confront ignorance wherever we find it, we also need to remember to cut those less educated some slack. It isn’t their fault that the idea that global warming (or climate change) is either bunk or not, at least in part, caused by humans. It’s what they’ve been taught by those that have a vested interest in keeping them ignorant and when coupled with the political ideology of conservative authoritarianism it is very difficult to get them to change their minds. Similarly, it isn’t their fault that they distrust science when science tells them that their worldview is wrong. Think about it. If one day you woke up and gravity no longer operated, that is how it feels to the hyper-religious when someone tells them that their particular deity did not create the world in six days, paying special attention to create humans. It’s got to be tough for them.
That doesn’t excuse them however. When the facts of something are staring you in the face and you refuse to acknowledge them because they contradict something that you believe to be true, but that can not be actually shown to be true, then you are remaining willfully ignorant. Willful ignorance is the worst kind of ignorance, because it smacks of stupidity. Ignorance is not having the opportunity to learn, stupidity is being unable to learn. Ignorance is curable, stupidity is not. Willful ignorance is looking at all of the facts and then only choosing the facts that support your case. Willful ignorance is cherry picking the data to support your point of view and not looking at the overall picture. Willful ignorance is refusing to acknowledge that you are wrong. Willful ignorance is not being able to support your position with facts and simply repeating what some loon told you without checking the data first.
And that is why it is difficult to talk to the hyper-religious.
Great discussion. Please allow me to enlarge on your topic with the view that right-wing religious zealots (of any religion) are highly ‘other directed’ personalities. And ‘inner directed’ persons can deal with ambiguity, uncertainty, and are self-reliant.
** Becoming-who-you-are requires skepticism and self-assertion **
The word ‘islam’ means submission. Obviously submission to the will of Allah, as prescribed in the five pillars of faith. The big-3 monotheisms are alike in dismissing an individual’s will, “not my will but thy will done” as we’re shown in the poignant scene at Gethsemane in the NT.
Self-assertion takes on the character not of honest questioning and personal growth, but of insubordination and rebellion.
With characteristic, combative verve, Kierkegaard condemns the doubter as insubordinate, a rebel against fideism:
“They would have us believe that objections against Christianity come from doubt. This is always a misunderstanding. Objections against Christianity come from insubordination, unwillingness to obey, rebellion against all authority. Therefore, they have been beating the air against the objectors, because they have fought intellectually [against] doubt, instead of fighting ethically [against] rebellion. . . .So it is not properly doubt but insubordination.” (Lowrie 122)
Thus, SK. It’s not surprising that even attempting to leave a religious culture which demands ’subordination’ or ’submission’ to someone else’s interpretation of an alleged “will of god” adversely affects the psychological well-being of the “apostate.” Guilt feelings get induced. Guilt is the elder brother of Sin.
Becoming more “inner directed,” becoming-who-you-are, or “individuation” (to use Jung’s terminology) is the goal of personal growth. It cannot occur without self-doubt or without doubting authority and authority figures. When you’ve made a “leap of faith” into hyper-religious space there is no return except by self-assertion, and doubt is just a form of it.
You want to emulate Prometheus and cease wanting to mimic Jesus. (A hero differs greatly from a god.)
Irrational self-assertion characterizes the popular culture, the “secular” culture. Irrational fideism characterizes fundamentalism, jewish, xian, or islamic.
Tolerance, that wide band of humane behavior, lies between inhuman anarchy and inhuman puritanism. Trying to navigate in that band requires years of training and making a lot of mistakes. And, there is no end to learning until life itself ends.
bipolar2
c. 2007
As someone brought up in a fundamentalist christian family, and as someone who left education at 14, I can say the following.
Looking for the truth is not something that interests the religious.
The truth is a threat to them.
as mentioned in this article, the truth means that the entire world view, including the self, society, politics, afterlife and all other things, are put at risk for these people.
It takes a great deal of strength to even consider, yet alone accept, that your view of everything has been based on error.
And then you have to re think absolutely everything.
But, this should not be used as an excuse for these people.
The option to continue in ignorance or look for the truth is theirs and theirs alone.
If the religious choose to continue with their baseless belief systems then so be it.
What they should not do, is complain every time anyone questions the stupidity, and I mean stupidity, of those beliefs.
The closed mind learns nothing. And in order for these people to survive untainted by uncertainty, their minds need to stay closed.
Remeber:
‘The truth is not democratic. it does not require public subscription to exist’.
Just because millions believe in something does not make it so.
An interesting conclusion to jump from evangelical Christians and Black protestants are less educated and therefore conservative. If it means conservative politically, check out the politics of the Black protestants, and then explain their 90% voting record for the Democratic Party which has been called many things, but never conservative. Just because millions do not believe in something does not make not so.
I just have this to say, God does not exist in our time and space as we know it, therefore 6 day’s of creation are not what we expect it to mean, having been a uneducated protestant I neverless learned and not from a societal ideology but from observation and thought, I do not see the remark as to formal education teaching one how to think as being accurate since it does give one pause to see the highly formally educated people in the news doing incredibly stupid thoughtless things, it’s not the degree you hold, it’s the degree you think things through, and if you are a fast thinker and true to your beleif’s your going to go farther than ever,
HONEYDAD,
Black Protestants are mentioned once only. This article is not about them, but rather about the Evangelical Protestants. Black Protestants account for roughly 5% of the religious people and the term “Black Protestant” signifies people that belong to churches that are primarily coming from an African-American point of view and so do not account for the millions of African-Americans that belong to faiths other than Black Protestant.
The key to the matter of Christianity has nothing to do with education, but, only with belief. You have to look at Jesus and decide - is He telling the truth or a liar. Just be careful of your answer. If He’s lying, then what is your basis for calling Him a liar. If He’s telling the truth, then why don’t you listen to Him?
All too often we use our personal experience and feelings as a basis for determining the truth. Oftentimes we don’t trust anyone, even in our family circle.
The conclusions that education has something to do with belief may be substantiated this way: Jesus said we are to have child-like acceptance of Him. We believed in Santa as children, but not as adults. Your education will get in the way of your ability to make a decision. I thankful for all the whites, blacks and more of this country who prayed in our worst time of need and got a response from heaven. (Did you pray?)
It’s time to end the drought. It’s time to build up new prayers over this country for help. That’s a drought for water in the south, and for the Word in your lives.
From what I can see, non-evangelicals do not form cohesive groups so they cannot overcome the very organized political groups mission. Fail.
Belief in Christ and the bible is based on faith. I can only share my experience, strength and hope. No matter how much science and bible line up [or not], it’s a leap of faith. God gave us free will to choose. Please know that I will never beat you over the head with my Bible.
I take an issue with the study’s, and the author’s seemingly blanket assertion that liberals are more educated than conservatives. Another typical example of the liberals belief that they are somehow more evolved and enlightened and that they truly know what is best for everyone. Frankly, its a turnoff.
‘Nearly half’ of a population does not constitute a tendency. How about a survey? How about falsifiable results? I am not a Christian or a religious person by any means, but I do believe there is a God. Furthermore, I was a science major in college. I can tell you that there need not be the kind of dichotomy between science and spirituality that exists today. It is a matter of common ground, a matter of language. We need to find a language that is common to both rationalists and bible-thumpers. Additionally, the spread in beliefs or levels of Biblical trust, in my mind, are not quite as simple as you describe. I think some real research is in order.
First a minor correction, then agreement . . . to a point.
I often ponder why so many with a good head on their shoulders and who exposit logically sound arguments diminish the message with poor grammar. The argument propounded so thoughtfully here — regardless that one may or may not concur with every or any part of the conclusion, it is thoughtfully and logically advanced — loses just a tad by incorrectly identifying human beings as “that,” when “that” refers to inanimate objects, animals, insects and the like. More correctly, references to human beings should be “who,” or “he” (him) and/or “her”, (she).
The Baylor study cited isn’t the only one to secure similar demographic conclusions. Google Chris Hitchens (God is not Great) or Sam Harris (The End of Faith), and peruse the respective indexes at the end of each book.
Or simply examine the logic faults in the religious tautologies propounding that god is omniscient, all-powerful, and all loving. If a child falls critically and agonizingly ill, no religious person I’ve heard suggests the illness and pain borne are of god’s doing. But how can that be, if god is concomitantly all-knowing (omniscient) and all-powerful and all loving? Parents and relatives and friends all pray for the child’s recovery. Yet that act of praying to an omniscient god, hoping He hears the pleas, is by definition an allegation that god is not all-knowing and perhaps does not hear the pleas or know what those so engaged want. It’s unmitigated, open blasphemy.
By way of note, I would add that the Bible does not contend there is but one god. The Ten Commandments hold only that one shall have no other god before the god of the fleeing tribes, thus necessitating by dint of the statement there is more than one. (Why would God etch the demand if He was the only one extant? Wouldn’t He just say He was and that any other practice was silly, as a consequence?) Likewise, for the final battle in Revelation to have any potential truth demands there is at least another, and perhaps as potent, god.
All these and others are the polemic and philosophical inconsistencies religious conservatives cannot address. So they deny them, regardless that they are the part and parcel foundation of their “faith.” Gnosticism perished during the Enlightenment, when astronomers and earth scientists could observe and verify truths concerning the heavens and earth that religion previously fought with the most heinous sanctions. (See Galileo and Pope Urban VIII)
Ed Tubbs
Ed Tubbs,
Thank you for your kind words about my essay. To clarify, Merriam-Webster defines the word that as a possible pronoun that can be:
“the person, thing, or idea indicated, mentioned, or understood from the situation”
Just to clarify.
Deacon Bill, I object to your comment, “Your education will get in the way of your ability to make a decision.” Your sales technique for deity dependency will, I’m sure, strike a chord with those who already follow, maybe even pull in a few more who currently balance on the fence.
Releasing oneself of the responsibility of being proactive (”Did you pray?” implies that a passive act will cure all) is just another way of saying, “Someone else will take care of it.” I had a cousin once who used to pray and pray for a good job instead of actually going out to find one. When she got no direct result and finally began filling out applications, she got a job. She said that when God didn’t answer her prayers the first time around, it was his way of telling her that she should be more responsible for herself. Either way, she was ready to give credit to God.
I abandoned the religion I inherited. Even at 16, I knew I was too logical to make it work. My then-abusive-now-evangelical dad discouraged myself and my 5 siblings from attending college because “they make you think too much about things that’ll take you away from God.” I believe that his real fear was, “You need to stay in this box of illusion because otherwise you’ll find out that there’s another way to live, and that’ll make me wrong.”
It’s all about validation. The more people you have on your side, the stronger your conviction that you’re right. It’s an accepted method of instituting mob mentality, or at the very least it accurately mimics brainwashing.
I escaped the four walls, earned my degree, am working toward an advanced degree, and now earn quite a bit of $$$ in the field of education. My siblings are still stuck, and the way we think and work through problems reveal glaring differences in our quality of life.
I escaped. But I am an outsider in my family because I’m not a “believer.” That singular action made me a “bad” person.
But I chose to think instead, which makes it a win situation. I didn’t pray myself out of the environment in which I was raised, I DID something about it after studying the options.
To encourage illiteracy and ignorance by saying that education gets in the way of the ability to make decisions is the epitome of ignorance.
The philosophies of law are defined as divine law or creation, natural law or man’s participation in creation, and, the ever so famous, proprietorship law. Science and logic belong in the realm of natural law. Religion belongs in the realm of proprietorship as do the constitutions of the U.S. and Canada. Thus the difficulty not only in this issue but in the issue of the mismanagement of the environment, our life source.
um…. one reason those with higher education tend to be either not conservative, or non-believers regarding religion, is that our institutions of higher learning are so completely tilted toward secularism, humanism, liberalism (and not the good libertarian kind either! but rather, the socialist, dogmatic kind) that is almost impossible to get out without becoming brainwashed. to get through unscathed at all, one basically has to pretend to agree with the prevailing thought. but most just succumb to the change in thinking, since only the strongest of minds and spirits can resist the many years of being pounded with that type of thought. or leave early, since the atmosphere can be toxic.
the type of elitism displayed by the writer of this article
as well as many of those commenting is why reasonable people might discount the value of discourse with them… not to mention discounting the value of an education that produces such distorted and often perverted thinking. I guess that’s why many parents choose home-schooling. do you think that home-schooled kids are less intelligent than their public-school peers too?
Brandon Kumm in his article assumes that Christian’s are uneducated and ignorant because we actually question facts that are being presented. Many “highly educated” people claim to be open minded, but yet reject items Christians will take on faith because to the highly educated faith and belief in a higher power is not rational. We as Christians reject that humanistic point of view because we live our lives on the basic premise that God exists. In fact for myself, I am a christian in possession of a masters degree from a WASC accredited university. Speaking for myself, I always make a point of viewing both sides of an argument objectively. Many of the “highly educated” do not especially when scientists and other people challenge the validity of the science of evolution and the validity of arguments on global warming. In fact the case made by Al Gore in his documentary film “An Inconvenient Truth” has so many factual inaccuracies a court in the United Kingdom (the day before Gore was awarded his Nobel Prize) ordered teachers in the UK to tell their students the actual errors prior to the showing of the documentary in their classroom. Many global warming proponents dismiss the critiques that are being made that show that global warming may be an exaggeration.
The same happens in the evolution debate as well. In fact evolution violates the first law of biology which was created by Joseph Lister back in the 1800s. This law states that life can only be created from living material and non-organic life can not create organic life. To make sure this scientific law is kept invisible, biology textbooks neglect to place it into their curriculum. Hmmmm? Also, why is the Lucy bones still accepted as real bones when over 30 years ago someone did a test on the bones and found them to be plaster and stain material. Seems to be that the “highly educated” people are not really interested in a real debate on issues and their science. Who’s really close minded here?
Mr. Kumm before you come in here with your ad-hominem and hasty generalization attacks on Christians, please note that Christians do try to see things objectively. In fact I will even concede that I have made some ad-hominem statements myself in this blog response. However, the dispute really comes because the science Christians see as honest and truthful is a completely different set of facts from what the “highly educated” community accepts. And yes we do believe that a living and real God exists and created ourselves and this universe. I am not the result of 5 to 20 billion years of evolution; I am just an act of creation as a result night of passion between my parents, and act of creation that God has destined from the beginning of time. As the Bible says “For those who are perishing it is foolishness, but to those who believe, the power of God.” Those in the “highly educated” group see us as fools and idiots for having faith in God. But for those of us who have a highly developed relationship with God, we feel so liberated and enlightened because of our intimacy with God it is the greatest thing that we know. For us God is real and the greatest thing ever to happen in our lives. No theory of science can ever hope to explain that. I only hope one day you can truly know what a great experience that really is.
P.s. I totally agree with comments of questionmark
Neil,
Your comments bear some scrutiny. Shall we take a look at them?
First of all, I never said that Christians were uneducated. What I said was that those that tend to trend towards irrational behavior tend to be both Evangelical Protestants and have less than a high school education. I personally know many educated Christians. However, most of them agree with evolution and global warming.
As far as I know the “Lucy” bones are not fakes, nor are they the only example of Australopithecus. So your point is somewhat flawed.
Further, I have made no “ad hominom” attacks as I have not gone after a single person, nor have I actually attacked anyone. I have simply stated my opinion.
Take it or leave it. It’s up to you.
well hmm..as far as the uneducated goes..I’ve heard it said that the holy spirit will often start a revival in the poor parts of the world,with folks that are less proud.”less snooty”lol seems rich folks in this world have less need of God than others..now don’t think cause i said this that i hate rich people. but it is an inside job and God does resist the proud.probably why alot of folks
oh yeah I believe in demons too..that’s why we can’t stand to hear about christ or anything like that.hell ect…I know I’m crazy..you take care and merry christmas..
never have an encounter with him.that and unbelief in the firstplace,But no there are many highly intelligent atheist in this world,but they have a sort of different wisdom than christians to be frank with you,they are smart about things like money,science,material things,earthly things,yet seem to be lacking in a moral type wisdom,often these people think of themselfs as better than than the stupid christians.”more smarter”. there are many famous christians as well..folks like dallas mavericks coach “Avery Johnson”,Brad Pitt..who don’t wave their faith like a flag.but to be honest with you in My honest opinion.I see this world coming to an end here pretty soon,with global warming and “the truth” that you said we are not really seeking is this..Man is a corrupt “me first” society..I do believe God is starting up another world..but it’s gonna be an invite sort of thing..so sign up or be looking from the outside someday..don’t go get cut out!
I am sooooooooooooo relieved that you and a few others have this all neatly figured out. It is nice to have those with superior intellect resolve such mysteries and metaphysics for the rest of us, the poorly educated and intellectually-challenged. Yep, you have nailed this one. It is a definite!
Wow, the more I think about it, with your extreme conviction that this is the way it is — no abiguity for you, no siree — you might just be sitting in the same dust with the poor fundies who also have that extreme conviction. I guess the only difference is that you are on the other side of the barn.
Well, got to go. The stalls need to be shoveled.
Just another Appalachian Deist….
P.S.: By the way, thanks, Brandon, for a well written and well considered article. It got my juices flowing and synapses firing–all to the good I assure you–so, thanks.
As a Christian, with a degree in Physics, I find your assertion that “It is not possible to have a rational conversation with a person that believes in an intercessory god.” very ammusing. Such an arrogant assertion definitely identifies you as an intellectual.
“Nonsense so blatant that only an intellectual would fall for it”
Believer–
Let’s quote the passage in full rather than cherry-picking, shall we?
“At this point, those of us that want to have a rational discussion about certain issues that question this belief or bring any part of it into doubt, need to realize that the cause is already lost before it begins. It is not possible to have a rational conversation with a person that believes in an intercessory god.”
May I say that you’ve proved my point nicely with your comment?
Well lots of discussion on this one. I liked the article, the ideas, the effort put into it, yet it was just a bit to stereotypical for me. Although your facts may be true it leads some people to believe differently than the facts are stating. Anyways thanks for your devotion into this subject.
Jared,
Great comment and thanks. I especially liked this part:
“Although your facts may be true it leads some people to believe differently than the facts are stating.”
Which is, in a nutshell, what I’m trying to point out. Thanks for your input.