Why Atheism and Religion Will Not Make You Smarter

 

"People who are right a lot listen a lot, and they change their mind a lot . . . They wake up and reanalyze things and change their mind. If you don't change your mind frequently, you're going to be wrong a lot." — Jeff Bezos

Having traversed the path from Christianity to a fusion of Jungian Psychology and body-centered therapy, when I became an Atheist in 2012 (one who doesn't believe in anthropomorphic Gods) I did not discard spirituality entirely. I exposed metaphysical claims, particularly substance dualism, and became a student of the scientific method and the pitfalls of pseudo-science. What I came to realize is that maintaining an open mind is paramount; otherwise, one risks descending into emotional reactivity, morphing into a pseudo-intellectual or a divine narcissist, regardless of how vigorously one signals their intellectual prowess.

I have found that unless you work out your psychology, you do not raise your level of mental competence. Instead, your lack of emotional intelligence clouds your judgment and diminishes your expertise. You are at the mercy of your psychological shadow as it transmigrates from religion to atheism, and atheism to intellectualism. You are infected with your unconscious, no matter how much you learn or what club you join.

A fool is made more of a fool when their mouth is more open than their mind.

― Anthony Liccione

Knowledge alone does not change the toxic reactions of atheists any more than the faithful. In fact, the more one immerses themselves in their religion or science-based skepticism, the more closed-minded they may become. An emotionally toxic individual will channel their psychological shadow through whatever lens they see the world through. It is easy to study but much harder to do the inner work of self-awareness.

The Blind Side of Smartness

One might assume that our sharp minds would be the guardians of rationality, impervious to the allure of irrational debates and the spectacle of psychological projection. But reality shakes the feeling of certainty and the addiction to self-aggrandizement.

Here are some factors in this cognitive circus:

Cognitive Biases:

Confirmation bias tempts us to passionately seek validation for our cherished beliefs and gleefully dismiss any intruders challenging our intellectual kingdom. Whether it's the pious Christian ignoring threatening evidence or the unwavering atheist clinging to authority, both thirst for the shot glass of affirmation. To navigate this treacherous terrain, we must first acknowledge our biases, explore diverse perspectives, consider contrary evidence, and, oh yes, remain open to the disturbing concept of changing our minds.

Emotional Bonds:

And then you have the passionate zealots, whether they kneel before deities or the altar of scientific certainty. Emotions, like the siren's song, lead them astray from the shores of reason. Believers clutch their faith when confronted with Noah's call to all the animals in the world to pair up and suspend their predatory instincts Atheists, on the other hand, cozy up to the allure of scientific dogma and posture as existential experts with a condescending attitude. The prescription here? Cultivate awareness of your emotional puppeteers, evaluate evidence like a discerning art collector, and be prepared to welcome new truths into your abode of beliefs.

“People who, as children, were intellectually far beyond their parents and therefore admired by them, but who also therefore had to solve their own problems alone. These people, who give us a feeling of their intellectual strength and will power, also seem to demand that we, too, ought to fight off any feeling of weakness with intellectual means. In their presence one feels one cannot be recognized as a person with problems just as they and their problems were unrecognized by their parents, for whom he always had to be strong.”

― Alice Miller

Social Currents:

Ah, the primate herd mentality that sweeps even the mightiest intellects off their feet! Driven by an insatiable craving for groupthink, atheists seek agreement in the cyber realms of online groups while Christians gather in the mental lab of the church. The key to maintaining sanity is acknowledging your predispositions, seeking wisdom from diverse fountains, scrutinizing every piece of evidence as if your life depended on it, and, of course, keeping your mind flexible enough to do a mental limbo dance under the bar of changing convictions.

The religious person has a valid excuse for their stupidity. On the other hand, atheists and skeptics are held to a higher standard due to their orthodox liberation. They fall prey to a more pronounced stupidity when they fail to reason through blind contempt. They violate the principles of critical thinking. 

Their hypocrisy proves the religious edict:

"Thou hypocrite, first cast out the beam out of thine own eye; and then shalt thou see clearly to cast out the mote out of thy brother's eye." — Matthew 7:5

— Zzenn

Complexity and Uncertainty:

Unconventional beliefs beckon even the most discerning minds into their convoluted embrace. Conspiracies and pseudoscience become the playgrounds of those who believe they have unlocked the secrets of the universe. The solution? Embrace the fact that intellect is a delicate flower that can wither in the presence of beguiling complexity.

Information Overload:

In this epoch of limitless information, even self-proclaimed geniuses can drown in the roaring sea of data and disinformation. Threatened believers 'double down on dumb' succumbing to declarations of buffoonery and soul threats while unbelievers preach untested media facts promoted by political scientists. Remedy? Recognize the seductive pull of information overload and navigate these perilous waters with caution.

To illuminate the path toward enlightenment, intelligence must be coupled with an unwavering commitment to self-realization minus the irrational association with New Age Woo and science turned into dogma.

Blinded By The Past

Let's start with the faith fanatics. They've built a cozy fort of belief to hide from life's thunderstorms. Beneath the blankets of devotion, there's a potential for cognitive confusion. Why bother with introspection when you can have beliefs that come with an "I'm right, you're wrong" package deal? Emotional intelligence? Who needs that when you are under mind control? Who cares about personal growth when you can just hug your faith like a teddy bear?

"In order to become whole we must try, in a long process, to discover our own personal truth, a truth that may cause pain before giving us a new sphere of freedom. If we choose instead to content ourselves with intellectual “wisdom,” we will remain in the sphere of illusion and self-deception."

― Alice Miller

Now, onto the atheist all-stars, the folks with reason on speed dial! From their castles of skepticism, they release their ad hominem guards. Rejecting religion might be their way of saying, "I'm over it," to hereditary religion. Their atheism, sprinkled with reason, might also come with a side dish of leftover resentment towards Sunday school and the religious mother they never bonded with. Unexamined emotional baggage, anyone? It's the perfect recipe for cloudy judgment and a diploma in grudge-holding. The deeper the unowened pain. the more difficult it is

In a surprise twist, both believers and atheists are stuck in a paradox! Their convictions are like the magician's cape, hiding their unexamined histories. Who needs emotional intelligence when you've got beliefs to cling to. But here's the kicker, brave souls – those who dare to dig into self-discovery and healing might just find a treasure map to sanity. Remember, the essence of an awakened mind isn't just what it knows, but how it knows. Shine your emotional intelligence like a disco ball, and may it out-glitter the shadows of your past – cue the funky dance moves! 

The Feeling of Being Certain

Our existence is like a never-ending soap opera where our primitive survival instincts trap us in the Serengeti of endless arguments. Allow me to introduce you to the star of the show: overconfidence, a relic from our evolutionary past that just won't quit, no matter how desperately we posture with false humility.

Consider the world of our ancestors where life and death hung in the balance, and certainty was the ticket to survival. That rustling bush could be a hungry predator ready to pounce on a sumptuous sapiens. Thus, "feeling certain" spawned, favoring irrational arguments.

In today's world, the consequences of this evolutionary legacy are on full display:

• In Relationships: A lover is armed with the unwavering belief that they're always right, engaging in an endless battle of wills with their partner. The symphony of discord turns into a death metal mosh pit.

• In the Age of Social Media: Google-confidence is the fuel that powers the misinformation machine. We lap up whatever aligns with our beliefs while swatting away inconvenient facts like pesky flies.

• In Decision-Making: Rational judgment? Who needs that when you can trust your gut, right? And so, instead of questioning our intuitions, we dive headfirst into irrational beliefs (invisible people) and virtue signally intellectuals.

• In Cognitive Wonderland: The convert politely declines any invitation to open-mindedness. Critical thinking? Not at this table, dear sir! Contradictory evidence? Banished from sight!

• In the Realm of Self-Deception: Overconfidence isn't satisfied with just messing up our relationships and decisions; it also helps us build a delightful cocoon of self-delusion. We're all just a tad better than we really are, and that's okay!

To tame this overconfident beast, we must first acknowledge its roots in our ancestral baggage. Armed with this knowledge, we can embark on the epic quest of mitigation: By nurturing critical thinking skills, we can wield the sword of skepticism and question our own certainties. By encouraging open dialogue, we may just break the spell of echo chambers and let fresh ideas flow. By embracing the radical notion that we can change our beliefs when faced with new evidence, we'll finally have a fighting chance against the relentless pull of our primitive past.

Conclusion

The predilection for unwarranted certainty, which often leads us to avoid the feeling of being wrong, is an evolutionary gift from our ancestors and a hangover from our childhood impressions. While this bias serves us in a perilous world, it can taint our debating prowess, decision-making, cognitive thought, and self-perception. Acknowledging this cognitive quirk is paramount as we strive for a more open-minded and rational existence in an increasingly intricate and interconnected world.

The next time you argue for or against atheism or religion, I recommend taking a pause and asking yourself if you want to sincerely know the truth or defend your position. The former is sincerely curious, and the latter a pitiful display of pretentiousness.

I shall end with the quote at the beginning of this article:

"People who are right a lot listen a lot, and they change their mind a lot . . . They wake up and reanalyze things and change their mind. If you don't change your mind frequently, you're going to be wrong a lot."

— Jeff Bezos

— Zzenn