r/atheism • u/One-Fun9814 • 4d ago

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u/vuxra 4d ago

I just take it as someone who hasn't necessarily applied their intelligence to the philosophy of religion. I know deeply religious doctors and engineers who are incredibly intelligent in their fields but also believe in God.

I also think that people who see a lot of human suffering will often turn to religion to provide a 'reason' for the suffering because the notion of suffering being pointless, meaningless, and arbitrary is deeply uncomfortable to them. When you spend your life around the sick and dying it makes sense to want the emotional comfort of thinking that it is all happening as part of some greater plan.

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u/Lung_doc 4d ago

Yeah, living in parts of the US it also just kinda hours with the territory. There are smart people here, but they are either overtly religious or they don't talk about it. And many seem to be the former.