I have seen over and over articles that states the more financially well off you're and the higher educated you're the less likely that you beleive in God and the less likely that you will relie on God or on some form of spirituality. What do you folks think? But from my experience I have seen super intelligent financially well off folks who have great academic accomplishments worshiping God and trying hard to live by his example.
I think those who are academically accomplished and wealthy who worship devoutly are usually people who abide by social norms because it's part of their culture and they are intelligent enough to know that deviation from the norms create unwanted hardships. I think the poor use religion as a coping tool to deal with the rich fucking them over. They use it as a way to rationalize not getting what you want or need in this life because it's waiting for you in the next. Many intelligent people recognize religion for what it is just a way to control the masses. I for one believe in God with every essence of my being because nothing else makes logical sense. I may not believe in the Gods or organized religion but I do believe in a grand design and an architect that created it. I know that God loves us and wants the best for us because that's the only thing that would him/her.
I don't think finances, education, or intelligence make a difference GZ. I think a lot of it is dependent upon how you were raised. If you were brought up in church going environment, then you most likely believe in God and are spiritual in some fashion, even if you don't actively participate in church. People never exposed to the concept of God have to find that on their own and though it's obviously not something you have to search hard to find information on, some people don't see the point in it at all. In my experience it seems that some people are taught about God in childhood and then become disillusioned and distance themselves from religion, but they come back at some point later in life. My father was Agnostic and my mother, though Christian, wasn't a very good one. My grandmother was a devout Christian and never missed church, my grandfather was equally devout but never went to church, and I learned God from them. Looking back I honestly cannot think of a time when I didn't believe there was a God, and I've never questioned that once in my life, nor have I questioned why anything I've experienced happened because I know it's all part of His plan. I've been fortunate to feel His presence in my life and faith is a concept I embrace, but it's not something I push on anyone else. I do feel badly that there appear to be so many bad examples of Christians who I feel taint the concept of religion for a lot of people, but I realized a long time ago that that's on them in the end, all I can do is take care of me. I have a poem that hangs in my office that reminds me of that, and I look at it daily.
well, all of my explanations here can be argued specifically but are being said in a generalization in order to share a thought... i think a vast majority of people who have "more" financially, are money driven people. the average person making $250K+ a yr salary didn't just wind up in that position. that's a job/career that they have been pushing for, for years. and chances are even higher that in order to break the threshold, at some point they had to compromise their character. now of course, this is a generalization and doesn't apply to ALL... i'm just suggesting most people who are bankin' it like that are pressed to attain that big check and high position. and especially if it's in a corporate environment. now once a person opens themself up to selling themself out for a pay raise, their focus is off. the whole point of spirituality is to stay connected. so if someone is intentionally not being themselves in order to attain something material, they're outwardly showing their disconnect. and once they gain what it is they desired, chances are pretty high they will do it again for the next thing they want. and so the pattern continues and time passes and it's just a new way of life. the other side of that thought is, a lot of people who are connected spiritually don't desire to attain the mega bucks. and especially if they have a family. in order to make partner at that firm, they'd only see their fam like 6 hours a week. in order to move into that executive slot on the board, they'll need to travel for 4 months out of the year. so their priority isn't on gaining the heaps but rather to get to a comfortable level and be able to give more of themselves to others around them, outside of the rat race. and in the educational field... well many of the heavy thinkers of the world have a difficult time with the idea of faith. especially when they are in math or sciences. their studies are centered around proof and certainty. so the idea of something you can't prove like a litmus test goes contrary to the ideals of the books they base their motives on. again i must stress, i am generalizing for the sake of discussion, by all means this does not apply to all intellectuals. good discussion thread.
