Here’s a fascinating article that talks about the dearth of religious beliefs among scientists and philosophers.
“Surveys of the members of the National Academy of Sciences, composed of the most prestigious scientists in the world, show that religious belief among them is practically nonexistent, about 7 percent.”
And it gives some reasons why those 7 percent might believe (none of them having to do with evidence – mostly for reasons having to do with emotions overcoming their rationality).
It also brings up another reason why scientists might try to sell the “science and religion are compatible” line.
“Second, the proclamations of educated believers are not always to be taken at face value. Many don’t believe religious claims but think them useful. They fear that in their absence others will lose a basis for hope, morality or meaning. These educated believers may believe that ordinary folks can’t handle the truth. They may feel it heartless to tell parents of a dying child that their little one doesn’t go to a better place. They may want to give bread to the masses, like Dostoevsky’s Grand Inquisitor.”
And, it mentions that someone like CA renter with her high IQ and (what appear to be) her beliefs would be relatively rare:
“But we shouldn’t be deceived. Although there are many educated religious believers, including some philosophers and scientists, religious belief declines with educational attainment, particularly with scientific education. Studies also show that religious belief declines among those with higher IQs. Hawking, Dennett and Dawkins are not outliers, and neither is Bill Gates or Warren Buffett.“[/quote]
Of course, the opposite of what you suggest could be equally true. It’s pretty well known that many atheists are every bit as dogmatic and insistent regarding their beliefs as other religious people are. Many atheists are incredibly zealous about their beliefs and try desperately to discredit anyone who believes differently than they do…no different at all from what many religious people do. I have no doubt that scientists get a LOT of pressure from the atheists in the scientific community, so they go along to get along.
Many atheists are drawn to science because that is their religion, but science does not support atheism any more than it supports Christianity or Buddhism or Judaism or Islam, etc. That is where atheists fall flat on their faces. They believe that the absence of evidence is the evidence of absence. Nothing could be further from the truth.
