Are atheists more intelligent than believers?

Response

Implicit in this question is the notion that many atheists publicly assert themselves as the intellectual elite of society—and claim to be too intelligent to believe in religion. While it is true that many atheists are highly intelligent and well-educated (intelligence and educational attainment not being the same), the question remains: Are atheists justified in asserting their intellectual superiority over believers in God?

Atheist Richard Dawkins may excel in certain fields, particularly biology, and have attained a higher level of education than many believers. However, does this automatically qualify him to determine the existence of God? Certainly not. The primary issue for atheists is not their intelligence level; it is their struggle with sin. They have chosen to prioritize worldly knowledge over the knowledge of God.

The book of Proverbs is dedicated to wisdom. Solomon, in the opening section, highlights the first step to wisdom: “The fear of the LORD is the beginning of knowledge” «The fear of the LORD is the beginning of knowledge: But fools despise wisdom and instruction. », (Proverbs 1:7). Solomon emphasizes that true knowledge begins with acknowledging the need for and showing reverence to the one true God. To attain wisdom, one must first establish a right relationship with God. The atheist, starting from a different premise, veers off course.

Solomon concludes Proverbs 1:7 with: “But fools despise wisdom and instruction.” A wise individual reveres God (showing respect for His authority and willingly submitting to it), while a fool rejects wisdom. The foolish person refuses to recognize God’s authority in their life, thereby hindering their ability to gain true wisdom.

An atheist can be highly intelligent and very ignorant at the same time. They can possess multiple academic degrees and yet be, according to the Bible’s definition, a fool. Education is not a measure of intelligence, and intelligence is not a measure of spiritual condition. A person with the humblest intellect who believes in God’s promises is wise in what truly matters. “Your commands are always with me and make me wiser than my enemies” «Thou through thy commandments hast made me wiser than mine enemies: For they are ever with me.», (Psalm 119:98). There is a significant distinction between being academically successful and being “wise for salvation” «and that from a child thou hast known the holy scriptures, which are able to make thee wise unto salvation through faith which is in Christ Jesus.», (2 Timothy 3:15). “The foolishness of God is wiser than human wisdom” «Because the foolishness of God is wiser than men; and the weakness of God is stronger than men.», (1 Corinthians 1:25).

The intelligence of this world is temporary and has its limits. However, the wisdom that originates from God is eternal and surpasses worldly intelligence (see James 3:13-18). An atheist, lacking the Spirit of God, may struggle to grasp spiritual truths and could perceive those who live by faith as foolish, irrational, or less intelligent: “The person without the Spirit does not accept the things that come from the Spirit of God but considers them foolishness, and cannot understand them because they are discerned only through the Spirit” «But the natural man receiveth not the things of the Spirit of God: for they are foolishness unto him: neither caIn he know them, because they are spiritually discerned.” , (1 Corinthians 2:14).

The issue is not that the atheist does not see sufficient evidence for God. The real problem is that sin has so darkened his heart and mind that he refuses to acknowledge the evidence of God right in front of him. The Bible teaches that sin is not merely actions that oppose God’s will but is the inherent condition of every individual due to the curse of Adam (Genesis 3). We enter this world as sinners. One consequence of sin is spiritual blindness.

Atheists may be intelligent according to worldly standards, and they may boast about their intelligence extensively, but they are indeed foolish because they overlook the most crucial fact of life: they are created by a sovereign God who asserts authority over their lives. Paul states that the issue with sinful humanity is not that God has not clearly revealed Himself but that individuals suppress the truth: “Although they knew God, they neither glorified him as God nor gave thanks to him, but their thinking became futile and their foolish hearts were darkened. Although they claimed to be wise, they became fools” (Romans 1:21-22).

Atheists who assert they are more intelligent than believers in Christ are essentially expressing their unwillingness to believe in God. Sinful individuals cherish their sin. “Light has come into the world, but people loved darkness instead of light because their deeds were evil” «And this is the condemnation, that light is come into the world, and men loved darkness rather than light, because their deeds were evil. », (John 3:19).

Christianity is a rational faith, grounded in historical facts and a wealth of evidence. Christians do not dread having their faith scrutinized, evaluated, and cross-examined by sincere seekers of truth.

Truth; in fact, they welcome such investigation. Atheists can advance the arrogant assertion that they alone possess intelligence, but there are numerous Christian apologists, with qualifications rivaling any atheist’s, who are more than willing to challenge the assertions of atheism and participate in constructive debates regarding the truth claims of the Bible.