Why are Pagans so smart?

[mol]

Hehe. I have to unleash this thread. Lets hear your views. Mairwen and I discussed this a while back and I would like to hear what everyone has to say and where the conversation will lead.

[Litha]

Interesting topic.
My group discussed this recently. We looked to covens that have hived off from us and those sister to us and reviewed the various people in each and found that the majority were not only smart, but creative, talented, graceful, musically inclined and easy on the eyes as well.
I don't think that this instance is particular to only our group but to the pagan community at large.
Perhaps it's because we modeled after the Lady and Lord?

[Rosabelle]

i always thought that pagans were smart because they read so much. :) (i know i'm sssoooo clever ;))
Rosabelle

[Kaylara]

At least I know that I am not the only one who noticed this! I agree with Queen Rosy on this one to a point. I think that the reason why there are so many intellegent people in the craft is because:

1.) This is a very intellectual religion. That is why we call it the "Craft of the Wise".

2.)There are a lot of people who don't want to work for their religion. (And as we all know, this religion focuses on personal work)

3.) Many people do not like to study.

Just my personal views on this. I am not against less intelligent people, but I find it hard to be around people who have no idea what I am talking about in even the most mundane areas.

Blessed Be!
Kaylara

[Litha]

I feel that the studying, learning, and selfwork increases our personal vibrations making it easier to attain more knowledge and understanding. Changes in diet help as well.
Garbage in, garbage out.

[Shatav]

I see this issue from another angle. Generally speaking, the more intelligence a person has, the less likely they are to just accept things at face value or "because I said so". So, as a result, more intelligent people are going to be drawn to religion that allow you to express creative thinking and non-mainstream ideas. Hence, most pagans would be of a higher intelligence quota, as well as other religions that allow for this freedom of thought patterns.

[mol]

Originally posted by Shatav
I see this issue from another angle. Generally speaking, the more intelligence a person has, the less likely they are to just accept things at face value or "because I said so". So, as a result, more intelligent people are going to be drawn to religion that allow you to express creative thinking and non-mainstream ideas. Hence, most pagans would be of a higher intelligence quota, as well as other religions that allow for this freedom of thought patterns.

Huh?

Just kidding.

I have unleashed my views of this topic before in the original thread and all of you have pretty much covered them. We are Seekers of knowledge...and this thirst we have never be quenched. We want more and more...

And..again..we generally dont have someone telling us how to think or what to Know. We must find this on our own.

[Kaylara]

Exactly!!!!!!!!!

:)

Blessed Be!
Kaylara

[Shatav]

Huh?

Just kidding.


Duhhh...whaaa?? ;)




We are Seekers of knowledge...and this thirst we have never be quenched. We want more and more...

And..again..we generally dont have someone telling us how to think or what to Know. We must find this on our own. [/B]

Bingo! I hate being told how to think. Really gets my goat.

[Semele]

I agree with all your answers. Certainly the studying because there just aren't many pagans standing on the street corners ready to educate you. We are true seekers of knowledge. But I think the most important thing that makes us appear smart and truly beautiful is the love that shines through us. Whenever you meet someone who shares love for all things, it shows and they instantly look better to us. Which we then begin to percieve as all the great qualities a person can possess. Take me and Mol for instance, we were definately not physically (or any other way) attracted to each other when we first met. it took spending a great deal of time with each other before we found our similar loves and interests and then it has continued to become an even stronger form of love...not just for each other but for life in general.

I very much agree with the diet aspect. We just recently decided to go back to being vegetarians. We gave up on it gradually because it was just too difficult to plan around our crazy schedules. Vending machines are not the best place to plan a meal!! We are really looking forward to growing some of our own food this year.

Semele

[Kiarda]

What more is there to say that has'nt been said..hmmmm

[mol]

Originally posted by Kiarda
What more is there to say that has'nt been said..hmmmm

Nothing. ;P

[Selenelucina]

Who said they are? As a new member, I don't want to start off being argumentative, (sure I do!) but anyone who remembers that it is the journey that counts, the lessons learned and the gifts both received and given, NOT the end result, is smart, pagan or not.

[mol]

Originally posted by Selenelucina
Who said they are? As a new member, I don't want to start off being argumentative, (sure I do!) but anyone who remembers that it is the journey that counts, the lessons learned and the gifts both received and given, NOT the end result, is smart, pagan or not.

;) Oh, I am soooo glad you came. Can you tell?

This topic was a spin off of something that was said to me in another forum. I revived it in this forum when we moved because of the answers given here and there.

Welcome...

[Selenelucina]

I'm glad I came too. The responses were all correct - they imply that the writer of each post is on a learning quest. That's why we're on the planet - I think. As Fritz, (co-founder of the Witches' Voice) sings in his CD, "still learnin', never burnin'". You betcha! Now, what other trouble can I get into? Back tonight.

[Kaylara]

*bump*

[Erincelt]

Of course I can't speak for all, but within my chosen Tradition we value the studies of science and art as more than important. Through science we learn of the workings of the universe without, while through art we learn of the workings of the universe within. Music and physics.. what's the difference? They both boil down to vibrations. Painting and chemistry.. its all patterns. Science and Art are two approaches to the same thing, one physical, and one mental. They both require our intelligence and our creativity.

So maybe, for others who think like this, that's the reason? The belief in divinity of nature? Could be.

[Ahautenites]

I agree with everyone here and was about to make a similar to Selenelucina's. While I agree that there are plenty of smart Pagans, there are also some really out-there ones, too. (Glad those ones are usually just silly fad-religionists who go a different way when they get bored within a couple months.) I'm just glad that the intelligent, committed ones outnumber them.

[Rainx]

Hm I know a lot of dumb Pagans. Actually I've seen a lot of dumb people in general. The religion seems to be incidental.

One person recently pointed out that to convert to Judaism they had to go to two classes a week, 3-4 hours each time, for a year, she had to study prayer book Hebrew, Jewish history & practice, & other subjects, go to a mikvah, attend a certain number of services, and write an essay before she was even allowed to go up to the bimah to be accepted into the congregation.

There are those who feel Christianity is not simply a matter of going to church on Sundays or knowing what the bible is. Even within Christian churches and paths, not to mention the offshoots.

There are lazy people and poseurs in every group. Actually, if one wanted to, one could almost find this thread discriminatory, "we're smarter then all those Christians, Jews, and Islamic people!". I wonder what EP thought if/when he saw it.

[Phoenix Blue]

I don't think so. The question posted wasn't, "Why are Pagans so much smarter than all these other people." You can answer the question on its own merit, without comparing and contrasting to other religions; and in fact, that's how most people here have chosen to answer.

[Rainx]

A Christian joins the forum and posts,

"Christians are smart because Christianity requires a lot of work and study, and thinking outside the mainstream, while most people are lazy or don't want to study.

Christians are smart because they're too busy studying the word of God - they don't have the time to host open circles or workshops, or to participate in esbats at the full moons and 8 sabbats a year.

Christians are smart because they are modelled after the One True Lord, YHVH.

Christians are smart because the love of God shines through them.

Christians are smart because they are constantly seeking knowledge, always learning and reaching towards God."

How do you suppose that'd go over? Best case scenario, someone goes "ya know, that's kind of discriminatory - there are smart and dumb people in all religions, and many Pagans also seek knowledge, think outside the mainstream, study their literature, etc. Paganism can also require lots of hard work and studying, and many Pagans feel we are patterned after our own idea of the divine. " Or.. the person gets flamed.

[Phoenix Blue]

**Shrugs** Could happen. But it doesn't mean any of those statements about Christians are wrong. In fact, just about all of them are positive statements. Which of those statements you offer actually makes a negative impression upon Pagans and/or is untrue?

You can make a case for religious discrimination in a lot of areas. . . I just don't think this is one of them.

[Sequoia]

Whoah! Who'd have thought, of all places, someone'd try to pick a fight in this thread?

I think that pagans are 'smart' because we try to see it from other points of view. We try to accept that there are values other than our own, and if not accomodate them, at least accept them. A lot of the "hard-core" pagans I've known knew more about the bible or torah or what have you, more than their counterparts of those faiths! (I've known pagans who could rattle off passages from the bible and scare the bejezus out of the missionaries!)

But as to smarter or dumber than other religions. . . *shakes head* no way. I think it just seems like it, because those of us who get together to talk about this sort of thing are the ones more likely to have sought information in the first place. Just like for example in Christianity- those who are more intelligent are more likely the ones you'd find in a university, debating different parts of the Old Testiment, rather than the sort who blindly listen to whatever their priest says. There are that sort in Paganism too, the ones who blindly listen to whatever the books or 'elders' say. I think you find them in every religion.

[SagaDraco]

Pagans are so smart because I, being one, prop up the entire group. It took two pages of posts to arrive to this conclusion?

Semi-seriously though, who cares? If we look to history we see Pagan Greece and Egypt at the vanguard of intellect. If we look to the Renaissance, we see Christendom pioneering new fields.

[~ Monk ~]

Originally posted by Puma Hime
I think that pagans are 'smart' because we try to see it from other points of view. We try to accept that there are values other than our own, and if not accomodate them, at least accept them.

I was thinking along the same lines, but instead of 'smart' I thought 'generally more enlightened.' But this:


Originally posted by Rainx
Hm I know a lot of dumb Pagans. Actually I've seen a lot of dumb people in general. The religion seems to be incidental.


...is so very true. It's near impossible to use a blanket term to describe any group of people.

[Xentor]

You will find people that gather and discuss in forums like these to be smarter than average. Why? Because reading and discussing sharpens the mind.

Let's have an intelligence test. Perhaps even a poll... "How high's your IQ/EQ?" My bet is that in the majority of discussion forums on the internet the reported IQ is above average, while that may not be true for EQ.

-- I know I'm smarter than most people, so why do I do so many stupid things? -- Me.

[stevie]

Well, all the studying we do for our religion. I personaly studied a lot about Christianity, looking for a reason not to become pagan. I did not find one. I now seem to know more about Christianity then most Christians. Then, I read many books on different paths to find my own.

But, I also think pagans are smarter because we keep are minds open to new ideas then most people do.