intelligent less likely to believe in god, page-208

Xeres

Whilst I don't necessarily agree with the premise of the study, I thought I would share in regards to your post.

1. The amazing array of life on earth can be explained (but of course not easily proven) by evolution, and evolutionary niches. Look at the tiny forest cut off by lava flows on Hawaiian islands - they have a microcosm of separately evolved life different, yet related to others live only a couple of K's away. Life can adjust. Look up where the hammer, anvil and stirrup bones have an equivalent in fish - it's pretty amazing how hearing came about for us!

2. "Moving toward the light" - you can replicate this in a G-Force test capsule. High G's will starve you brain of oxygen, causing your vision to shrink and to see a white light. It is unlikely that a massively different process is taking place when individuals are beginning to die (ie. near death).

3. Miraculous healing. I think belief and positive thoughts can lead to amazing recoveries from disease. Cancer is where your cell DNA is damaged and keeps replicating, killing off healthy parts of your body in the process. Your body has the capability to fight it, and in some people this appears to be triggered by prayer, positive thinking, spontaneously or by other methods. It would be great to have some real research done on this - but it is too hard to study.

In short, I am not religious and do not believe in a supreme being. I don't believe in life after death or magic. I do believe that the universe is an amazing place and that we still have an infinite amount to learn about it and how it ticks.

I have no problem with religious people - live and let live.

All the best.