Dear Friends of The Holy Family,

Some of you may have heard the name Younghoon Kim over the last several weeks. Kim is a 36-year old
South Korean Scientist, who has the highest IQ – ever! (Although he was never tested officially, Albert Einstein was
thought to have an IQ between 160 and 180; Stephen Hawkings, sometimes regarded as the smartest man of recent
years, only had an IQ of 160!)
Kim is a renowned scientist and entrepreneur, whose IQ of 276 – nearly double the number used to define
geniuses – has been verified by Mensa. (Mensa is the largest and the oldest high IQ society in the world.) He is the
founder of a research company that fosters AI-powered brain health solutions; he has also established the United Sigma
Intelligence Association – a global network for exceptionally gifted individuals.
On June 18th of this year, Kim posted a stunning statement on his social media account. He posted, “As the
world’s highest IQ record holder, I believe that Jesus Christ is God, the way and the truth and the life.”
His post went viral! Within only a few days, his post was viewed over twenty-two million times; with thousands
of comments listed on his thread. Kim was amazed and humbled by the massive response to his faith-filled tweet.
However, rather than bask in internet fame, he quickly made it clear he has a higher purpose in mind. In a follow-up
post, the genius-turned-evangelist wrote that he “will use this opportunity to lead many souls to God.”.
In a world that too often claims that intelligence and faith cannot be consistently compatible, Kim’s unabashed
declaration of faith has proven to be a remarkable and inspiring witness to his countless social media followers. And,
as if his bold proclamation weren’t enough, he added to his post, “Christ is my logic.”
Kim’s words (and proclamation) echo the consistently, long-held teaching of our Catholic faith that faith and
reason, are consistently complementary. Our beloved and late Holy Father, Pope Saint John Paull II famously wrote
during his pontificate, (and often used it as a basis for a talk or homily, especially when addressing young people or
college audiences) that, “Faith and reason are like two wings on which the human spirit rises to the contemplation of
truth.”
In previous posts (posted before his record breaking twenty-two million view post), Kim commented that
studying theology is, “one of the best things I have ever done in my life,” describing it as the “ultimate discipline of
all fields of study.”
Unlike Einstein, who rarely spoke of faith, and Hawkings, who publicly declared himself an atheist, Kim is
not afraid to speak of his Christian faith, and has stated that, “only Christianity provides a logically sound solution to
the problems of evil and suffering (in our world) and salvation.”
After realizing the tremendous attention his initial faith-based post received, Kim continued to share more
posts of his Christian faith; almost as if he were using the internet as a pulpit to preach the truth of Christ’s teachings.
In one of his posts, Kim affirmed the timeless authority of Sacred Scripture: “I believe the Bible is the perfect,
eternal, and final Word of God. Therefore, the Bible doesn’t need to be updated. The world needs to catch up.”
It’s quite obvious that this most-brilliant of intellects sees no conflict or clash between cutting-edge knowledge
and ancient faith; on the contrary, he embraces Christianity as truth in its purest form. Kim’s bold stance has resonated
powerfully with many who read his posts. Positive reactions poured in from around the globe, particularly from fellow
Christians heartened to see such a high-profile intellect defending the faith.
For countless people, seeing “the world’s smartest man” unabashedly praise the Lord has been a source of
encouragement and hope. It is no coincidence that this inspiring testimony comes from a South Korean man; South
Korea is a country where Christianity has experienced phenomenal growth over the past century.
In 1900, Christians made up only about 1% of Korea’s population; today, the percent of South Koreans who
identify as Christians has blossomed: about 17% of South Koreans identify with some type of Protestant denomination
and 6% of South Koreans identify as Catholics.
Kim’s viral profession of faith should inspire believers and skeptics alike. It serves as a reminder that no one
is ever “too intelligent” to believe; in fact, our God-given reason and intellect, when nurtured and properly used, always
leads us toward God, not away from Him. So always use the give of reason that Almighty God has given you to know
Him, to Love Him and to serve Him!
By God’s grace, we are all members of The Holy Family, united in faith with Jesus, Mary and Joseph!

Fr. O’Sullivan