Your Question: What is God up to GM? Why is He setting up the smartest of us for Hell and filling Heaven up with incurious, reactionary, intolerant sheep? 

one scriptural reply from Proverbs 1:

...7 ¶ The fear of the LORD is the beginning of knowledge: but fools despise wisdom and instruction.

20 ¶ Wisdom crieth without; she uttereth her voice in the streets: 21 She crieth in the chief place of concourse, in the openings of the gates: in the city she uttereth her words, saying, 22 How long, ye simple ones, will ye love simplicity? and the scorners delight in their scorning, and fools hate knowledge? 23 Turn you at my reproof: behold, I will pour out my spirit unto you, I will make known my words unto you. 24 Because I have called, and ye refused; I have stretched out my hand, and no man regarded; 25 But ye have set at nought all my counsel, and would none of my reproof: 26 I also will laugh at your calamity; I will mock when your fear cometh; 27 When your fear cometh as desolation, and your destruction cometh as a whirlwind; when distress and anguish cometh upon you. 28 Then shall they call upon me, but I will not answer; they shall seek me early, but they shall not find me: 29 For that they hated knowledge, and did not choose the fear of the LORD: 30 They would none of my counsel: they despised all my reproof. 31 Therefore shall they eat of the fruit of their own way, and be filled with their own devices. 32 For the turning away of the simple shall slay them, and the prosperity of fools shall destroy them. 33 But whoso hearkeneth unto me shall dwell safely, and shall be quiet from fear of evil.

Additional scriptural support of the Fear of the Lord:

Job 28:28 And unto man he said, Behold, the fear of the Lord, that is wisdom; and to depart from evil is understanding.

Ps 111:10 The fear of the LORD is the beginning of wisdom: a good understanding have all they that do his commandments: his praise endureth for ever.

Pr 1:29 For that they hated knowledge, and did not choose the fear of the LORD:

Pr 2:5 Then shalt thou understand the fear of the LORD, and find the knowledge of God.

Pr 8:13 The fear of the LORD is to hate evil: pride, and arrogancy, and the evil way, and the froward mouth, do I hate.

Pr 9:10 The fear of the LORD is the beginning of wisdom: and the knowledge of the holy is understanding.

Pr 10:27 The fear of the LORD prolongeth days: but the years of the wicked shall be shortened.

Pr 14:26 In the fear of the LORD is strong confidence: and his children shall have a place of refuge.

Pr 14:27 The fear of the LORD is a fountain of life, to depart from the snares of death.

Pr 15:16 Better is little with the fear of the LORD than great treasure and trouble therewith.

Pr 15:33 The fear of the LORD is the instruction of wisdom; and before honour is humility.

Pr 16:6 By mercy and truth iniquity is purged: and by the fear of the LORD men depart from evil.

Pr 19:23 The fear of the LORD tendeth to life: and he that hath it shall abide satisfied; he shall not be visited with evil.

Pr 22:4 By humility and the fear of the LORD are riches, and honour, and life.

Pr 23:17 Let not thine heart envy sinners: but be thou in the fear of the LORD all the day long.

If I had one wish for you Ed(or anyone:), it would be that you take the gospel of Jesus Christ to heart.

And please don't get all uppity on me, I'm no better than you, just better off because I believe/trust in Jesus Christ's redemptive work on the Cross(assuming you don't based on your writing/tone).

Peace be with you.