Are we smarter than average?

[Jesster]

Think about it. Think about the people on this forum. Think about every atheist you've met in your life. How often is it that you've met one who couldn't be described as especially intelligent, in a certain hard to describe way? It's like a certain innocence is lacking there, a certain something that makes skeptics of all stripes very similar in their mindset as well as uniformly intelligent at some level.

Am I totally off base here? To be noted, this is clearly about a generalization, and maybe even a budding stereotype. I'd like to hear your thoughts on the matter, though. What do you think about atheists as people?  I think it's time we talked about that, it might lead to some interesting conversations.

Worldwide I'd say yes.

Look at the top 30 countries with high percentages of an atheist population then look at the most religious countries.

Then compare technological accomplishments, education, sexual equality, equality of sexuality, economy and so on and so on.  

On a more local level though I'd say no.  Generally I wouldn't judge any individual, or even small population of religious people to be less or more intelligent.

Oh, if we're talking to access to education and scientific accomplishments, I'd absolutely agree with you on a global scale. I just thought we were simply talking about intelligence. I could definitely see how a surge in atheism would be a major bonus to the prosperity of humanity.