Two studies of Atheism and Theism.

[Mystic]

MysticKnight, in my own life at least, I don't see anything to suggest that atheists are any wiser, overall, than believers. And even if the particular instance of belief in God, I do not see how a default atheism is any wiser than unquestioned faith. Even if god were a convenient fiction that belief could still be more useful in guiding rational thought than not relying upon it. For example, we use the imaginary numbers in mathematics all the time. There is no square root of -1, but certain equations would be impossible to solve without it.

I think in the bolded sentence you may have hit upon a more crucial difference between intellectual Christians and skeptical atheists.

I think so too. He finds it more wise to be useful and doesn't emphasize foolishness in being wrong. I think Theists look for what gives them happiness and meaning through religion, and that it's primarily important (ie. useful), and being right is important but not that important, but Atheists care more about being right and worry about being wrong more and it's the primary importance.

However there is a fine line we have to tread. If we abandon intuition, we lose morality, praise, free-will and human rights....and if we care so much about being right and worry about being wrong about those, we won't really function well and could even possibly miss out on the way of knowledge which maybe via faith (trust).