Is there a correlation between atheism and intelligence?

[Knowledge of God]

Proverbs 2;6 All wisdom comes from the Lord,
and so do common sense
and understanding.

Really ? And just how many antibiotics did Jebus reveal, and please link us to where the Hebrew war god, (Yahweh Sabaoth) explained how to cure sick children, and perform heart surgery. Take your time.

Sorry for having taken that honor from you.

[Bucky Ball]

Really ? And just how many antibiotics did Jebus reveal, and please link us to where the Hebrew war god, (Yahweh Sabaoth) explained how to cure sick children, and perform heart surgery. Take your time.

Sorry for having taken that honor from you.

So you have nothing then.

[TubbyTubby]

I've seen a few graphs with a negative trend of intelligence vs religiosity. I suppose if you only look at countries with poor education they tend to have high religious take up as well so not a fair study.

"A new review of 63 scientific studies stretching back over decades has concluded that religious people are less intelligent than non-believers.

A piece of University of Rochester analysis, led by Professor Miron Zuckerman, found “a reliable negative relation between intelligence and religiosity” in 53 out of 63 studies."
http://www.independent.co.uk/news/scienc...58046.html

[Knowledge of God]

Sorry for having taken that honor from you.

So you have nothing then.

Poor child.

[Bucky Ball]

So you have nothing then.

Poor child.

"Through the mediation of Jesus Christ, I offer spiritual sacrifices that please God."

Actually that title would go to someone so utterly pompous and self-righteous they clam to know the mind of a gawd.

[Knowledge of God]

Poor child.

"Through the mediation of Jesus Christ, I offer spiritual sacrifices that please God."

Actually that title would go to someone so utterly pompous and self-righteous they clam to know the mind of a gawd.

Pompous.. Self-righteous..

These must be things you know very well.

[Cyberman]

Also condescension. We learn from the best.

Please point one out. If you can, you win a prize.

If you can't, quit deflecting.

hmm, you've hidden them so well.

Oh, so it's a conspiracy. You really should have said - the rubber room is over that way. -->

That prize I mentioned? It's called credibility. And “God“ knows you sorely need some.

[Rampant.A.I.]

I don't think the one thing causes the other thing, but religions in general cultivates and values a set of behaviors in their adherents that results in intellectual incuriosity, whereas atheism can do the reverse. Does that mean religion makes you dumb and atheism makes you smart? No. But religion certainly doesn't help theists to properly harness their intelligence no matter where it falls on the spectrum. How could it? Religion trains you to accept a single set of answers to almost every question, to deny even the possibility of investigating other alternatives, and to link that narrow mindedness with strength and correctness.

It's hard to maintain a vital mind when you're restricted to just one possible conclusion.

http://www.scientificamerican.com/articl...-of-brain/

[Angrboda]

I don't think the one thing causes the other thing, but religions in general cultivates and values a set of behaviors in their adherents that results in intellectual incuriosity, whereas atheism can do the reverse. Does that mean religion makes you dumb and atheism makes you smart? No. But religion certainly doesn't help theists to properly harness their intelligence no matter where it falls on the spectrum. How could it? Religion trains you to accept a single set of answers to almost every question, to deny even the possibility of investigating other alternatives, and to link that narrow mindedness with strength and correctness.

It's hard to maintain a vital mind when you're restricted to just one possible conclusion.

http://www.scientificamerican.com/articl...-of-brain/

The results showed significantly greater hippocampal atrophy in individuals reporting ... no religious affiliation ...

[zanOTK]

I don't think so. You're probably more likely to find intelligent individuals within minority religions, such as Buddhism or the Baha'i Faith, than you are Christianity or Islam. Why? Simple. In the case of the Baha'i Faith, most people you'll meet (unless they're Persian) are probably converts. Meaning they had to decide for themselves that they believed this rather than the majority religion or another minority, or nothing at all. This requires a certain amount of intelligence in and of itself. I believe the same goes for Buddhism. Unless they're Asian, most Buddhists are probably going to be converts. Meaning they had to think about this. The same applies to atheism. Atheists pretty much always come to their (lack of) belief because they used their own reasoning, rather than just went along with the norm.

It also depends on the religion itself, I think. Some religions actually encourage investigation and continuing education in their adherents. The two that I can think of off the top of my head are, again, the Baha'i Faith and Buddhism. However, I think I remember hearing about another one as well (I'll have to look for it). And of course, atheists are probably going to encourage education in their own children.

You're also more likely to find unintelligent individuals within the majority religion simply because it is the majority. There's more people in it, and so there's a better chance that you're going to find -stupid- people in it.