Is there a correlation between atheism and intelligence?

[Dystopia]

A lot of studies suggest a correlation between higher education/IQ and atheism, or, at least, people tend to be less religious or non religious. What are your thoughts on this?

[vorlon13]

Just anecdotal, in my high school graduating class I've noticed:


most of the A and B students I'd say are less religious on average

the alcoholics are evenly divided male/female, and there is no correlation to dumb/smart

our class, for reasons unknown, had far lower mortality than next 2 or 3 grades ahead or behind us (weird, very weird, and noticed by all)

both gays, that I know of, are male

our class probably has a 10-15% divorce rate, way low

our class sent more to college than several classes ahead or behind, and graduated (4 year degree) far fewer than the others

our class has (AFAIK) about a 20% alcoholism/addiction rate. Probably not too far off the mark for our rural isolated back water, but very high compared to the national average.

no classmate has won the effing lottery, either

I have no idea what the national average is, but several classmates have adopted kids, that surprised me, but I don't have or like kids, LOL. I didn't even like kids when I was a kid, preferring the company of grownups, even then.




Not sure if this helps the TS, but I've found our class to be rather odd compared to the 3 grades ahead and 3 behind we were in High School with.

[Zidneya]

[Esquilax]

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.

[Whateverist]

Theists can be intelligent and introspective with a vital mind. They probably won't be the ones who come to a site like this to fish for souls to save. Not every theist is doctrinaire in regard to ever subject or question any more than they have to be a literalist fundamentalist.

[Esquilax]

Theists can be intelligent and introspective with a vital mind. They probably won't be the ones who come to a site like this to fish for souls to save. Not every theist is doctrinaire in regard to ever subject or question any more than they have to be a literalist fundamentalist.

That's what I'm saying: the more outwardly, obviously intelligent a theist is, the less likely they'll be to accept their specific holy book's claims of being the only possible answer ever, ever as gospel.

So I guess it's not religion that's correlated with a lack of intelligence, it's fundamentalism.

[Knowledge of God]

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

[Esquilax]

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

See, this is exactly what I was talking about.

Hey champ? When the bible says that, it's factually incorrect.

[Knowledge of God]

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

See, this is exactly what I was talking about.

Hey champ? When the bible says that, it's factually incorrect.

Is that the way of reasoning you were born with? I must remember yourself of the atheist fact the bible is full of contradictions.

[Whateverist]

See, this is exactly what I was talking about.

Hey champ? When the bible says that, it's factually incorrect.

Is that the way of reasoning you were born with? I must remember yourself of the atheist fact the bible is full of contradictions.

But at least he is reasoning. When you throw out a bare bible quote without comment .. what's that?