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Are we smarter than average?
August 21, 2016 at 9:30 pm
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.
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RE: Are we smarter than average?
August 21, 2016 at 9:33 pm
I like to think I am an average thinking atheist.
Certain others on the other hand...
Intelligence should not be governed by any single category, however.
"What a little moonlight can do." ~ Billie Holiday
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RE: Are we smarter than average?
August 21, 2016 at 9:33 pm
(This post was last modified: August 21, 2016 at 9:35 pm by The Grand Nudger.)
The answer to any question of whether or not we're better than averages is almost always and certainly....no, lol.
You don't have to be smart...not to believe in pixies.
I am the Infantry. I am my country’s strength in war, her deterrent in peace. I am the heart of the fight… wherever, whenever. I carry America’s faith and honor against her enemies. I am the Queen of Battle. I am what my country expects me to be, the best trained Soldier in the world. In the race for victory, I am swift, determined, and courageous, armed with a fierce will to win. Never will I fail my country’s trust. Always I fight on…through the foe, to the objective, to triumph overall. If necessary, I will fight to my death. By my steadfast courage, I have won more than 200 years of freedom. I yield not to weakness, to hunger, to cowardice, to fatigue, to superior odds, For I am mentally tough, physically strong, and morally straight. I forsake not, my country, my mission, my comrades, my sacred duty. I am relentless. I am always there, now and forever. I AM THE INFANTRY! FOLLOW ME!
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RE: Are we smarter than average?
August 21, 2016 at 9:34 pm
If atheists were smarter, my IQ would have made a sudden leap as soon as I deconverted from Christianity.
No, I don't think this is the case at all, even if we're talking averages. I've met far too many people in all ranges of intelligence in all beliefs.
I don't believe you. Get over it.
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RE: Are we smarter than average?
August 21, 2016 at 9:35 pm
Meh, stupid thread, whatever.
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RE: Are we smarter than average?
August 21, 2016 at 9:35 pm
There's a study floating around that indicates atheists are smarter. My own experience is that we don't fall much outside the general bell-curve.
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RE: Are we smarter than average?
August 21, 2016 at 9:42 pm
What's this "we" shit?
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RE: Are we smarter than average?
August 21, 2016 at 9:43 pm
It's walking papers for me, says "I". 
I am the Infantry. I am my country’s strength in war, her deterrent in peace. I am the heart of the fight… wherever, whenever. I carry America’s faith and honor against her enemies. I am the Queen of Battle. I am what my country expects me to be, the best trained Soldier in the world. In the race for victory, I am swift, determined, and courageous, armed with a fierce will to win. Never will I fail my country’s trust. Always I fight on…through the foe, to the objective, to triumph overall. If necessary, I will fight to my death. By my steadfast courage, I have won more than 200 years of freedom. I yield not to weakness, to hunger, to cowardice, to fatigue, to superior odds, For I am mentally tough, physically strong, and morally straight. I forsake not, my country, my mission, my comrades, my sacred duty. I am relentless. I am always there, now and forever. I AM THE INFANTRY! FOLLOW ME!
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RE: Are we smarter than average?
August 21, 2016 at 9:48 pm
(August 21, 2016 at 9:30 pm)Excited Penguin Wrote: 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.
Are you ready for the fire? We are firemen. WE ARE FIREMEN! The heat doesn’t bother us. We live in the heat. We train in the heat. It tells us that we’re ready, we’re at home, we’re where we’re supposed to be. Flames don’t intimidate us. What do we do? We control the flame. We control them. We move the flames where we want to. And then we extinguish them.
Impersonation is treason.
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RE: Are we smarter than average?
August 21, 2016 at 9:49 pm
(August 21, 2016 at 9:42 pm)bennyboy Wrote: What's this "we" shit?
Yeah, we, us atheists, you're in the wrong section of the forum. 
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