Religious people are less intelligent than atheists

[drfuzzy]

This topic is problematic.  I think the term of "intelligence" is wrong here.  We need to discuss indoctrination and liberal education.

I was raised funditard, and yes, I use that completely not politically-correct term deliberately.  A lot of the people in these groups were actually quite intelligent.  
   My Mother was my best example.  My Father was a Summa Cum Laude college graduate.  My Mother did not attend college.  But she could solve problems a lot faster than my Father could.  She was VERY intelligent.  But she was completely hobbled by her beliefs.  She took us out of public school when she learned that we would be taught about the Devil's Theory of Evolution.  She had a fit when the 3rd grade teacher played some rock music.  The world was evil, we had the only way to heaven, the Bible was literally true, and the Rapture was happening tomorrow.  For education, the Bible and preachers were all that was needed, and she followed the preachers like a cult member.  (She would practically worship a preacher until he was caught having affairs or raping children or both, then she would move on to another until he was caught, then another . . . )
   These people have their own "Bible College" -- still. All secular education is evil.  All scientists are evil.  
   
I'm so grateful that I ended up going to a regular university.

It is the anti-education, indoctrinated mindset that kills the use of natural intelligence.  It is a worldview based upon fables and emotional responses to an imaginary friend and group-think delusions of superiority that kills the use of natural intelligence.  But to say that these people are unintelligent is not precisely correct. (And now I need to go find that study -- to accurately respond to the OP.)

[brewer]

While interesting, I'm skeptical of the conclusions without seeing the 63 individual study parameters. I can think of a few ways to skew the results based on how the study was conducted. 

Also, I'm not sure why it matters.

[Little lunch]

Boys are less intelligent than girls also.

[Magilla]

. . . . . 

Also, I'm not sure why it matters.

I agree. Maybe the idea is to feel smug, but maybe not.

The upper levels of intelligence within the groups of both atheists. as well as believers, is probably very high.
I.E. some theists are pretty darned smart people, (and some atheists are surely as dumb as a bucket of rocks ?)

[WinterHold]

I personally think and believe that it's true.

Any oppressing form of ideology, that prevents the mind from thinking freely, is hiding something. It doesn't want you to think freely, because free thinking would lead to its destruction.

Almost all religions oppress their followers to keep them locked as peasants with no will and no ability to detect the contradictions of the given faith.

With Islam, direct commands in the Quran were given to study, learn and see to make sure:

Sura 47, The Quran:
( 24 )   Then do they not contrive upon the Qur'an, or are there locks upon [their] hearts?

Sura 67, The Quran:
( 3 )   [And] who created seven heavens in layers. You do not see in the creation of the Most Merciful any inconsistency. So return [your] vision [to the sky]; do you see any breaks?
( 4 )   Then return [your] vision twice again. [Your] vision will return to you humbled while it is fatigued.

Sura 3, The Quran:
( 191 )   Who remember Allah while standing or sitting or [lying] on their sides and give thought to the creation of the heavens and the earth, [saying], "Our Lord, You did not create this aimlessly; exalted are You [above such a thing]; then protect us from the punishment of the Fire.

Especially verse 191 of Sura 3. So I'm ordered, as a Muslim, to have a critical mind and an imagination that thinks about everything. It will lead to God because that is the right way; that is why the design is there.

Following with your parents or what your society tells you, blindly, is usually the most important constant in disaster creation.

[Mister Agenda]

See the definition of intelligence that was previously posted. Intelligence is a measure tied to education.

TBH I think that was a bad definition.

Intelligence is an overall capacity to understand things. Intelligence is innate comprehension ability.

The measure you are describing is wisdom which is measured apart from education.

Nah, the point is that intelligence is innate and you can be taught things that you are too dumb to really understand. Education is about knowledge, and you don't have to be smart to know stuff. All knowledge requires is memory. Memorizing facts doesn't make you smart. Understanding them makes you smart.

One could reasonably say that the main thing an IQ test measures is academic aptitude more than generalized intelligence.

[Catholic_Lady]

Boys are less intelligent than girls also.

I actually remember learning that men had the highest IQ scores but also the lowest IQ scores. Kinda interesting.

[John V]

Hey, don't take it from me. This is the conclusion from a study by Professor Miron Zuckerman as reported in the Independent:

http://www.independent.co.uk/news/scienc...58046.html

Cool, science confirms what the Bible said a long time ago:

1 Cor 1

26 For you see your calling, brethren, that not many wise according to the flesh, not many mighty, not many noble, are called. 27 But God has chosen the foolish things of the world to put to shame the wise, and God has chosen the weak things of the world to put to shame the things which are mighty; 28 and the base things of the world and the things which are despised God has chosen, and the things which are not, to bring to nothing the things that are, 29 that no flesh should glory in His presence. 

Thanks for posting that! 

[vulcanlogician]

Also, I'm not sure why it matters.

I'm not sure either. I can't speak for anyone else, but I didn't become an atheist because "theists are dumb." I am an atheist because theists are wrong. Besides that, my real beef with theistic culture is that it creates an atmosphere which eschews critical thinking. To me, a discussion with a person of average intelligence who employs critical thought is going to be way more fruitful than a discussion with a genius who clings fast to prejudices and dogmas.

[ErGingerbreadMandude]

Boys are less intelligent than girls also.

I actually remember learning that men had the highest IQ scores but also the lowest IQ scores. Kinda interesting.

Intelligence is not a gendered trait 😂