FULL STORY:


Religious people are, on average, less intelligent than atheists, researchers claim.

With the number of people with a religious belief on the rise – it’s predicted that people with no faith will make up only 13 per cent of the global population by 2050 – numerous studies have explored the relationship between religious convictions and IQ.

And now, in a new paper published in Frontiers in Psychology, researchers say that diminished intelligence among people of faith could be because they largely rely on intuition. It is well established that religiosity correlates inversely with intelligence,” note Richard Daws and Adam Hampshire at Imperial College London.

Surveying more than 63,000 participants online who indicated whether they were atheists, religious or agnostic, each person had to complete a 30-minute set of 12 cognitive tasks that measured planning, reasoning, attention and memory. Overall, the research found that atheists performed better overall than the religious participants even when demographic factors like age and education were taken into consideration. Agnostics mostly placed between atheists and believers on all tasks.

While strength of religious conviction correlated with poorer cognitive performance, the data did show that there were only few small differences in working memory compared to tasks that required reasoning. As such, rather than having poor general intelligence, the researchers say that religious people's lower IQ test results may be a result of bad performance on tasks only where intuition and logic come into conflict.

In fact, one of the reasoning tasks which was a difficult version of the Stroop Task known as “colour-word remapping”, was designed to create maximum conflict between an intuitive response and a logical one. As predicted, this task showed the biggest group differences in keeping with the idea that religious people rely more on their intuition.

“These findings provide evidence in support of the hypothesis that the religiosity effect relates to conflict [between reasoning and intuition] as opposed to reasoning ability or intelligence more generally,” the researchers concluded.


The link:..........................................http://www.independent.co.uk/life-style/athiests-religious-people-intelligence-smarter-study-imperial-college-london-a8183131.html

So true because there is a difference between a critical/free thinker and a religious apologists.One has the mind to question things while the other takes it as it is.

Anyone with a functioning brain would agree wholeheartedly with this.

O.P, be ready for the sheeple crew coming!

Nigeria boasts of having the highest number of religious zombie on the planet by some assessment

Ladyhippolyta88:
So true because there is a difference between a critical/free thinker and a religious apologists.One has the mind to question things while the other takes it as it is.

Lol.. Spot on!

If atheism will make me smart,

I will rather be a fool, a complete fool for God and his lamb.


Originakalokalo.

Bible:. a fool say that THERE IS NO God.


Studies: The wise say there is no God.


Blindness of the mind is foolishness,

The brain may be active and the mind blind. This is still foolishness!!!.

Soo, Are they intelligent because they are Atheists?
Or
Are they Atheists because they are intelligent?

danvon:
Soo, Are they intelligent because they are Atheists?
Or
Are they Atheists because they are intelligent?

They atheists because they are intelligent

frank317:


They atheists because they are intelligent

That means atheism isn't responsible for their intelligence

Another stupid topic! Atheists are just foolish.

danvon:
Soo, Are they intelligent because they are Atheists?
Or
Are they Atheists because they are intelligent?

Most likely they are atheist because they are intelligent( innately better reasoning ability).
Most , if not all atheists had always had an inner stirring for logical truths , even while they were religious.

Deckline:
Another stupid topic! Atheists are just foolish.

Must feel good to get that out of your chest

danvon:
That means atheism isn't responsible for their intelligence

Atheism isn't a belief system or a philosophical proposition.
It is simply a rejection of unproven myths,., pretty much the same way, I am sure , you reject the existence of Zeus, Amen Ra, Amadioha or Sango, Santa Claus, The ToothFairy or the Flying Spaghetti Monster.

For example, if I can convince you that the third mainland Bridge in Lagos is my family's private property, and convince you to part with your money for pieces of it, then I would naturally assume that you are not too intelligent.

Likewise, If you believe that a talking snake led to the downfall of the human race just right when it was beginning, then I must also think of you as being not too intelligent.

Zither:
Atheists are so smart. They believe creatures like the dinosaur and mammoth among others existed 150 million years ago, they believe Alexander, about 3000 years ago, was a historical figure (they don't question any of these despite the huge time gap of verifying their existence), however, they don't believe Jesus was a historical figure even though His existence, like the existence of other historical figures before and after Him, was authentically documented. yeah, atheists are very smart folks.

Christians are so smart that they paint atheists with the same brush like there's a place we meet and pray to the Almighty god of atheism while reading from the book inspired by "her", we hear this god and "he" resides in us and "it" communicates with and through us

BTW, many other humans have done things comparable to Alexander, so he's not really in the same league as a Son of a God/Rose from the Dead/walked on water/fed thousands of people with little food myth, is he?

but the part you Christians don't get is that it makes no difference to me if Alexander or other legendary or historical people are proven to never have existed. Most certainly ancient history is not accurately recorded. It's hard enough to sort out truth from exaggeration in events in our own time; I'm not going to have existential crisis if these people are proven to be myths, I'd just go about doing what I've been doing but the same cannot be said of you being proven to that Jesus is a myth as you'll have a freak out of epic proportion

Zither:
Atheists are so smart. They believe creatures like the dinosaur and mammoth among others existed 150 million years ago, they believe Alexander, about 3000 years ago, was a historical figure (they don't question any of these despite the huge time gap of verifying their existence), however, they don't believe Jesus was a historical figure even though His existence, like the existence of other historical figures before and after Him, was authentically documented. yeah, atheists are very smart folks.

You forgot to mention their belief that random chance explains why we here, in fact they believe chance explains everything in the long run. intelligence

plaetton:


Atheism isn't a believe system or a philosophical proposition.
It is simply a rejection of unproven myths,., pretty much the same ,way I am sure , you reject the existence of Zeus, Amen Ra, Amadioha or Sango, Santa Claus, The ToothFairy or the Flying Spaghetti Monster.

Likewise, If you believe that a talking snake led to the downfall of the human race just right when it was beginning, then I must also think of you as being not too intelligent.

Atheism is a belief system AND a philosophical view of origin (or lack of it) of life. End of story.

The height of stupidity and foolishness is when you look at the grand design, purpose and intelligence in nature, universe and yourself AND say it occurred out of random chance w/ no clear explanation and no DESIGNER and no ENGINEER behind them.


While toothfairy and zeus might be mythology, the nature and the universe and the gravity keeping you grounded and the oxygen you breath that is keeping you alive are NOT myth--- therefore their existence not a myth, therefore by logic, their origin (and creator) are not a myth.

Atheism is also a myth because it is denying facts-- that is someone was/is responsible for this universe.

Pure and simple. Just say you don't want to answer to someone for your actions in this world, but stop using "does not exist" as an excuse.

BTW: there are loads of great scientific "intelligent" minds that are non-atheists. I am one of them.
Use google. In fact, Einsten and Newton comes to mind. A lot of ivy league academic centers like Harvard were started by Christians and in fact, you can still find vestigial forms of this in many academic centers.

plaetton:


Most likely they are atheist because they are intelligent( innately better reasoning ability).
Most , if not all atheists had always had an inner stirring for logical truths , even while they were religious.

Too bad that these intelligent atheist won't share their 'logical truth' With us

Xiadnat:


BTW: there are loads of great scientific "intelligent" minds that are non-atheists. I am one of them.
[/b]

Lol.
Firstly, Real intelligent people rarely self-praise themselves with superlatives.

Secondly. You post shows very very clearly that you neither understand what empirical science is nor what the scientific method is .
An intelligent person well grounded on elementary school science would not have made some very very ignorant statements contained in your post.

Xiadnat:


Atheism is a belief system AND a philosophical view of origin (or lack of it) of life. End of story.

What a silly contradiction in one statement.

Correction sir:
Atheism has little to do with origin. Nearly all atheists accept the scientific view ( note : Not philosophical view ) of origin .

Now, considering that you are such a great intelligent scientist, one wonders if you also have a philosophical view of diseases, of breathable air, of electricity, of electromagnetic energy , of cellular biology, etc, etc.
And, ..and, how about a philosophical view of the communication devices that you are currently enjoying ?
African scientist, well done o.

Xiadnat:


The height of stupidity and foolishness is when you look at the grand design, purpose and intelligence in nature, universe and yourself AND say it occurred out of random chance w/ no clear explanation and no DESIGNER and no ENGINEER behind them.

Well, once again, you prove that you have zero idea of what science is .

Science is about questions, not answers.
In the process of asking questions, you discover answers.

Science never assumes any absolute ideas about the universe. Science starts with questions, make observations, conduct experiments, make mathematical calculations, then makes an analysis that tries to reach conclusions or near conclusions about natural phenomena, including most importantly, the origin of the universe.
Science does not rely on stone age myths to reach conclusions.
Even scientific conclusions are periodically amended or thrown out whenever new knowledge emerges.

Now back to your purported designer or engineer:
Somehow, as intelligent as you claim to be, you forget to remind yourself that if something that exists must have a designer or creator, then for the designer, creator or engineer to exists, such a being must, by your own logic, also have a prior creator or designer.
Do you understand that ?

Xiadnat:



While toothfairy and zeus might be mythology, the nature and the universe and the gravity keeping you grounded and the oxygen you breath that is keeping you alive are NOT myth--- therefore their existence not a myth, therefore by logic, their origin (and creator) are not a myth.

Another meaningless babble grounded on ignorance.

Why , in your view, are the Toothfairy and Zeus mythology ?

Which atheist denies the existence of gravity or oxygen ?

Since you are a great , intelligent scientist, why can't you use the well known and well proven system of the scientific method to outline how or at least a speculative outline of how gravity and oxygen were supposedly created by whoever you claim created them.
A Nobel prize awaits you.

Xiadnat:



Atheism is also a myth because it is denying facts-- that is someone was/is responsible for this universe.

Kindly outline the known scientifically accepted facts that atheism denies.
Please !!

And who exactly is responsible for this universe?
What is your proof ?
And, of course, who might also be responsible for your creator of the universe ?

Xiadnat:


Pure and simple. Just say you don't want to answer to someone for your actions in this world, but stop using "does not exist" as an excuse.

Funny , but silly.

There is zero evidence that people with a religious belief are morally and ethically better than those who not.
Statistics state the exact opposite.

So, if you need the fear of the skymonster to behave well, then I am obviously a much more mature and better human being than you. Simple.

danvon:
Too bad that these intelligent atheist won't share their 'logical truth' With us

Go to a library and get a library card.
You mind will be better off .
I assure you.

By the way, where is the nearest library in the Nigerian city where you live ?
And when was the last time, if ever, you visited that storehouse of knowledge ?

Butterflyl1on and felixomor won't like this

What you see as intelligent might be foolish to me. How about that?
The wisdom of the wise is perfect foolishness to JESUS my GOD and LORD.

hopefulLandlord:

Must feel good to get that out of your chest

Feeling good is a litote. I feel most elated..

Dear poster,

I am not really sure how to give rebuttal because you clearly and completely missed the points entirely.

Just to point few things and I will let you think you are "more matured and intelligent" - which by the way, per your quote: "real intelligent (and mature) people rarely self praise......". I laughed at this statement because you don't actually know me and yet, you have determined many things. Sir, to name a few, I have studied academics and philosophies of all arenas and have studied (and argued) under tutelage of many brilliant minds in science. AND I am a SHE


But, 'nuff said.

Atheism (real one anyway) is a philosophical view. Do you get that? From origin, meaning and purpose of life. I am talking about morality and ethics and the like. Never-mind technologies.

Science is pursuit of knowledge. Yes, your point is?

Well, sir, you make good point here. I don't know who made "God". But, surely you must know that is a question most people ask at some point in time. But, I rather ponder about where this 'being' came from than wonder this 'being' exists.

I merely pointed out gravity and oxygen to illustrate the point of exquisite complexity of design in nature.

Oh I already have Nobel prize---

Can you also prove to me that God does not exist via your scientific observations/test etc.... That is how atheism is also a myth, not science.

If there is no difference in morality between theists and atheists, well, the question that follows is this: Why is that? If you do good and are a good person, why? There should be a difference. Why, you should go outside and start doing whatever you fancy, then come back and let me know how it goes...

You say skymonster, I say your "life support". If it decides to pull the plug on you, well.....

PS: please, try to make your points w/o resorting to insults and caricature. That is the definition of intelligence and maturity.

plaetton:

Lol.
Firstly, Real intelligent people rarely self-praise themselves with superlatives.

Secondly. You post shows very very clearly that you neither understand what empirical science is nor what the scientific method is .
An intelligent person well grounded on elementary school science would not have made some very very ignorant statements contained in your post.



What a silly contradiction in one statement.

Correction sir:
Atheism has little to do with origin. Nearly all atheists accept the scientific view ( note : Not philosophical view ) of origin .

Now, considering that you are such a great intelligent scientist, one wonders if you also have a philosophical view of diseases, of breathable air, of electricity, of electromagnetic energy , of cellular biology, etc, etc.
And, ..and, how about a philosophical view of the communication devices that you are currently enjoying ?
African scientist, well done o.


Well, once again, you prove that you have zero idea of what science is .

Science is about questions, not answers.
In the process of asking questions, you discover answers.

Science never assumes any absolute ideas about the universe. Science starts with questions, make observations, conduct experiments, make mathematical calculations, then makes an analysis that tries to reach conclusions or near conclusions about natural phenomena, including most importantly, the origin of the universe.
Science does not rely on stone age myths to reach conclusions.
Even scientific conclusions are periodically amended or thrown out whenever new knowledge emerges.

Now back to your purported designer or engineer:
Somehow, as intelligent as you claim to be, you forget to remind yourself that if something that exists must have a designer or creator, then for the designer, creator or engineer to exists, such a being must, by your own logic, also have a prior creator or designer.
Do you understand that ?



Another meaningless babble grounded on ignorance.

Why , in your view, are the Toothfairy and Zeus mythology ?

Which atheist denies the existence of gravity or oxygen ?

Since you are a great , intelligent scientist, why can't you use the well known and well proven system of the scientific method to outline how or at least a speculative outline of how gravity and oxygen were supposedly created by whoever you claim created them.
A Nobel prize awaits you.



Kindly outline the known scientifically accepted facts that atheism denies.
Please !!

And who exactly is responsible for this universe?
What is your proof ?
And, of course, who might also be responsible for your creator of the universe ?



Funny , but silly.

There is zero evidence that people with a religious belief are morally and ethically better than those who not.
Statistics state the exact opposite.

So, if you need the fear of the skymonster to behave well, then I am obviously a much more mature and better human being than you. Simple.

Xiadnat:
.

Atheism (real one anyway) is a philosophical view. Do you get that? From origin, meaning and purpose of life. I am talking about morality and ethics and the like. Never-mind technologies.

this shows you have indeed studied academics and philosophies of all arenas

plaetton:


Go to a library and get a library card.
You mind will be better off .
I assure you.

By the way, where is the nearest library in the Nigerian city where you live ?
And when was the last time, if ever, you visited that storehouse of knowledge ?

how does this correlate with what I said so atheist are the only authors in the world?

plaetton:


Most likely they are atheist because they are intelligent( innately better reasoning ability).
Most , if not all atheists had always had an inner stirring for logical truths , even while they were religious.

I'd like to argue for that, that they are atheists because they are intelligent, but also they are intelligent because they followed an atheistic path of not believing what they are told and seeking verifiable evidence for what they know.

No one who studies the evidence can easily remain a believer unless they redefine the entire codex of the gods. Atheists tend to have eaten the fruits of knowledge and become atheists basically. Kingebukasblog is a typical example. He is probably away detheistisising himself or fortifying himself against the gradual inevitable erosion of his theistic beliefs.

No one who eats fruits of knowledge can believe in gods!

danvon:
how does this correlate with what I said so atheist are the only authors in the world?

He didn't say that! Your reading should not be that of atheists alone, nor of theists alone, in fact, for it is written "[hu]mans should not live on bread alone or they will become malnourished!"

Xiadnat:


While toothfairy and zeus might be mythology, the nature and the universe and the gravity keeping you grounded and the oxygen you breath that is keeping you alive are NOT myth--- therefore their existence not a myth, therefore by logic, their origin (and creator) are not a myth.

No, that's not a given, that all that exists was created. Its been posed a lot, but not yet proven or accepted as fact.

Please pull up threads on the topic and add your two bits so your evidence can be peer reviewed in its proper context.

Xiadnat:

But, I rather ponder about where this 'being' came from than wonder this 'being' exists.

But this is odd! I wonder if you've heard of the imaginary million pounds in my bank account with which I intend to buy a spanking brand new red Ferrari. I too wonder where it came from and not whether it exists!

Zither:
Atheists are so smart. They believe creatures like the dinosaur and mammoth among others existed 150 million years ago, they believe Alexander, about 3000 years ago, was a historical figure (they don't question any of these despite the huge time gap of verifying their existence), however, they don't believe Jesus was a historical figure even though His existence, like the existence of other historical figures before and after Him, was authentically documented. yeah, atheists are very smart folks.

Jesus is not a historical figure. He is a product of myth

hahn:


Jesus is not a historical figure. He is a product of myth

Salud.
Where you been?