Croce Loc: Earth

Interesting but not at all surprising. Sorry Jesus Freaks but you do not want we ungodly to have our own forum so here I am with nowhere else to post this: Written by Rob Waugh 15 hours ago Yahoo! News

Religious people are less intelligent than atheists, study finds

Religious people are less intelligent than non-believers, according to a new review of 63 scientific studies stretching back over decades.

A team led by Miron Zuckerman of the University of Rochester found “a reliable negative relation between intelligence and religiosity” in 53 out of 63 studies. Even in extreme old age, intelligent people are less likely to believe, the researchers found - and the reasons why people with high IQs shun religion may not be as simple as previously thought.

Previous studies have tended to assume that intelligent people simply “know better”, the researchers write - but the reasons may be more complex.

For instance, intelligent people are more likely to be married, and more likely to be successful in life - and this may mean they “need” religion less.

The studies used in Zuckerman's paper included a life-long analysis of the beliefs of a group of 1,500 gifted children - those with IQs over 135 - in a study which began in 1921 and continues today.

Even at 75 to 91 years of age, the children from Lewis Terman’s study scored lower for religiosity than the general population - contrary to the widely held belief that people turn to God as they age. The researchers noted that data was lacking about religious attitudes in old age and say, “Additional research is needed to resolve this issue.”

As early as 1958, Michael Argyle concluded, “Although intelligent children grasp religious concepts earlier, they are also the first to doubt the truth of religion, and intelligent students are much less likely to accept orthodox beliefs, and rather less likely to have pro-religious attitudes.”

A 1916 study quoted in Zuckerman’s paper (Leuba) found that, “58% of randomly selected scientists in the United States expressed disbelief in, or doubt regarding the existence of God; this proportion rose to nearly 70% for the most eminent scientists.”

The paper, published in the academic journal Personality and Social Psychology Review, said “Most extant explanations (of a negative relation) share one central theme—the premise that religious beliefs are irrational, not anchored in science, not testable and, therefore, unappealing to intelligent people who “know better.” The answer may, however, be more complex. Intelligent people may simply be able to provide themselves with the psychological benefits offered by religion - such as “self-regulation and self-enhancement,” because they are more likely to be successful, and have stable lives.

“Intelligent people typically spend more time in school—a form of self-regulation that may yield long-term benefits,” the researchers write. “More intelligent people get higher level jobs (and better employment (and higher salary) may lead to higher self-esteem, and encourage personal control beliefs.”

“Last, more intelligent people are more likely to get and stay married (greater attachment), though for intelligent people, that too comes later in life. We therefore suggest that as intelligent people move from young adulthood to adulthood and then to middle age, the benefits of intelligence may continue to accrue.”

The researchers suggest that further research on the “function” of religion may reveal more.

“People possessing the functions that religion provides are likely to adopt atheism, people lacking these very functions (e.g., the poor, the helpless) are likely to adopt theism,” the researchers wrote.

If any of you god folk have trouble understanding what is written above, please feel free to ask me for assistance. Being non religious and non superstitious, I posses the intelligence necessary to help you understand.

letmedance Loc: Walnut, Ca.

:thumbup: :thumbup: :thumbup: :thumbup: :thumbup:

DougW Loc: SoCal

Ah you fellas will grasp at any straw you can.
Maybe God doesn't believe in you. :lol:

RixPix Loc: Miami, Florida

I read this article earlier today. It is a known fact that the Church deliberately kept their flocks ignorant for centuries. While other religions like Judaism promoted scholarship and language skills to better understand their faith, Catholics used Latin (a dead language) well into the 20th Century. The resulting gap between the intelligence of Christians and Jews is considered the impetus for a lot of the fear and hate of the Jews. They were smarter their smarts made them more successful. Their success made them targets of an envious population. Today, many Western Christian Denominations use fear and twisted half-truths to keep the faithful coming back. These half-learned faithful are gullible, fearful and have been taught to avoid learning and to spurn those that have become educated. The odd thing is that if you travel outside of the United States to Europe this issue is almost non-existent. This is due to the advanced educational system in European countries.

letmedance Loc: Walnut, Ca.

Religion is "Selling Salvation".

RixPix Loc: Miami, Florida

The odd thing this there is no salvation necessary.

letmedance Loc: Walnut, Ca.

God and religion By Dr Michio Kaku
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=tX-Ux1Ad7tY

DougW Loc: SoCal

Just keep telling yourself that, and some day you might believe it.

Amazing how people who are so " solid " in their belief have to go out of their way to demean other's belief.

RixPix Loc: Miami, Florida

I don't have to "believe" anything...knowledge is power. Religion is like Santa Claus...once you KNOW the truth and get over the loss of "magic" you look back and wonder how you could have been so gullible. The signs of the truth were always there but you were blinded by your belief and fear of knowing the truth.

wrr Loc: SEK

Ok, you're on...explain so a less than average intelligent person such as myself may understand...?

letmedance Loc: Walnut, Ca.

I do not see anyone here trying to demean others belief. We are only expressing our non belief.
Just a thought not putting anyone down, you are entitled to your belief, it is not my job to or duty or privilege to convert anyone. I have had many knock on my door trying convert Me, trying to bear witness, but none of them were Atheist.

Croce Loc: Earth

Sorry wrr, you are too low on the IQ scale. It would take too long and my time is too valuable. I will only apply my resources where they will have maximum benefit.

wrr Loc: SEK

lol, c'mon Croce, you can do better than a 1st grade come back...what I'm hearing is that you can't really back up your offer?

Harvey Loc: Pioneer, CA

No - religion is selling fiction and superstition.


I too read this article and take it as some truth some stretched truth. I do know that in some areas this may be valid study but in others not quite the truth. In my dealing with many churches in many areas of western USA I find a very high percentage of well educated peoples but in my 5 yrs living on the Yucatan of MX I know the percentage of grade school educated church adult members was quite high. ALL church groups are quite well represented in MX now - not just Catholics.
As for the churches wanting to keep the masses from being educated like one of the previous posts mentioned I feel they have overlooked the many Christian Collages through t the country that so many people go to for very little or no tuition.
Yes - the Catholics have done a fantastic job of suppression and robbing the world as well as some other supposed religious groups. I feel the religious are not dumber but are not questioning the folk stories they have been taught and accepted for centuries.

magicray Loc: Tampa Bay, Florida

Religious people are less intelligent than atheists, study finds
How could any highly intelligent person disagree?