BellaOnline Forums Religion and Spirituality Atheist Atheism linked to intelligence

In the words of Homer Simpson:
"I am so smart, I am so smart. S-M-R-T...I meant S-M-A-R-T.

Time for us to gloat a little.

New study out from the Royal Society is very good for our ego.
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This is one of those statements that actually does get to me.

Why should I be considered any less intelligent because I happen to to be a Christian?

I'd have to go look up what my last IQ test said, but it was definitely on the high side of normal.

I graduated 5th in my HS class, probably would have been higher, except I was involved in just about every extra-curricular activity I could fit in.

I went to college on a full academic scholarship.

Where I "dumbed out" was quitting college to marry the man I thought I would be with forever, but I think thast was as much hormones as intellect. (That and I'm a terrible typist as has been proved here on more than one occasion)

But it really is irritating to have it implied that I am less intelligent just because of my religious beliefs.

Actually this in no way implies that you are of below average intelligence. You may very well be the most intelligent person in the world. However, what it finds is that on average as IQ increases, religious belief declines. Therefore there is a higher percentage of atheists in MENSA then there are with an IQ below say 100.

I am sorry it gets to you but it is not a statement. Its a survey.

Another point is that this has nothing to do with identifying as Christian. All faiths are included.

WOW that is pretty interesting. This may be a more of a logical thinking thing, meaning that most people who are logical scientific thinkers tend to not believe in religion....this is just my opinion and I could be wrong.

Point(s) taken. I guess it is sort of a knee-jerk response to me.

Also, looking at CrochetQueen's response, although I can be quite logical when tackling a problem that needs to be solved, my natural tendencies tend to the more emotional. So I claim emotional instability for my outburst!

My intelligence gets challenged because I didn't finish college, because I'm a SAHM, because I believe in the Bible...

Thinking about it, it is acutally my problem, my insecurities. But I always feel like I'm having to prove myself to someone.

>My intelligence gets challenged because I didn't finish college, because I'm a SAHM, because I believe in the Bible...

>Thinking about it, it is acutally my problem, my insecurities. But I always feel like I'm having to prove myself to someone.

Michelle, I think most people have areas in which they feel insecure, and get defensive. When I was looking for a kindergarten that would take my son, initially we lived in a state where he missed the cut-off by a lousy 2 weeks -- and I got fairly lambasted for "stealing his childhood" and other things that sounded vaguely like I was guilty of child abuse for wanting a child who had figured out how to read without being taught to be allowed to go to school. Really evil of me, I know.... ;-)

Then I moved (before finding a school) to another state, where he missed the cut-off by a larger margin. I was in defensive mode -- but the attitude there (at that time -- I was told it changed by someone who had a younger child) was "you know your child best" -- it was far more accepting.

Averages, of course, are just that, averages. People can be higher or lower and still be a part of that average.

Want insecurity -- I'm a second generation agnostic. I don't even know if I'd be agnostic or not had I been raised differently....

I think it just means that people with higher intelligence tend to question things more often, particularly things that people tell them are "truth"

So if their questioning leads to disbelief, fine. If not, that's fine too. But people with lower intelligence are less likely to critically examine and question issues of religion- especially if it's what they grew up with and have always known.

Michelle, Love your picture, (your full of surprises) lol

Michelle, I really love it that you were able to articulate your insecurities. By owning your issues, you are empowering yourself to heal, and become immune to how others wish to define you.

Surveys, polls and opinions to my belief are all the same. They categorize and compartmentalize, and all come from a particular place of bias. They are meant to exalt one group and demean another. Behind these various forms of "my kind is better than your kind, and I will prove it to you" surveys are groups of insecure individuals seeking evidence to support their need to feel superior.

Those who are completely secure with who they are do not find the necessity to place others beneath them. No one should buy into another persons tests of superiority, whether it is in their favor or not. In the scheme of things, it really all amounts to a hill of beans, because superiority is an illusion. What matters is getting to a place of bliss where you are, not trying to get others to be bedazzled by it. This only serves to feed a starved ego.

Also keep in mind that IQ tests mean very little in the big picture of life. Some parts are inacurate, and measure nothing. Dr. Wayne Dyer was quoted in an IQ test as part of the question. The testee was to decipher the meaning of the quote. Dyer later found this portion of the test, and immediately contacted the test creator, because the "correct" answer was not correct. However, the test creator informed Dyer that the answer was indeed correct, and that Dyer did not know how to decipher his own words. The test question and answer remained.

Shay

This is basically what I was going to say. I think the survey doesn't take into account those people of faith who do question and think and debate, but find the answers they work out to be to their satisfaction.