Are atheists more intelligent than believers?

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_asbestosman
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Re: Are athiests more intelligent than believers?

Post by _asbestosman »

MrStakhanovite wrote:Guys, I'm gonna go ahead and apologize for Buffalo's 3,700+ posts.

Sorry.

Nope, not good enough. You have to repent for all atheists. I demand a full apology on behalf of evil atheist dictators, atheist child abusers, and sockpuppet.

For whoever shall keep the whole law, and yet offend in one point, he is guilty of all.

I hereby apologize for all religious tyrants, religious hucksters, and Wade.


I chose Wade because I think he doesn't mind a good-natured ribbing. If I'm mistaken, my apologies to Wade.
That's General Leo. He could be my friend if he weren't my enemy.
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_Ceeboo
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Re: Are athiests more intelligent than believers?

Post by _Ceeboo »

Buffalo wrote:
Let me finish. I believe in the all-powerful Atheismo. Praise and glory to His name!



Very well!

I still consider you my brother! :)

Peace,
Ceeboo
_zeezrom
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Re: Are athiests more intelligent than believers?

Post by _zeezrom »

the question should be:

Did you get stupider when you stopped believing in God?

I was trying to do a lagrange interpolation the other day and prayed to Athena for help and guess what? She infused some brain energy to help me through it. So, if God helps you do your homework, does that mean you are smarter or just more dependent?

So many questions...
Oh for shame, how the mortals put the blame on us gods, for they say evils come from us, but it is they, rather, who by their own recklessness win sorrow beyond what is given... Zeus (1178 BC)

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_sock puppet
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Re: Are athiests more intelligent than believers?

Post by _sock puppet »

Runtu wrote:I'm not an atheist, but I do know that I'm not as smart as Wade. After all, in the last six years, I haven't correctly understood a single post from him. It's discouraging, but I'm working on it.

Runtu, not understanding Wade might in fact be the sine qua non of being a genius.
_sock puppet
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Re: Are athiests more intelligent than believers?

Post by _sock puppet »

maklelan wrote:A few different studies have shown atheists on average have slightly higher IQs than members of religious groups, and that's not surprising. Most atheists thought their way out of religion, while many religious folks didn't think their way into it, but inherited it or were persuaded by experiences. This is also why atheists scored higher than most religious groups in that Pew survey about religious knowledge. Most atheists have thought long and hard about things that the average believer has not.

Is the difference statistically significant, though?

I do like your point that atheists (as a recent migration) have likely given it more thought than the average believer. I would suspect that such could be said of any sociological topic that has experienced a recent migration. What's the impetus to migrate but having analyze the matter and thus arrived at a decision of one's own?
_sock puppet
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Re: Are athiests more intelligent than believers?

Post by _sock puppet »

just me wrote:
Chap wrote:I'll be happy if the day comes when the majority of stupid people have become atheists, even if many of them still won't be able to spell it.


Bwahahahaha! I had to do a quick check at the thread title. Gold, my friend.

Yes, it was a clever catch. All that i before e except after c BS I was taught in grade school remains ingrained.
_sock puppet
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Re: Are athiests more intelligent than believers?

Post by _sock puppet »

stemelbow wrote:SP more intelligent than Ceeboo or Runtu? don't make me laugh. Go back to the drawing board, SP.


Hey, hapless stem, where did you acquire your impressive reading comprehension skills?
_asbestosman
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Re: Are athiests more intelligent than believers?

Post by _asbestosman »

sock puppet wrote:Yes, it was a clever catch. All that i before e except after c BS I was taught in grade school remains ingrained.

So much for analyzing your thoughts and habits more than average believers, eh?

I know, I know, you admitted you made a mistake. However, unlike some things, I bet you'll repeat this particular mistake. ;)
That's General Leo. He could be my friend if he weren't my enemy.
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_maklelan
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Re: Are athiests more intelligent than believers?

Post by _maklelan »

sock puppet wrote:Is the difference statistically significant, though?


It depends on the study. Wikipedia has a collection of a few different studies on the question here.
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_sock puppet
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Re: Are athiests more intelligent than believers?

Post by _sock puppet »

ludwigm wrote:Mods!

Please fix the subject line... It is exasperating.

And there may be people who think this is the proper spelling.

Not a mod, but as the thread starter I've corrected it. I'd hate to think that I was the cause of you, ludwig, going belly up on us from an exasperation-induced cardiac attack.
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