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According to a new study, atheists are more intelligent than religious folk. Surprise, surprise...

I find it funny that I wrote a blog last night concerning Rush Limbaugh's comments on how a person can't "intellectually" both believe in God and global warming. I then made note that there's really nothing "intellectual" about religious beliefs in any context, so I found his statement to be humorous on multiple fronts. Then today I read about a recent study which made the following finding(s):

"Are religious people less intelligent than atheists?

That's the provocative conclusion of a new review of 63 studies of intelligence and religion that span the past century. The meta-analysis showed that in 53 of the studies, conducted between 1928 and 2012, there was an inverse relation between religiosity -- having religious beliefs, or performing religious rituals -- and intelligence. That is, on average, non-believers scored higher than religious people on intelligence tests."

The scientists and researchers most frequently said the reason for this finding was that "religious beliefs are irrational, not anchored in science, not testable and, therefore, unappealing to intelligent people who 'know better.'"

Study co-author Jordan Silberman also said this about the study:

"Intelligence may also lead to greater self-control ability, self-esteem, perceived control over life events, and supportive relationships, obviating some of the benefits that religion sometimes provides."

This is what I've been saying for a while now. While I have nothing against religion generally speaking, I'm not religious, and don't feel like I need to do good while on this earth just for the sake of being rewarded by a higher power. I never feel the need to reject a drunk woman's proposition just because it's what I feel God would want me to do. I personally feel it would be wrong on multiple levels, that the cons far outweigh the pros, and my decision has absolutely nothing to do with a higher power. Some people, however, don't think like this and truly feel they need a higher power's guidance to discern right from wrong.

The study, of course, isn't perfect. There are some very wise religious individuals and some not-so-wise atheists. However, on average, I have to believe that people whom place their trust in science and critical thinking are more intelligent than those whom place their trust in an invisible being.

http://www.huffingtonpost.com/2013/08/14/religious-people-less-intelligent-atheists_n_3750096.html?utm_hp_ref=tw

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