IQs of Liberals and Atheists

[midlifebear]

Well, maybe this explains why I did so well when I took the Graduate Record Examination (GRE) way back in the late 1970s. I did take a free prep class offered by UT during which the instructor asked: "You've only got 5 more minutes to finish the 30 questions left in the math section and you've got to pee real bad! What do you do?"

She then dispensed the best advice I ever received up to that point in my life. Although better advice would have been to attend a different grad school like Northwestern, U.C. Berkeley, or Stanford. But things still worked out well for me.

http://www.cnn.com/2010/HEALTH/02/26/liberals.atheists.sex.intelligence/index.html
:biggrin1:

 

[798686]

I'd agree.

It does seem likely that deep-thinking, intelligent people are more likely than average to question and examine the status quo, and come to different conclusions.

That's not to say many religious people aren't extremely intelligent, though.

 

[D_Andreas Sukov]

I'd agree.

It does seem likely that deep-thinking, intelligent people are more likely than average to question and examine the status quo, and come to different conclusions.

That's not to say many religious people aren't extremely intelligent, though.

Id have to agree with that too

 

[D_Portelay Porquesword]

That explains a great deal and makes total sense to me.

Then again, wise and intellectual, higher IQ and smart: don't always go hand in hand.

"It helps life to be paranoid, and because humans are paranoid, they become more religious, and they see the hands of God everywhere," Kanazawa said.

It surely must be paranoia if one chooses to search for the deeper things in life? Right?

Funny how this is often the case, even stranger how stories from the Bible and other ancient texts, most often illustrate how God and other deities used simple things to confound the wise.

Interesting article.

 

[Drifterwood]

Theists - oh God yes, oh God yes, oh Godddddddddddddd

Agnostics - oh God, no; oh God yes, oh Godddddddddddd

Atheists - Oh yessssssssssssssssssss

Affirmation.

 

[Mr. Bungle]

Theists - oh God yes, oh God yes, oh Godddddddddddddd

Agnostics - oh God, no; oh God yes, oh Godddddddddddd

Atheists - Oh yessssssssssssssssssss

Affirmation.

Nicely and accurately put...

 

[sxjTheFirst]

Oh yessssssssssssssssssss !

 

[B_Hickboy]

I love pissing people off.

 

[midlifebear]

I love pissing people off.

You should be proud, because you're good at it! :smile:

Now, keep it up (in all the ambiguous ways "keep it up" can be interpreted).

 

[798686]

It does seem likely that deep-thinking, intelligent people are more likely than average to question and examine the status quo, and come to different conclusions.

That's not to say many religious people aren't extremely intelligent, though.

In addition, lol...

I do think that a lot of religious people are extremely sincere and well-meaning, and it can be a valuable framework for them to live by/within. But...I also think it's a shame that often ppl who try very hard to do what's right, end up being led into things that are inaccurate...

(Another thread on this has popped up on Politics section for some reason, lol).

 

[B_Hickboy]

In addition, lol...

I do think that a lot of religious people are extremely sincere and well-meaning, and it can be a valuable framework for them to live by/within. But...I also think it's a shame that often ppl who try very hard to do what's right, end up being led into things that are inaccurate...

(Another thread on this has popped up on Politics section for some reason, lol).

I think that could be because the various camps have been trained to call the other side retards for simply not agreeing and some people may be waking up to the fact just because a person simply disagrees does not make him stupid. It just may mean that after a careful examination of the data he's some up with a different conclusion. People are so fucking narrow-minded.

 

[798686]

I think that could be because the various camps have been trained to call the other side retards for simply not agreeing and some people may be waking up to the fact just because a person simply disagrees does not make him stupid. It just may mean that after a careful examination of the data he's some up with a different conclusion. People are so fucking narrow-minded.

True. I wish people were encouraged more to come to their own conclusions after examining the evidence. Sure, give people a general idea of current thinking, but admit that it's open to interpretation and not completely concrete.

I think if people grow up with a rigid belief system drummed into them, it often doesn't occur to them that it might not be wholly true - it takes something to go wrong, or things not to turn out the way they're 'meant' to, before people start questioning things. Also, there are all sorts of supposed penalties for questioning things and stepping out of line.

 

[unique_exposure]

Some people view Buddhism as a religion, but....

“Believe nothing merely because you have been told it. Do not believe what your teacher tells you merely out of respect for the teacher. ”

"Believe nothing, question everything."

— Buddha

I would add don't believe something because someone has "feared you into it."

 

[798686]

Good point, Unique!

The prob with some religions is they say 'prove all things' whilst at the same time co-ercing you to view things their way, lol. :/

 

[AquaEyes11010]

Religion is a great way to offer explanations to people who can't wrap their heads around the alternatives. If you have the brains to think outside the box, then religion doesn't make much literal sense. Since by definition, average intelligence is more common than above-average intelligence, religion can work well for answering questions for the masses. Unfortunately, it can also work well to unite the masses into doing terrible things, but that's another topic.

Having a high IQ means you do well at taking IQ tests and can "think outside the box." There are many measures of intelligence, but IQ tests tend to focus a narrow range of problem solving, making associations, organizing items into groups and finding what doesn't belong, mental manipulation of objects, etc. There are many other people who excel in areas of intelligence that standard IQ tests don't measure. However, if you do well on standard IQ tests, applying the same type of intelligence to logically dissecting religious dogma would probably lead you toward atheism.

 

[D_Portelay Porquesword]

Some people view Buddhism as a religion, but....

“Believe nothing merely because you have been told it. Do not believe what your teacher tells you merely out of respect for the teacher. ”

"Believe nothing, question everything."

— Buddha

I would add don't believe something because someone has "feared you into it."

Careful now, the higher IQ's will come for you with their atheist ways!

 

[798686]

Religion is a great way to offer explanations to people who can't wrap their heads around the alternatives. If you have the brains to think outside the box, then religion doesn't make much literal sense. Since by definition, average intelligence is more common than above-average intelligence, religion can work well for answering questions for the masses. Unfortunately, it can also work well to unite the masses into doing terrible things, but that's another topic.

Having a high IQ means you do well at taking IQ tests and can "think outside the box." There are many measures of intelligence, but IQ tests tend to focus a narrow range of problem solving, making associations, organizing items into groups and finding what doesn't belong, mental manipulation of objects, etc. There are many other people who excel in areas of intelligence that standard IQ tests don't measure. However, if you do well on standard IQ tests, applying the same type of intelligence to logically dissecting religious dogma would probably lead you toward atheism.

Very interesting! I'd have to agree.

Also having above average intellingence doesn't always translate all that well into successful life skills (imo). Often, being practical and having common sense are just as useful, if not more so, than raw academic ability - but that's probably another topic.

 

[68306]

Theists - oh God yes, oh God yes, oh Godddddddddddddd

Agnostics - oh God, no; oh God yes, oh Godddddddddddd

Atheists - Oh yessssssssssssssssssss

Affirmation.

Seems bad. :\

Religion is a great way to offer explanations to people who can't wrap their heads around the alternatives. If you have the brains to think outside the box, then religion doesn't make much literal sense.

Does anti-religion = atheism (or agnosticism)?

 

[B_hungprepjock]

Yeah, generally…

Apparently it’s not enough not to want the non–existent ‘cake,’ but you’re forced to eat it, too.

 

[Drifterwood]

Reason and science create victims. You will soon be banned for being rational and scientific.