Religious people are less intelligent than atheists, study finds

[Evoman]

9. How do you even begin to control for all the factors that go into believing and into

"Intelligence"?

Not buying it. I don't even like talking about intelligence... IQ tests are stupid and knowing you have a high one has ruined many a life. People tell you your IQ is high, you begin to think success and intelligence are not malleable things. You maybe start to forget that success lies in challenging yourself and practicing at what you want to be good at.

Imagine if I had taken seriously the IQ test that told my parents I was mildly retarded. Maybe I would have never believed enough in myself to get a graduate degree in biology. And maybe if I had not taken seriously the belief that I was a genius (what everybody kept telling me growing up), I wouldn't have gone into a degree I didn't like just because it was "suitable for someone of my intellect", and instead done something I loved (or paid more).

I don't think religious people are less intelligent than atheists. Nope, not buying it. I do think that people indoctrinated in religion are ruining their potential (thinking of fundie Muslims and Christians who could be doing amazing things but waste their minds and culture with religious crap).