Atheists are more intelligent than Religious people

[Robin-H 11]

Is that true? (honest question).

I went to a Catholic school and quite a few of my classmates families certainly lived in poverty. I wasn't from a rich family by any means, however I didn't live in what I would deem as poverty.

 

A report by the Education Policy Institute found that faith schools admitted (on average) 12.1% of pupils from disadvantaged households. Non faith schools admitted 18%.

 

http://epi.org.uk/wp-content/uploads/2016/11/Pupil_characteristics_and_performance_at_faith_schools.pdf

 

Faith schools were found to have a higher proportion of children with high 'early years' academic attainment. Once this was taken into account, faith schools did not perform better than non-religious schools (at primary level.)

 

This is however only one report, and I've looked not enough into it to vouch for its reliability.

 

---------- Post added 20-05-2017 at 19:58 ----------

 

Where did I say 'at any other time in history?'

 

I meant in my experience, or lifetime if you like.

 

Purely my observation.

 

Well because if there was any correlation between levels of religion and levels of compassion in society, which is what you seemed to be suggesting, then the fact that UK society is more non-theistic than it has ever been should mean it is the least compassionate it has ever been.

 

I'm sorry if you feel that society has become less compassionate during your lifetime. There is no evidence however that it is due to a rise in atheism. I do not actually believe that society is less compassionate, but then my experiences are different to yours. Going by donations to charity etc, arguably one measure of compassion, would certainly not suggest any decrease in compassion.

[TORONTONY 10]

A report by the Education Policy Institute found that faith schools admitted (on average) 12.1% of pupils from disadvantaged households. Non faith schools admitted 18%.

 

http://epi.org.uk/wp-content/uploads/2016/11/Pupil_characteristics_and_performance_at_faith_schools.pdf

 

Faith schools were found to have a higher proportion of children with high 'early years' academic attainment. Once this was taken into account, faith schools did not perform better than non-religious schools (at primary level.)

 

This is however only one report, and I've looked not enough into it to vouch for its reliability.

 

---------- Post added 20-05-2017 at 19:58 ----------

 

 

Well because if there was any correlation between levels of religion and levels of compassion in society, which is what you seemed to be suggesting, then the fact that UK society is more non-theistic than it has ever been should mean it is the least compassionate it has ever been.

 

I'm sorry if you feel that society has become less compassionate during your lifetime. There is no evidence however that it is due to a rise in atheism. I do not actually believe that society is less compassionate, but then my experiences are different to yours. Going by donations to charity etc, arguably one measure of compassion, would certainly not suggest any decrease in compassion.

 

I came from a mining community, my mother was single, my grandparents were hard working but not well off. I managed to get to the only Catholic grammar school in South Yorkshire. I became an atheist about mid way through my time there, for reasons of my own. Trust me I have never been short on compassion or caring how I affect other peoples lives, and I am now 72 with few regrets. My point is that I have been both a Christian and an Atheist, but I have always been me, only my beliefs changed, I didn't.

[Olive 10]

Not saying that at all, but I do think that a general lack of compassion in society seems to have occurred alongside the decline of Christianity, as well as other things.

 

I know some people (of different faiths) whose religious beliefs seem to give them a lot to draw from in terms of a framework for kindness, empathy and generally being a decent human being.

 

But I'm afraid to say that looking back, some of the meanest-spirited, bigoted and narrow-minded people I have come across, have purported to be the most "God-fearing".

 

Ultimately I reckon it depends on the kind of person you are. Compassion goes along with being a compassionate person, not with being a religious person. People have used religion framework for compassion and conversly a reason to be judgemental and even persecute.

[Mister M 1,628]

Those findings will stir up a hornets nest.

 

Pretty much like when a previous study revealed that right wingers are less intelligent than left wingers:

 

http://www.dailymail.co.uk/sciencetech/article-2095549/Right-wingers-intelligent-left-wingers-says-controversial-study--conservative-politics-lead-people-racist.html

 

The study raises all kinds of interesting questions, such as, are people less intelligent because of their religious teachings, or do their religious teachings inhibit further questioning. Or does religion appeal to those who have less intelligence?

 

It's a broad brush and one that'll raise the hackles of many I think.

 

---------- Post added 20-05-2017 at 20:16 ----------

 

I know some people (of different faiths) whose religious beliefs seem to give them a lot to draw from in terms of a framework for kindness, empathy and generally being a decent human being.

 

But I'm afraid to say that looking back, some of the meanest-spirited, bigoted and narrow-minded people I have come across, have purported to be the most "God-fearing".

 

Ultimately I reckon it depends on the kind of person you are. Compassion goes along with being a compassionate person, not with being a religious person. People have used religion framework for compassion and conversly a reason to be judgemental and even persecute.

 

You make a very good point.

[Anna B 1,417]

I know some people (of different faiths) whose religious beliefs seem to give them a lot to draw from in terms of a framework for kindness, empathy and generally being a decent human being.

 

But I'm afraid to say that looking back, some of the meanest-spirited, bigoted and narrow-minded people I have come across, have purported to be the most "God-fearing".

 

Ultimately I reckon it depends on the kind of person you are. Compassion goes along with being a compassionate person, not with being a religious person. People have used religion framework for compassion and conversly a reason to be judgemental and even persecute.

 

Yes, I have to agree with that. But is a belief in nothing, better than a belief in something? Genuine question.

[apelike 10]

Yes, I have to agree with that. But is a belief in nothing, better than a belief in something? Genuine question.

 

No because both are based on belief.

[Waldo 96]

Yes, I have to agree with that. But is a belief in nothing, better than a belief in something? Genuine question.

 

Just to point out; an absence of belief is not the same as belief in nothing...

 

Why is there a requirement to engage in belief? Just to be still, with calm mind, to feel, what is there?

 

I don't understand why we rush to make up all these stories; but hey, if people want to, I'm glad we live in a country where they are free to do so.

[Cyclone 10]

Not saying that at all, but I do think that a general lack of compassion in society seems to have occurred alongside the decline of Christianity, as well as other things.

 

http://www.tylervigen.com/spurious-correlations

[crookedspire 10]

What has religion got too do with intelligence anyway to me that's demeaning a person purely on religious grounds. I have family who deeply believe in their faith it's their right basically it's no elses business. I not religious in any shape or form I don't think they are less intelligent than a non believing family member crazy idea.

[Olive 10]

Yes, I have to agree with that. But is a belief in nothing, better than a belief in something? Genuine question.

 

Hmm, not sure what you mean exactly, but people behave the way they do for all sorts of reasons, innate personality, they way they've been brought up, cultural influences, peer pressure, education, media. Religion is just one part of it. A major influence for some, non existent for others.

 

Perhaps a belief (in something, or nothing) could give people a reason to do good things, or an excuse to do bad things. An absence of belief means people act under all the other influences, doing good things and bad things as well, just not attributing their behaviour to religious influence.

 

If you're asking whether religion is a benign influence, then that's very difficult to answer. My instinct is to err on the negative. Just looking at the history of this country, the turmoil that has happened since the Church started to influence nearly every aspect of peoples lives and thoughts since the middle ages. The persecutions after Henry broke with the Roman church. The utterly second rate status bestowed on women.

 

The centuries spent arguing over one theological detail over another (antisacrementarianism, why would that take up so much thought space??), the oppression of important learning. People like Copernicus regarded as heretics for daring to explore new theories. I think humankind could have done without all that.

 

But like I said, people are perfectly capable of being awful, however they justify it. And there's a lot of good work done by church goers.

Edited May 20, 2017 by Olive

[Cyclone 10]

What has religion got too do with intelligence anyway to me that's demeaning a person purely on religious grounds. I have family who deeply believe in their faith it's their right basically it's no elses business. I not religious in any shape or form I don't think they are less intelligent than a non believing family member crazy idea.

 

And you think it's impossible that there is any correlation between intelligence and religious belief?

Or you're just offended on their behalf about a generalisation that includes them?

[RootsBooster 24]

Yes, I have to agree with that. But is a belief in nothing, better than a belief in something? Genuine question.

 

You mean like believing in unicorns might be better than not believing in unicorns?

 

As has been pointed out all already, absence of belief is not a belief in nothing. Even for those who do hold the belief that there are no gods, what benefits would there be if they started believing in one (or several)?