Atheists Are More Intelligent Than Religious People, According To Study

According to a study of 63 different papers, atheists are generally more intelligent than religious people.

Miron Zuckerman, Jordan Silberman and Judith A. Hall rounded up the results of multiple studies,the Independent reports, with the meta-analysis showing that there was a negative correlation between intelligence and those that follow a certain belief.

"Using analytic (as opposed to intuitive) thinking, more intelligent college students may be more likely to eschew religion," the study said.

"If atheism is disapproved of at home, higher intelligence may facilitate resistance to conformity pressure."

Credit: PA

The three researchers, from from the University of Rochester and the Northeastern University, were able to conclude that the association was strongest among university students, and believe it's because that's a time when people are exposed to different ideas and beliefs.

The authors said this is because 'the self-exploration that typifies emerging adulthood and that is often observed in students' as 'the separation from home and the exposure to a context that encourages questioning may allow intelligence to impact religious beliefs'.

There's nothing to suggest why non-believers are more intelligent, though it's thought that age is a big factor in it.

Credit: PA

The study states that older you get, the more reliant you are on emotional attachments, rendering the belief in a god a function that is less needed.

All that aside, we're all people, and whether you believe in something or not, we can all be brought together by certain things. In the case of this rabbi, priest and atheist, that common ground is weed.

The trio came together to debate the injustices of the world over first a bong hit followed by a zoot.

It goes against the age-old rule that you shouldn't discuss sex, politics or religion at a social gathering.

The result is surprising. Instead of all being at each others' necks over whose beliefs are better than others, the three manage to level with one another - though that might be something to with the 'grass', or so the kids tell me.

What starts with Carlos, the atheist, enlightening the priest and rabbi on how to rip a bong ends with him receiving blessings from the two men of god. The Rabbi says a prayer and the priest marks a weed-ash Wednesday cross on his forehead.

Topics: religion

Mark McGowan

Mark is a journalist at LADbible, who joined in 2015 after a year as a freelance writer. In the past he blogged for independent football fan channel Redmen TV, after graduating from Staffordshire University with degrees in journalism and English literature. He has worked on campaigns such as UOKM8? and IIOC.