Atheists are Dumb, Maybe Literally
If you are at the University of Chicago, you may have noticed that the Secular Alliance is currently having an event marathon: a Greta Christina Youtube clip day, a Greta Christina (yes the actual person) talk about Atheism and Sexuality, a “Transfaith” discussion with the Intervarsity Christian Fellowship, a movie night hangout, participation in a Speed Faithing event, and a cookie giveout/free hugs day. This is all within the next one and a half weeks! All of this requires a lot of planning and advertising so people can actually show up and have a great time at our fun events.
It was to our surprise that VP Alex Novet noticed that one of our flyers was heavily vandalized. Take a look here:
Sure, the flyer had a quirky (maybe even offensive) and funny slogan to it. Sure, it may have been a cheap way to entice people come to one of our meetings (using Satanic offerings like ice cream). Sure, we featured a feminist-atheist-queer speaker who loudly criticized the grotesque, extreme immorality that religion is uniquely capable of. Sure, we’re not everybody’s cup of tea.
But atheists are dumb? Really? Literally?
Are we less intelligent on average? Do we make stupid arguments? Do we as a whole act or think in idiotic ways? Is there even any evidence that atheist communities are in fact mindless communities who don’t think critically and intelligently about our world and our place in it?
I’ve had enough of this. What do you think?
Posted on February 28, 2012, in Religion and tagged atheist distrust, atheists are dumb, bigotry against atheists, intelligence atheism, Secular Student Alliance, university of chicago. Bookmark the permalink. 7 Comments.
Inspirational Freethought 
Fortunately There is no need to ponder this as the research has already been done. The lower the I.Q. the more likely to be religious. Whilst this may seem to be a ridiculous over-simplification it is also true. Obviously there is a lot more in play like education, socio-economic status, raising etc. but one would logically have to presume if a sample group of adults with varying IQs who had never been indoctrinated into or even heard of religion then had religion explained to them it would be very unlikely any of the more intelligent subjects would embrace any of it. It’s just one of those things. A vast majority of religious people were indoctrinated as children when they haven’t yet developed reasoning or critical thinking skills. 93% of the members of the Academy of Sciences are Atheists, 99.6% of prisoners claim a religion. Unlikely to be a statistical anomaly.
The only manner in which atheists are far too often dumb is in the older sense of the word – we don’t speak up enough. I don’t mean the movement, I mean the demographic group. We don’t identify ourselves enough, we are far too often “dumb” or quiet on our lack of belief, our critiques and criticisms of religion, and the pressure we feel from others to remain silent.
i hate to say it, but this is funny. and as far as the ice cream, it does remind me of my mama trying to make me get confirmed by reminding me that “all [my] friends will be there and there’s pizza and lemonade!” didnt work. haha
“Do we make stupid arguments? Do we as a whole act or think in idiotic ways?”
Well…
“Give up Lent for Lent.”
That would be an affirmative.
Heh, the guy who did it isn’t even articulate with his cross-throughs.
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