The scientific study discussed aligns with the perspectives held by many atheists regarding the impact of religious upbringing on individuals. It substantiates beliefs commonly held within this demographic, shedding light on the intricate dynamics. For further exploration of diverse viewpoints and narrative essay topics on this subject, one can refer to writinguniverse for a comprehensive range of engaging and thought-provoking themes to delve into the complexities of religious upbringing and its effects.

I find it a bit amusing tht the religious family experienced more conflict. I know being raised religious my family had more conflicts than my friend's families So, the study matches my personal experience.

Also, I was just an average student through high school. However in college my GPA shot up to 3.6, which could be accounted for in two ways. One, which is the most common reason given by experts, is that I was bored in grade school and high school, because the learning pace was too slow. However, in between high school and college, I also left my parents home and religious influence as well.

I remember feeling mentally restricted in what was or was not acceptable to think or discuss while growing up. Once those restrictions were no longer there, my learning capacities greatly increased, because I lon longer had nobody telling me how or what to think.

I do not want to make it seem like it was an instant change. As I didn't seriously start college until I was in my late 20's, mostly due to lack a lack of money. So, I had several years to adapt to no religious influences in how or what to think.

However, I do feel that religion definitely influenced my ability to reason and solve problems in my childhood and early life.

It doesn't matter what started it anymore, and the problem now is how do we kill it. What do we spray on it, you know, like a disease? Because it is fucking up our nation. Religion is cancer that needs to be cut out.

So the twin that was brought up ina strict religious household scored 16 IQ points lower than her sister who was brought up in a more free-thinking household. That is interesting. Not proof of anything, but still interesting. It could be that religious indoctrination negatively affects cognitive ability by training the person to not think critically. If one develops the mental habit of accepting dogmas without question, that may tamp down curiosity across the board. If you can always fall back on the easy answer that God did it, or that it was God's will, and God is by definition inscrutable, then why bother thinking deeply about why things are the way they are or happen the way they happen? More study is required!

I found the huge difference in IQ quite interesting. Especially since the twin raised in South Korea scored 16 points higher than her twin raised in the States.

As far as I can see there are far too many differences between the upbringing of those two children to be able to claim a particular significance for religion.

If we really DO 'believe in science', then we need to be honest and sincere enough to actually do so, and admit that this study is inconclusive.

All it shows is that environment effects outcome. As much as I hate theism, there are far too many confounding factors in this study to draw conclusions regarding religious vs secular upbringing.

Hmm, me thinks the control group is too limited to form any conclusion. More data?

Have to say I agree with Skado. I feel like this article was more of a study on how genes play an important role in similar personality profiles of twins. I feel that "verified" my be a strong word... while upbring in a religious/strict up enviroment may have some influence in personailty, it was not the target if this study in my opinion. I imagine growing up adopted had a profoubd effect refardless of the family that raised her.

Judging from the article and the abstract of the study (I’m not planning on paying for the PDF) I can’t tell that it verifies a single thing about atheists’ assumptions about religious upbringing. The article doesn’t say, or even hint at that conclusion. What’s a lot more likely is the difference between a supportive, functional family and a strict, conflicted family.