Decided to google this "most intelligent" claim for better 'facts":-
The Most intelligent people ever known in history, at least by some 'western' IQ analysis have all been "Highly Spiritual".

Leornardo da Vinci, Isaac Newton,Charles Dicken, Raphael

Where does this claim that Atheist are "more intelligent" come from? I remember some shenzi type very njinga analysis by some kenyan atheist in the newspaper, but that was the most stupid data analysis i have seen in ages. Indeed it seems atheist are the most stupid and lethal people in history, i.e Karl Max, Pol pot, Stalin, Lenin e.t.c, claiming to be intelligent but actually antisocial, stupid, arrogant e.t.c.

When i google most intelligent, what i got was "most influential", according to a meta analysis by wikipedia it was Njeso, No.1 most influential individual ever! That means his "Theories" are the most influential, hence most useful, Mjinga hapa ni nani?

perhaps you are looking at it differently. ask yourself this question - what would they have accepted easily. Darwinism or Creationism? Assume Darwinism came earlier - would these people be what they were? I really respect those guys and I was like you - looking at them as being brilliant men and spiritual and thus drawing a correlation or causality. I struggle to find a brilliant scientist after after Darwinism who was 'spiritual' and for the longest time believed Max Planc was that for me until I discovered he did not believe in a 'personal' God. These men were products of their times - Newton even cooked up an additional color in the rainbow to make the number 7. it's similar to claiming Rudisha is a brilliant runner since he eats meat and drinks blood (his environment)...could it have an effect... perhaps. I think at that point the striving to discover was seen as a spiritual pursuit. To know the oracles of God. At what point do you draw a line? What if you know and what you know conflicts with what you are taught? you cannot unknow! The larger question is - what do you believe in? which one holds more water for you this new Knowledge with overwhelming evidence or the Revelation you had previously?

Perhaps one thing you should realize is Darwin was CATEGORICAL he was not an Atheist and said so many times and wrote so to many people to avoid this kind of confusion, evolution and science is one things atheist really seem not to understand, leave alone the philosophy of a non-personal God, we are not dealing with Agnotism whatever and other refined definations but ATHEIST, others are irrelevant. Darwin was not an Atheist and evolution is not a branch of Atheism, neither is Evolution a fact, we have several competing Theories including existence being a simulation, multi-berses, Aliens making us e.t.c. Let me guarantee you Atheist are pretty stupid guys and that is why the US can never vote and Atheist President, yes there is a correlation between spirituality and intelligence after my brief research?

CORRECTION: Google result for "most intelligent" is 'most significant', Jesus is the Most Significant EVER (as in Most Important), not influential, influence can be bad, thanks for correction, link pasted.

You have a point @2012... Devil is so intelligent yet fails flat on matters of faith... What you can add is that, physical Intelligence alone i.e. brain is not enough. You still need spiritual the intelligence i.e. heart. Otherwise, you can claim to be intelligent but still arrogant and proud...