Left-handed people are more likely to be atheists, a study has found, as it says belief is passed on genetically. The study suggests that religious people have fewer genetic mutations and are therefore less likely to be left handed or have conditions such as autism or schizophrenia.
British academic Edward Dutton, a professor at Oulu University, Finland, said that in pre-industrial times religiosity was passed on like other genetic attributes because it was associated with greater stability, mental health and better social behaviour. But modern science means many people who would not previously have survived are making it to adulthood and reproducing - leading to a greater incidence of atheism.
Lack of belief in God is connected to genetic mutations which cause attributes such as left-handedness or autism, the paper argues.
I know lefties that are believers and I know some right handed atheists. That said, the study is interesting. You should check out the link above.
Another left handed item of interest from the Guardian:
There is also research which purports to show that left-handers are more likely to be homosexual. So does that mean my son is more likely to, as they say, dress to the left ? 'That was a very small and badly conducted study,' says Lauren Milsom. A recent article in Psychological Bulletin disagrees. Collating many different studies, it concluded that gay men are more likely to be left-handers - at least in America, where the research was concentrated.
As a right handed American gay man, I can say I am the exception to the rule. I have known many same sex attracted individual and strangely, more often than not, they were left handed. I have also found this to be true among lesbians. Odd no? Why this would be, I cannot imagine, unless it's all tied up in genetics.
So the next time you spy a southpaw, check them out. There is a good chance he/she will be an autistic, atheist homosexual.
Not sure I'm buying what they are selling, but it is interesting.
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