Why wouldn't someone who heard all the same things as a believer, but came to the rational conclusion that god stories are just like other fairy, not be smarter on average than those who can't see past doctrine to data, Peace?
If religion weren't around there wouldn't be a need to proselytize [the third spelling I tried made it past Word's editor] against it! Then people like Dawkins could go on to the next greatest enemy of knowledge and self-determination.