When I was a college student, R.E.M. had a hit song “Losing My Religion.” But it wasn’t about going atheist — neither was the college experience anti-religious. In fact, evidence shows those with the most college education are the ones least likely to be atheistic.

This will undoubtedly shock a number of readers. But that’s because we’ve been fed a combination of anti-university propaganda and poor data analysis. When actually focusing on the direct connection between religious beliefs and higher education, the connection is there.

John A. Tures is a professor of political science at LaGrange College in Georgia. He can be reached at jtures@lagrange.edu. His Twitter account is @JohnTures2.