Maybe not so much a lack of intelligence, but a lack of knowledge.  It is one thing not to believe, or believe something different, but something else to make false statements and misrepresent others beliefs.

It is also a shame the article focus so much on the decision that Jake has made, and so little on his faith and beliefs that led him to the decision.  Most of the article makes it sound like his decision needs an apology.  Just toward the end it states "Brownlee feels Catholicism is as relevant as ever"; how about an article about that instead his decision process.