Richard Dawkins actually made the same correlation in an interview stating that being an atheist today was akin to what being gay meant years ago. (religion.blogs.cnn.com)
Corellation does not necessarily equal causation, perhaps it is because the same correlation exists between average education and crime (the lower the education level, the higher the crime rate). (religion.blogs.cnn.com)
The same correlation between seeking justice for the poor and knowledge of God is equally clear in the messianic passage of Isaiah 11:1 - 9. (religion-online.org)