Apparently, the ability to count and estimate quantities is innate to many animals, including humans. We are born with the ability to enumerate a quantity we see; to use the information our senses tell us to understand our environment. Religion, especially theistic regions, completely screw this connection. Instead of seeing is believing, to religious followers, belief is reality... and analytical thinking is 'Satan' luring the faithful from the straight and narrow.
Here is a real world example of this effect. James “Ooker” Eskridge is mayor of Tangier Island, VA, a "deeply spiritual community" where "Methodism has been and remains a very strong influence." This mayor and a majority of his constituents put their faith in DJT and 'believe' that their island is disappearing because of 'erosion' and not rising water caused by climate warming. These are people living with the daily consequences of a changing climate. They can see and measure these changes in real time. But because they have been trained from infancy to 'believe' what is told to them over what they themselves can see, hear, feel, smell and touch, they are able to actually ignore the information in front of their eyes and 'believe' the words of a self-styled religious-like idol.
As an atheist, pray indeed.
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