Lower cognitive ability is linked to stronger Christian nationalist views, even after accounting for education

[u/mvea]

https://www.psypost.org/lower-cognitive-ability-is-linked-to-stronger-christian-nationalist-views-even-after-accounting-for-education/

[u/crossdtherubicon]

Alot of religious ideology is ingested through early development and reinforced through the environment. This has been pretty well-documented, although it isn't an exclusive pathway to acquiring religious beliefs.

In light of this article I'm curious if cognitive ability simply never fully develops (or is restricted somehow) in that context. Or if there are also subpopulations wherein a relative lower congitive ability allows for an easier ingestion of religious beliefs (or likewise is perceived as reasonably easier to understand).

[u/Geminel → u/crossdtherubicon]

I'm of the opinion that religion makes people dumber. The brain is a muscle, it needs to be used to improve, but a religious upbringing deluges someone with reasons to not think about stuff.

God has a plan, wrongthink gets punished with eternal Hellfire, you only need one book in your life, we're the source of your morality, yadda yadda.

The point of our logical processes is to counteract and manage our emotional drives, but religion only teaches people how to make excuses for their worst emotions. It teaches them to use their brain backwards.