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/CrashCalamity → u/crossdtherubicon]

As a friend to several ex-mormons, I can at least provide counter-example to your first hypothesis. While a highly religious upbringing might not help matters, the emergence of higher cognitive function and critical thought can and does occur. The kids who "ask too many questions during bible study", or those who become exposed to other faiths through college, work, and the internet all start asking themselves how invested they are in their beliefs. It can be especially jarring when they discover how oppressed they were by what is effectively a cult doctrine (as they've told me.)

[u/ChelleInSand → u/CrashCalamity]

This was my personal experience too. However, I will say for people who are brought up in religious environments it can be extremely difficult to walk away from the faith altogether because that means walking away from your social support structures in many cases.

Many highly religious people will even ostracize their own children for becoming atheist or changing to a new religion. So it is easier to just not think about it to avoid causing waves and losing friends and family.

I had weak familial bonds and an abusive family with few established roots in any community so it was easier for me to do. But I can see how people who have families that are very wrapped up in the church scene would just rather not explore those feelings of doubt because they are literally risky to their support structures in life.

[u/Cent1234 → u/ChelleInSand]

Andrew Garfield in Under The Banner Of Heaven does an excellent portrayal of a Mormon who is forced to truly examine his beliefs for the first time, loses his faith, and then runs smack into the wall of 'but if you ever actually let anybody at all know, you'll lose your family, your friends, your community and everything else you've anchored yourself to' and how shattering that is.

It also portrays how insidious religious indoctrination from childhood is.

[u/mcove97 → u/ChelleInSand]

Yes it was similar for me. I never felt particularly close to either of my parents. I definitely didn't feel connected to the church or church community. I went only cause my parents did. My mom was really into the church scene, but it was really adult centric so I felt as if I was a tag-along.

To make the blow lesser for my mom, I largely kept my mouth shut about my beliefs until my 20s to avoid arguments, but stopped going as a kid cause I didn't like going to church. It upset my parents initially and we had a big argument over it right before church when I was 12.. but then they had to just leave me at home.. because they would miss church if they didnt. And since I was more stubborn than any of my parents, they couldn't physically drag me to church, so they gave up and left. And yeah, I realized from that point on, it's better to stay tight lipped, and just don't argue or give any reasons why I didn't go to church.

Now as an adult, I do discuss it with my parents, but the issue for them now is they cant out argue me, because I am far too educated and knowledgeable about philosophy, religion, psychology, history, so they just leave it alone because they get frustrated with how knowledable I am, and I also expose the flaws in their thinking which they really dislike because it means they are challenged to re-examine their beliefs.. which they dont want to do, which means they understand its better to leave it alone. As a child I did not have that tool-box of knowledge.

But in the end I like to bring up how having a good family dynamic is more important than our beliefs in the end. Being right is not more important than doing the right thing, which is being respectful and kind to each other. And then they dont really have much to say.

So yeah the type of religious familial and communal relationship dynamics definitely matter.

[u/jobforgears → u/ChelleInSand]

I left the Mormon church years ago, but I was in it for so long and fulfilled so many big steps in it. Even years later, I cannot bring myself to do so many things even though I know that it's just my upbringing talking. I hoped I would totally let loose but honestly, so many of my core beliefs about family, sexuality, identity, diet, and even fun are rooted in my upbringing. Trying to change my goals from being a parent or feeling an absolute need to make it into eternity feels like ripping off my skin because it's such an integral part of who I am.

Happily, I have greatly increased my understanding of so many things because I'm not always trying to corroborate the things I hear in the scientific community with the stories found in the scriptures. But, it's still slow in coming. I feel so behind my peers.