A neuroscientist explains why evangelicals are wired to believe Trump's lies

[Major Nikon]

Not surprisingly, indoctrinating your kids with mythology has its down side.

President Donald Trump lies so often that it is no longer shocking when it happens, no matter how blatant or absurd the falsehood may be. Not only does Trump regularly exaggerate the truth, he frequently denies facts that can be observed directly from video or audio tapes. This has led some professionals to diagnose his lying as compulsive or pathological, and many psychologists have pointed out that he is constantly gaslighting his base—a term that refers to a strategic attempt to get others to question their direct experience of reality.

...

For Christian fundamentalists, being taught to suppress critical thinking begins at a very early age. It is the combination of the brain’s vulnerability to believing unsupported facts and aggressive indoctrination that create the perfect storm for gullibility. Due to the brain’s neuroplasticity, or ability to be sculpted by lived experiences, evangelicals literally become hardwired to believe far-fetched statements.

This wiring begins when they are first taught to accept Biblical stories not as metaphors for living life practically and purposefully, but as objective truth. Mystical explanations for natural events train young minds to not demand evidence for beliefs. As a result, the neural pathways that promote healthy skepticism and rational thought are not properly developed. This inevitably leads to a greater susceptibility to lying and gaslighting by manipulative politicians, and greater suggestibility in general.

https://www.rawstory.com/2018/10/neuroscientist-explains-evangelicals-wired-believe-trumps-lies/

[Quemado]

1. Makes a lot of sense, unfortunately,

evangelicals would never believe this.

[saidsimplesimon]

2. Home schooling reinforces

the meme. imo

[Voltaire2]

3. Almost all Christians believe in utter nonsense.

Evangelicals and other literalists just believe in more utter nonsense than mainstream denominations.

The pope, Bergoglio, just uttered some fabulous crap about the devil being the cause of all the rapey stuff in his cult.

Just about all Christians believe dead people get up and walk around.

Maybe there is a critical mass of bullshit believing that sends people over the edge.

[dixiegrrrrl]

4. For Christian fundamentalists, being taught to suppress critical thinking begins at a very early age

That's all that needs to be said, or needs to be remembered.
Logic is wasted in arguments.