I just don't get it

[God of Mr. Hanky]

This might have been discussed before, but I'm really unable to understand it.

Today I've been discussing atheism with my friends (Muslims) and believe me, they're quite intelligent. At any rate, after I gave them plenty of strong arguments and cornered them, all they could say was " I believe deep down that there is a god".

Now this got me thinking (which is strange now that I think about it, since I've listened to this argument countless of times before and this has been discussed very often on these forums)

What kind of process that led me to become an atheist, that for some reason did not occur to them? I'm not a special snowflake for pit sakes.

I think intelligence is not the issue here, I know I can't convince you guys, but these friends of mine are really scientifically versed. Richard Dawkins, and many others, often said that these people are stuck in some kind of "child stage". 

I think it has to do with their "character", but I am very hesitant to say that, since I wouldn't consider myself to be a courageous person. In fact, I've had atheist friends who were particularly shy and introvert.

So what gives?

Religious ideas do have a profound stunting effect on people's intellectual development, where those beliefs conflict with reality. Also, it is rightly a question of character when they pile on lie upon lie to defend an original lie when reality gives them a contest on it.