Study:Strongly held incorrect beliefs often cannot be changed by disputing facts

[Silver]

It has nothing to do with willpower it's to do with instinct. Challenging the 5,000 daily decisions you make is grossly inefficient. Which is why you don't challenge most of those decisions. What we're talking about - pre-held beliefs - are what you base your future decisions on, thus why it's difficult to change them, because you rely upon them to make the "correct" decisions; thus you believe they are correct.

That does not excuse ignorance. Ignorantly held beliefs can be changed, we all know that, because many atheists were once genuine theists who adhered to ignorant beliefs.