That's a logical fallasy!

[robvalue]

Oh yeah, you're dead right. The argument put forward, in religious cases, is almost always a justification. To make themselves feel it makes sense somehow. It doesn't matter if you rip it up, because it's independent of the belief. They'll just repeat it later, or come up with another ad hoc.

Getting someone to admit the real reason they believe, that is tricky. Thing is, they probably don't know themselves. In the case of indoctrination, it's literally because they have been programmed to believe it and to block out anything which opposes the belief.

My friend made a good analogy today. (Yes I have friends!) She said indoctrination is like a computer virus which infiltrates rational thought, and sets up a firewall all around the religious "truths". Anything making any attempt to poke at them gets thrown out, and any old garbage shoots out the mouth to avoid having to think about it. It's really sad, I feel very sorry for these people. I can't imagine what it's like, as I was lucky enough to escape it. I consider them victims of abuse.