My West Coast college roommate used to be a rational thinking person who questioned things like religious tenets based upon having faith in things we cannot see or measure.

After college he took a job in the midwest where his work friends all attended conservative churches.

After ten years his rational thinking completely disappeared. He now repeated what his church friends said and was unwilling to discuss whether there was proof or any evidence of his new beliefs. He said that requiring proof showed lack of faith.

It appears as if social acceptance is more important to many people than rational thinking. I worry about the future of our country where being accepted by the people around us is more important than truth or scientific fact.