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Being taught to accept the supernatural without it being verified.

This is an assault on reason and skepticism. Faiths flourish because of this, a massive underplay of the importance of skepticism. This underplay has an impact on the reasoning ability of the general population. (This is like being against vaccines, there would be more sickness. With this “believe what we tell you about the supernatural” stuff, the kids skeptical immunity system is left confused and weak)

As a consequence of this assault, people do not need to work hard to be (like you said) ”a CEO” so that they can succeed as a criminal. Being a snake oil salseman is made easy. They need not even think their snake oil is of advantage to themselves; many advocates of homeopathy have had their sense of skepticism so annihillated that they may think their advocacy is helping people when it clearly isn’t.

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Comment by Alan Perlman on July 27, 2012 at 11:23am: Like politicians and marketers, clerics are the self-appointed middlemen, assuring people that they, the clerics, can fulfill needs you didn't know you had.

I continue to be baffled by the highly educated people (nothing wrong with their reasoning capacity, right?) who nevertheless practice religious ritual and observe (some) holidays. They have been indoctrinated, for sure -- not in the truith of religious stories and doctrine...but in the necessity of appearing religious.

Comment by Glen Rosenberg on July 26, 2012 at 8:46pm: Taught is a euphemism for brain washed or indoctrinated. Probably has consequences greater than we can imagine.

In my utopia it is illegal to take children into the den of nonsense until they have reached the scientifically determined age of reason. critical thinking is part of curriculum early and often. Classes on religion and classes on atheism and anti-theism are also part of the curriculum. After all when kids go into adulthood without a world view they are susceptible to nonsense.

Comment by Ruth Anthony-Gardner on July 26, 2012 at 3:56pm: Your argument makes sense. Counteracting skepticism does have global negative impact on mental competence.