Planko: I think it well established ... certainly as well as anything in psychology ... that we are pack animals genetically engineered to follow an alpha.

The members of the pack engage in pack behaviour. Part of that behaviour is what we refer to as brain-washing.

Convince someone it is in their best interest to believe in an invisible purple rhinoceros and they will. Scaring children with stories of death, disease, and eternal damnation in hell is just part of the process.

If the choice of a theological perspective was not an act of brain-washing we would wait until children were adults: Say age 18. Then teach them about many different theological perspectives and let them make a choice of their own free will. There is no religion of which I am aware that indoctrination is not expected to be complete by the age of puberty: Bar Mitzvah, Confirmation, etc.

If you don't like the conclusion ... then consider the trail of bread crumbs that lead to it.

DA Morgan