What one can say is that people believe in things because they're convictional, not because they're religious. Catholics laugh at heathens, protestants laugh at catholics, atheists laugh at protestants. Only some of them believe in string theory, despite the total lack of evidence. And if it's not string theory it's the multiverse, or time travel, or some other woo. Every step of the way you've got people believing in things, and clinging to fantasy.