Some seem wired with the social need to worship. It doesn't matter how smart, like pro-Zio Atheists. Many evolved past religion, but substituted with the coming of a new God, Gavin Newsom, who damaged California. Don't say anything evil about Trump, around Trumpers! I wonder if it's from stress.
Not sure about the stress factor. Unless it goes for the blue MAGAs too, when you utter a bad word about the democrat party.
People losing hope resort to magical thinking, as an emotional coping mechanism. It's a scramble to a belief system, when reality is too ugly to face! Socially, if they had already invested in it, then the clinging is that much tighter. It's OK because Jesus is coming, while conforming to evil!