...can rob intelligent men like Steve & Don {not to mention the vain, fatuous, priggish, self-regarding GolidLox, whom it robs also of all his manners and his sense of proportion} of the wee-bit sense they had, rendering them absolutely impervious to the reception, or even the contemplation, of what are demonstrably incontrovertible facts, in the defence of their deeply-held beliefs. Of such insistent obstinacy is dangerous fanaticism made.

You type this garbage then you accuse me of making derogatory remarks as if you alone have the monopoly rights. Oh well.

Here's the root of your problem:
I simply prefer to let the statistics lead me to the conclusions

Simply is right. Unfortunately, statistics can be abused and quoted partially, tendentiously and out of context. "Simply letting them" is lazy and not good enough, is it? But you talk as if delving a bit deeper than the statistics we're presented with is neurotic. I would rather call it the appropriate use of the brain myself.