Everyone has various rock-solid assumptions based on faith, and no amount of argument will sway them when it comes to those assumptions. This is true of non-religious people, religious people, and people who can't be simply fit into either of those two categories.

It is only someone else's assumptions that normally seem "irrational" to people in any of those various groups. They don't realize that their own assumptions may be similarly arbitrary.

We all act to some extent on faith, faith that is based on assumptions so deeply imbedded in our consciousness that we are probably not even aware that they are only assumptions, not certainties.

To put it another way, every civilization bases itself on its own prevailing set of popular myths...and believes in them implicitly. The same is true of every religious and non-religious hierarchichal structure.

A few examples:

Most people believe that germs "cause" disease. That's an assumption. There may be another cause entirely, and the germs may be part of the involved phenomena that are observable, but not the cause. If, however, you believe implicity that germs cause disease, you'll get downright angry that I should even suggest that!

I don't know whether or not germs truly cause disease. I'm willing to consider it a possibility. I do not consider it a certainty.

Many Christians believe that the Bible is "God's Word". As such, they consider it an unimpeachable source of Truth. They make that assumption. It's only an assumption. I don't necessarily buy that assumption.

Other people buy the popular "theory of evolution" and various other scientific theories the same way....as unquestionable gospel. Same deal. I don't necessarily buy those assumptions either, though I think they may be partially correct or at least offer some useful perspective on something.

UFOs. Almost everybody jumps to fast conclusions about that one, based on their assumptions. Their assumptions ain't worth much, given their lack of real knowledge or personal experience! That's all I'll say about it.

And so on, and so on...

It's all up for grabs. If people would just admit that they don't KNOW the whole truth about these things, and be willing to discuss alternative possibilities in a relatively calm and unprejudiced way...life would be a lot more interesting and our relations with one another would be a lot less disrespectful.