This is exactly what makes religion so fucking boring.

People rather stick their heads in the sand than look at the truth sometimes. It is too uncomfortable to actually see what is really going on. Much more comfortable to stay the same.

I think that is a part of it. I also think that as humans evolved as "herd" animals, whose ancestors instinctually gathered in groups for safety, that those insticts to belong to group are still at play, and by belonging to a group they feel safe. If that group doesn't change, then they may even feel a sense of security by belonging.

I think (most) people instinctually want to belong and have a sense of community. Sadly, religion does provide that, and it is the only institution tha tprovices that sense of belonging over a person's entire lifetime. I hadn't considered the aspect of how it never changes, and I can see that that too plays a role. There is never just one variable involved when trying to explain human behavior.

There is the instinctual need to belong, and also the desire for things to never change. There are probably more influences too.

Yes, science is always changing, but in s way it also stays the same. Robust, well-supported, grand unifying theories like plate tectonics and Darwinian evolution my be modified around the edges, but they don't fundamentally change. Einstein's theory of relativity hasn't changed; it's still true that the faster you travel through space, the slower time passes. The fact is, nature is very consistent. So if your description of nature is correct, it's not going to change much.

The process of science is also pretty consistent. The scientific method is the same today as it was when modern science began some 400 years ago. What changes is human knowledge. It keeps expanding. That's good change.

I think this is also the drive behind "Nostalgia" sentiment ..... never mind that smoking kills people, seat belts save lives, regulation keeps poisons out of our food and water and that we drank wine from the skulls of our enemies.

That is very true. But of course religions and religious texts are also usually contradictory, vague and nebulous, so they can be and are interpreted however you want. Which means that you can still have the changes you want, but can reject the rest, and still pretend to yourself and everyone else, that you are solid and ultra conservative when you want to.

Exactly so. Religion is static but modern believers play a game of their god opening and closing doors for you. This is Evangelicals for you but the idea in my opinion came from a game show. "Let's see what's behind door 3." Church leaders play this game of god opening and closing doors for you in order to control their flock. Rather than repair a marriage, god said get out of it. Now god says you are not right for him but would be just right for me. This happens because evangelicals cannot mind their own business.

And that feeling amongst the staunch religious has gotten worse. Even the catholics are dumbing down snd becoming more evangelical; they have become "Rick Santorum catholics," pro birth but fuck every one else and execute whomever.