I remember Muldur's poster in The X-Files TV series: "I Want To Believe." Most of us realized the joke and the necessity for it on a show that dealt with aliens, mutations, and biological oddities. In reality, scientists and the rational would have a poster that would read: “I Want Evidence.” Evidence is far better, it ends the debate, if you have evidence for a god, Bigfoot, or leprechauns then it ends those questions. Now we would know.

In order to know, you must have knowledge, in order to have knowledge, you must have evidence. Believers simply believe without evidence producing knowledge. An atheist or non-believer accepts knowledge that evidence produces.

The problem with believers is that most have faith in belief itself. They really don't want evidence. They want everything they believe to be the way they imagine or believe it is. That is why they so easily disregard irrefutable evidence and easily disregard even their Holy Books. If someone did discover that Bigfoot existed, but instead of the image most people imagine from drawings they have seen, it was bald, had mange, and an ugly butt, many would be very upset and many may not accept the evidence. Just as, if Jesus did exist and came back to earth most would not recognize or accept him according to his appearance.

This is why Eric Hoffer wrote:
"Religion is not a matter of God, church, holy cause, etc. These are but accessories. The source of religious preoccupation is in the self, or rather the rejection of the self. Dedication in the obverse side of self-rejection. Man alone is a religious animal because, as Montaigne points out, it is a malady confined to man, and not seen in any other creature, to hate and despise ourselves." - Eric Hoffer (Author of The True Believer)

This is why believers will deny and reject even the teachings in their Holy Books and embrace their beliefs instead. For example: Racism - Racists are believers: Racism: "The BELIEF that all members of each race possess characteristics or abilities specific to that race, especially so as to distinguish it as inferior or superior to another race or races."

• prejudice, discrimination, or antagonism directed against someone of a different race based on the BELIEF that one's own race is superior." - New Oxford American Dictionary

The racist will totally ignore the teachings of their Bible in order to embrace their beliefs:

"Beloved, let us love one another, for love is of God; and everyone who loves is born of God and knows God. He who does not love does not know God, for God is love." - 1 John 4:7-8

"Love the Lord your God with all your heart and with all your soul and with all your mind and with all your strength.’ The second is this: 'Love your neighbor as yourself.' There is no commandment greater than these." - Mark 12:30-31

There are others who disregard their Holy Books teachings because of compassion, as Eric Hoffer points out:
"Compassion is probably the only antitoxin of the soul. Where there is compassion even the most poisonous impulses are relatively harmless. One would rather see the world run by men who set their hearts on toys but are accessible to pity, than by men animated by lofty ideals whose dedication makes them ruthless. In the chemistry of man's soul, almost all noble attributes - courage, honor, hope, faith, duty, loyalty, etc. - can be transmuted into ruthlessness. Compassion alone stands apart from the continuous traffic between good and evil proceeding within us." - Eric Hoffer

Luckily, the compassionate will also disregard the words of their Holy Books:

The Bible commands believers to murder their son if he is stubborn and rebellious (Deuteronomy 21:18-21). To sell their daughter to her rapist for about $170 (today’s currency - Deuteronomy 22:28-29). To cut off their hand or rip out their eyes if they cause them to sin (Mark 9:47). To murder anyone who doesn’t believe the bible (Deuteronomy 13:6-10; Deuteronomy 17:2-5). To murder anyone who hits their father or mother (Exodus 21:15), or curses them (Exodus 21:17). To murder anyone who works on the Sabbath (Exodus 31:15). To murder those who commit adultery (Leviticus 20:10). To murder anyone who blasphemes the name of the Lord (Leviticus 24:16). The idea of hell itself (Revelation 21:8).

The compassionate will disregard these words and still call themselves a believer.

Doctrine: a belief or set of beliefs held and taught by a Church, political party, or other group.

"A doctrine insulates the devout not only against the realities around them but also against their own selves. The fanatical believer is not conscious of his envy, malice, pettiness and dishonesty. There is a wall of words between his consciousness and his real self." - Eric Hoffer, The True Believer

This is why believers will follow and support a criminal, rapist, hateful authoritarian and even declare that he is from god.