It's not a question of them not really believing their own bullshit; it's a question of unpacking the bullshit and trying to get at the truth. If I hit my child because I come from an authoritarian religion that believes their will must be broken before they can achieve salvation, that doesn't change the fact that it is wrong. All the good faith in the world won't undo the damage done to my child. And it doesn't mean that I'm not doing it for toxic reasons, just that I'm unaware of the reasons, or unwilling to face them.
no subject