The 'simply do not believe' are exceptions to the rule, they are too privileged and few. To just leave or switch your faith, is valid with most of the Christian (and Western) world today "I like this ideology today but I like this other One tomorrow". With islam, there is always a price. People will always leave islam only after they come to the conclusion that it harms them more then it serves some of their needs.
I agree insofar as real/percieved interests are a definite unperpinning [of ideology]. It's not an economic calculation, though - this is about
psychology. Religious belief is conditioned into people.
I have put a lot of thought into this, and I would not mind discussing the matter further perhaps you can punch few holes in my opinion.
We can use all the psychology we want, ultimately that psychology will only demonstrate to us that the main reason someone apostates, is when they perceive more harms then services from the religion.
You have to understand that many people, specially as we get older, will realize that religions are bogus yet still cling to the religion.
Here is a perceived service: man being given the power to control the women in his house.
Here is the racket: Many prohibitive religions make it so the men grow up lacking basic knowledge & experience about women. And then have an entire set of rules to make up for that lack of experience at the expense of oppressing the women (i.e. divorce rules, beating rules, polygamy rules)
Now such a man will have stronger motives to remain in his religion. At least until he finds a different way of how to handle the women in his life.
Here is a perceived service: A religion promises to offer you continuity, to protect your kids from outside influence of cults like "Jehovah's bitches" or "Scientology". Also while you are at work 12hrs a day, we will be with your kids and educate them in a certain way.
Here is the racket: Such a religion could be worse or as bad or almost as bad as 'Jehovah's witnesses'. As for education, that religion will drown the kids in illogical fallacies and ends up red herringing your kids till they grow old.
The price of such a racket is that, the kids will spend an inordinate amount of time trying to understand the religion, or drown in rituals, and then become much less productive and much less knowledgeable because they spent their lives reading senseless books instead of learning about & creating philosophy, social science, science, sex, arts, etc.
Here is a perceived service: No pain, No gain. We offer you to reward you for pain. We will even impose some pain on you to increase your gains, now go do ablution and get on your knees Five times a day.
Here is the racket: Once people start investing into the religion, they expect a return and it becomes harder for them to walk away.
Here is a perceived service: The leaders are worshiped.
Here is the racket: No racket in this one, you accept a leadership position, lead them my way, and I will get the sheeple to serve you. Except for the fact that murder and backstabbing becomes the norm and the leader will 'always' live in a precarious position. Ask almost every khalifa, before they got murdered of course.
So Panoptic, when you discuss religion with someone, always find out what services the religion offers to them first. The more senile the arguments they make, the more you should realize that there is something else holding them onto that religion the arguments they just made.
Topic: The Psychological Effects of Leaving Islam