religion is something that is pounded into us. it is hard to break a belief that has been handed down for centries upon centuries..

Probably because its such a personal decision.

Because a lot of people have it in their head that their belief system is the "right" one. Certain religions teach that any belief system outside of their own guarentees the person is going to burn in hell or suffer another horrible fate in the afterlife. "People hate what they don't understand / fear what they can't conquor."

Most people avoid examining the Bible fearing that it is true because if it is then one must accept its message which is that we are loved by our creator who doesn't force himself on us (otherwise it wouldn't be a genuine love) Once one rejects the truth it is amazing what people do believe. Jesus said that we are all in need of being saved from a fallen world and that only a few would chose him. Wide is the gate that leads to destruction and many take it but narrow is the way that leads to everlasting life and few will chose it. Christianity is not a "religion" but a relationship with the creator. Each one of us should examime this for ourselves.

Ignorance. Lack of knowledge and understanding. Their stubbornness to glance at the other side.

We're all closed minded to the opposite of whatever views we have identified with. This is a pattern which repeats for any topic, for any person or group... it's not unique to religion, it's a universal human characteristic. It comes from holding our views incorrectly: when we take the stance that "this is my view, and it says something about who I am", that is called "identifying with the view". We are, in effect, defining our identity at least in part by relating it to the view. This means we will divide the world into those who agree and those who disagree, and become extra-sensitive to anything which sounds like disagreement, etc., "defending ourselves" (actually our VIEW) from "them". The correct way to hold a view -- which does not produce this oppositional win/lose game -- is "provisionally". To hold a view in this manner is to say something like "given my current perspective and history, this is what seems to be the way things are". When we hold a view like that, it does not produce the kind of rabid self-righteousness and win/lose mentality which characterizes religious conflicts. This is more like how a good scientist relates to the results of an experiment... they're true enough from what we know about the experiment, and within the limits given by having a particular perspective. But all such truths are subject to further review, and to define one's identity in terms of a view simply makes no sense, if what one cares about is just the truth. In other words, we close our minds to protect the views we're clinging to. Stop the clinging, and the mind opens of its own accord.

People either don't like, or are afraid of, things they don't understand, so they close their minds to it.

Because they are unwilling to consider they could be wrong, I suppose. They have formulated their ideas based on whatever evidence they have, and then never question that evidence again.

Close minded? What on God's green earth is wrong with being reasonable and seeing everything my way?

it's easier.

That's different for everyone. Some people think it's cool to not believe anything. Some people don't want to believe in something said to be so glorious that's causing wars everywhere. Some people don't want to open their eyes to something that isn't tangible. That would be one heck of an interesting survey to have done.