I think some of it has to do with the idea that some people must have answers. Hard for these people to accept we don’t know yet, so they chalk it up to God. Don’t know why the sky is blue, God created it. Used to think plague was caused by the devil; nope, it is a bacteria.
Also, I can see how if you are raised with religion it would be scary to stop believing, especially Christianity and some others, since all sorts of horrible punishment might happen. I get the idea that some people don’t even know it is an option, because they live in a place where everyone thinks similarly.
Some of it is being uneducated. I mean anyone who thinks the bible is the very word or God, and that people who interpret it today understand each literal word correctly just makes no sense. Anyone knows that in translation meaning is lost, and the bible was not written in English originally, and it was written down years after events took place. Every elementary age old child knows the game telephone never gives you the same message from beginning to end.
I know some fairly reasonable religious people. They most importantly believe in God, but do not follow their religion necessarily to the letter. They do not ignore science, because there might be a conflict in the bible.