Comment 2 by Alan4discussion :

Until we understand why some people believe in science we will never understand why most people don’t.

The answer is in this text! If they are relying on "belief" rather than understanding of science, it is very easy to know why! As for "most people don't", that is specific to the background of asserted ignorance in some cultures, but this author is just rambling around in his own ignorance!

Indeed. Whichever meme is planted first grows very deep roots indeed. The more pertinent question that the author almost but doesn't quite ask is:

Why are some able to suppress their earlier faith based beliefs in favour of evidence based ones whilst others cling to them?

My guess would be education and peer pressure, even in as developed a nation as the USA and even amongst undergraduates.