“...Children with a religious upbringing tended to view the protagonists in religious stories as real...”
Well, duh......If they are religious, they BELIEVE in religion.
This has to be one of the most ridiculous “findings” I’ve ever heard...
Over the target.
Christian children are taught the Bible is the history of real people. Agnostic children are told the Bible is full of lies and fantasy. Which group is grounded in reality?
As to fantasy, a 5 yr old who believes in Santa Claus will grow to understand the value of principles and ideals. A child who is denied belief in ideals will become cynical and neurotic.
The research conclusions are precisely upside down. They say vastly more about the attitudes and values of the researchers than the children.