Why has irrationalism overtaken the religious debate (particularly in North America)?

Part of it has to do with the fact that we no longer teach Logic in schools. It's a separate course of its own at some colleges and universities, but Logic is not part of the regular school curriculum in most places in the United States. It should be, but it's not. We are not taught, in most cases, how to look at an argument or fact logically, evaluated it and form our own opinions, and then how to present those opinions in a logical and rational manner. The school system and parents who do not teach their kids to really think are at fault. But, after all, those parents went through the same school systems as their kids. It's a longstanding problem in our society. The religious establishment in our country encourages people to not look at the religious teachings that are presented to them. They follow blindly what they are taught or brainwashed with. It's become a serious Pandemic. Yes, like a Disease of Irrationality.