Purely rational groups collapse more easily than ones bound by sacred values

Evidence

It is not difficult to see why groups formed for purely rational reasons can be more vulnerable to collapse: Background conditions change, and it might make sense to abandon one group in favor of another.… For this reason, even ostensibly secular countries and transnational movements usually contain important quasi-religious rituals and beliefs. Think of sacred songs and ceremonies, or postulations that “providence” or “nature” bestows equality and inalienable rights.… These sacred values act as moral imperatives that inspire nonrational sacrifices in cooperative endeavors such as war. — Norenzayan, Ara, Big gods - how religion transformed…, 463

Categorization

• QUESTION: Strong candidate mechanism for why the Japanese trial of Rodrigues required a public, ritualized trampling rather than mere private renunciation — visible sacred-value violation rather than rational exit.