11 years of Catholic School pushed me into agnosticism/atheism and joiners/followers are just that. And since we never heard from Pascal again...
Actually, I've found that the worst 'offenders,' though that is not a precise term, maybe 'true believers' or 'zealots' is better (of any faith, church, cult, subculture, even political, etc) are the late-joiners. The preacher's daughter usually ends up partying the most in high school but usually turning out ok even. It is those kids who never had to go to Sunday school, CCD, madrasses (I might take that one back), etc early who later fall into, big-time with true believing attitude, some cult, church, subculture, etc and go full-bore into it- especially during some crisis-time (time of big change, not that all are really a crisis on par with each other) in life (being bullied in school, going to college, getting divorced, coming back from a war, trying to quit booze/drugs, etc.) I actually will apply it also to Islam now, thinking about it, as many of the incidents (at least in Western countries) are from
new converts (in prison, as malcontented teens, etc.)
This can be innoucuous, of course. And even do society, or themselves, some good. But also it can be the very opposite and do themselves, and society, much damage depending on what "group" they decide to join or adhere to.
