How do people respond to unfilled prophecies & disappointed messiahs?

"A man with a conviction is hard to change...Show him facts or figures and he questions your sources. Appeal to logic and he fails to see the point"

These 5 factors allow people to cling to false beliefs:

A key factor that allows cults to hold onto their beliefs in the face of clear evidence they are wrong is social support.

It is unlikely s single isolated believer can cling to their false beliefs. But a *group of followers* can support one another and bolster their beliefs.

And the jeering of non-believers simply makes it far more difficult for the adherents to withdraw from the movement and admit they were wrong.

In spite of the failure of their prophecy the fires of the fanaticism increased. the flames of such emotions can not be quenched at will...the failure seemed to excite even greater exhibitions of loyalty.