This post reminds me of this meme a lot (might be my favorite one ever).
Sadly people don't ever want to know the truth/reality, especially when it doesn't fit them. If you think more about it, you'll understand that you don't want the truth either... nobody does. I don't as well. And trying to change that in other is pointless.

I totally agree with all that you said, I just think that we are acting the same just on another level. How in the world do we know that those prayers don't help? How can you be sure that positive energy doesn't materialize? I am sure that we all saw some videos where some monk makes fire only using his arms. There are plenty of those and people always call bullshit on those videos. But why? Isn't that ignorant as well? I am not much of a religious person myself I believe, but I always keep all the possibilities open. Have you ever thought that all those mantras might be real?