I suspend disbelief all the time when watching movies, doesn't make me prone to suspending disbelief when being shown ridiculous pseudo-science.
The religion comment has the potential to start a huge flame war, I'm asking kindly that if anyone wants to continue that idea they start their own thread.
GoNative, I agree with your observation that people tend to have no real basis for comparison with fact and fiction. I suppose it's too much to ask for common sense to dictate these things...
edit: about the haarp thing, what surprises me most about this isn't that anyone would believe it, hell if you say anything stupid someone is bound to believe it. What surprises me is how many people believe it! With so much passion and fervor and determination to spread this insanity! I got like 35 (intense) messages in my youtube inbox about linking to HAARP shit because I posted a few vids of the tsunami news...