The reason folks blood pressure rise on matters of religion and politics, among the unsophisticated in particular, is because the primitive ego sees these issues as existential. No amount of debate or logic or facts will alter a person’s feelings when their ego is locked into certain beliefs that they see as critical to both their personal advantage and ability to survive. These are hardwired impulses not open to reason, of which demagogues like Trump are master manipulators as is every con artist.