There is a very significant difference between having faith in something which has no evidence at all to support it; and having faith in something which is outright contradicted by available evidence.
It is quite easy for people to believe in a higher power, even one which is sentient, which cannot be shown to not exist. Even when there is no evidence at all to indicate that such a higher power does exist.
But it is quite different, and much harder, to try to get people to believe in things which they know are false, which there is plentiful evidence to show is false.
It isn't impossible, but it is much harder.
So preachers or religion, in order to make their religion appear to be consistent with reality, will happily manipulate what their holy book actually says.
In fact, at times they will go to such great lengths with this manipulation, to claim that their holy book had knowledge which was not known at the time, indicating it must have divine origin.
They are quite happy to manipulate their text to make their religion more enticing.
Some of the least trustworthy people when it comes to religion, are those who preach the religion.