They also seem to view the idea of truth with curious condescension.
I assume you're talking about the Bible, but we could also apply this to the Tao te Ching, the Vedas, or the Tripitaka.
As the Tao te Ching explains in one of its more odd verses, people tend to talk about virtues the most when such things are in need. In other words, a holy book isn't just something someone made on the spot (if it is, there are usually hints of narcissism or attention seeking behavior coupled with wild claims), but rather a result of the era.
Let's start with the Tao te Ching.
The book was written by a quasi-mythical character (he was supposedly born old, and we can't get a fix on who exactly he was, some people say it was several authors but the work is too coherent for that) named Laozi from apparently worked as an archivist until at around 80, the fact that China was at a constant state of unrest and disorder made him leave in frustration. Supposedly, the border guard stopped him and had him write his teachings so they wouldn't be lost to time.
The Vedas were kinda just writings of all the people of that area. They developed as a way to understand life in an area torn by constant upheaval. As in, why do we live, what is the point of all of this? They concluded that human beings can be divided into types and that history is largely cyclical.
The Tripitaka wasn't exactly written by Buddha, but probably his followers. They were basically his teachings written down. The Buddha was a man kept in a sheltered environment for most of his life (he was a prince), who became freaked out when he saw the reality of death and suffering, and spent the rest of his life making sense of it. I strongly recommend watching Osamu Tezuka's
Buddha series because this is a beautiful work.
The Torah developed as a part of a people who had lived in a time that was very rough, yet managed to live by following a set of laws and trusting in God. The New Testament was an account of a prophet, who proposed reforms of Judaism and was accepted as Messiah.
None of these stories is divorced from history. None are all that fantastic once you understand that miracles are simply literary devices that show the power of God through symbolism and analogy.
Belief is not incompatible with knowledge. For instance, modern science understands how a sea can part,
https://www.washingtonpost.com/news...ion-for-the-parting-of-the-red-sea-in-exodus/
how the feeding of the 5000 took place (hint: it's psychology),
https://theupsidedownworld.com/2012/09/25/how-did-jesus-feed-5000-people-does-it-matter/
and even changing water into wine (I'm the author here).
https://www.quora.com/Can-water-turn-into-wine/answer/Samantha-Rinne
Knowledge doesn't inhibit belief, but rather gives it a foundation.