Yes, a strong sense of belonging and community - and its counterpart, avoiding excommunication - are very powerful. Religions throughout the ages demonstrate that. I think there's one more thing, though.
People who are willing to abandon reason in order to believe that they're "winning" are the problem. That willingness is exploited by manufacturing a losing condition for them, while at the same time supplying the "winning solution": join us.
There you have it, the bits that, when combined, create the paradox of "We're being oppressed at every turn! We're undeniably correct and unstoppably strong!" "You're losing, come with us so we can all win really soon."
“you cant reason someone out of something they were not reasoned into.”
Jonathan Swift
And the solution:
”He drew a circle that shut me out-
Heretic, rebel, a thing to flout.
But love and I had the wit to win:
We drew a circle and took him In!”
Edwin Markham
You have to draw a bigger circle. It is the way to deprogram people from that tribalistic mentality. Teaching them and “winning” debates will not work.