Religion:
an organized collection of beliefs, cultural systems, and world views that relate humanity to an order of existence. –Wikipedia
Science:
a systematic enterprise that builds and organizes knowledge in the form of testable explanations and predictions about the universe. –Wikipedia
Science is an acceptable replacement for religion.
Looking at the definition of “religion” from Wikipedia, science fulfills the requirements of the definition with the help of philosophy and a romantic view of the science.
Science could be considered an organization of beliefs. That belief would be of the importance and power of the scientific method. The findings of the variable studies and data influences a cultural system (mostly around skepticism). These all lead to a world view that relates humanity to an order of existence.
Issues of both
An interesting aspect of seeing science as a replacement for religion is that they both struggle with answer some specific philosophical questions.
For example, the question of free will plagues those with the time and desire to consider such issues.
In religion, if there is an all-knowing God who knows the past; future; and present, then that would imply the future is already determined. This suggests our choices and outcome are already determined; therefore, we have no free will.
In science, we can say the same argument if we and the world are simply chemical formulas. With the Big Bang beginning the start of a great mathematical formula that eventually leads to the action of us and our future us.
If our brains and consciousness are created from mathematical formulas playing out, then what you think or do is a direct result and part of the formula.
This philosophical debate could be an article in itself, but this example is to point out how neither science nor religion can claim to be able to explain everything. However, religion will often pretend to have all the answers while science is always free to change what it says based off of evidence (and peer review).
Science is Willing
For those who believe in a religious doctrine (no matter which) must remember that if your belief was able to survive the scientific method than it would be accepted by the scientific community. If you are unable to do that, then you believe something without evidence.
This doesn’t mean you need to stop looking for proof, but it does say that you need to question who and what you believe.
Most importantly, ask why do you believe and if that is a good reason.
