Religion was a way of explaining the universe before the advent of science, a cultural leftover from another time. All it takes is a is a charismatic fabulist and gullible people to create a new religion, Joseph Smith and the creation of Mormonism is a classic modern example, cult leaders are another. What we today call religion is as old as humans and every paleolithic tribe had its version of the "truth" and it was one of the things that bound human groups together. When agriculture was developed and human communities and societies became larger and more impersonal religion took on a larger "political" role in defining adherence to a society. In most early agrarian societies like those in Egypt, South America and Asia, there was a God/King, even the Romans deified their emperors. Politics and religion were one and the same for a very long time and in Christianity there was a split between the political and religious authorities long before the reformation and this aided it's spread and also later allowed secular societies to arise.
Science in the west started out as as an investigation of "God's creation", as a way of knowing about God through his "works". In post reformation Protestant Europe the arisen secular societies allowed science to proceed and understanding to advance with much less interference and suppression from religion. Cosmology (Copernicus) and natural history (Darwin etc) started as religious pursuits to learn about the nature of "God" by studying his creation and in doing so they discovered God did not exist. We've only been at this science stuff for a few centuries, Darwin published the origin of the species in 1859 and most of the mainstream religions accept science, Darwin and all. Among Christians only the fundamentalists and "born yesterdays", found mostly in the USA believe in Adam and Eve. These beliefs are found in the American south for the most part and are predicated on "belief and belief alone" will get you through the pearly gates. They claim Hitler could go to heaven if he just took Jesus into his heart before death, it's the kind of belief system that allows bigots and slave owners to get into heaven. Traditionally a Christian made it through the pearly gates by attaining a state of grace, something most fundamentalist Christians and Trumper pseudo christians are incapable of. Most of these idiots wonder "what kind of gun would Jesus own" and figure they can get into heaven carrying a heart full of hate, just squeezing their eyes shut real hard and believing bullshit is all that's required.
I'm a secular Buddhist (and atheist), one who adheres to the practical philosophy for psychological peace and happiness, but devoid of religious content. The psychological aspects of Buddhism are largely validated by science and it is a very science friendly belief system, open to enquiry. Many scientists practice secular Buddhism, because it's a practice, not a set of beliefs to be adhered to, "come see for yourself", not dogma is the attitude. It deals with our subjective relationship to reality and science deals with objective reality. Both science and Buddhism have done much to relieve human suffering, one from the inside out and the other from the outside in. One deals with our "spiritual" (in a non religious sense) needs and desires and the other with the material. Having said the above, Buddhism is a religion to millions, most have no true understanding of it and are a lot like born again fundamentalist Christians in that respect. Even in Asia though, there has been a growing secular Buddhist movement for well over a century. In the west Buddhism is almost completely secular, psychiatrists and psychologists are it's biggest fans, have elaborated on it and study it using science.
en.wikipedia.org
Evolution designed us to survive and pass our genes along, not to be happy.
www.coursera.org
