Oh Christ (if you’ll pardon the expression), it’s another “science hasn’t explained every yet, ergo God did it, and even if it does explain everything we’ll still need sky gods to make life worthwhile” argument.
What peeves me with these types is the attempt to pretend there is some kind of parity between the creation myths of the bronze age middle east and the modern scientific account of the origins of life and the universe, the corollary being "they're two sides of the same coin and religion is just as valid a tool for understanding the universe as science is
Incidentally, as creation myths go, genesis as is (I assume the op is a christion yec – I really can’t be bothered with the entire thread) must rank as one of the least inspired and most facile. It's basically guy sits down and makes lots of things, whole tree of knowledge fiasco, occasional hissy fits from creator and much throwing of toys out of pram. Compare Plato's majestic arching together of the spheres of the same and the different (secular myths are uninspiring and lacking profundity my arse), or the daunting expression of unleashed power in the traditional Greek Gigantomachy, or the stately descent from heaven of the regal Urania in Bernardus Sylvestris' Cosmographia. Compare the haunting beauty of Tolkien's Ainulindalae or the comedic theatrics of the Saiyuki. The genesis story, in contrast, had to wait for John Milton to inject some awe and majesty into it from the classical epic tradition before it became halfway inspiring.
As for “what can anything offer to replace religion”, why is there even an issue of whether people can lead good, moral, fulfilled, happy and interesting lives without believing in the mad rubbish of religion. This is not an abstract issue where the evidence could go either way. Millions of people already ARE leading such lives, which demonstrates beyond a shadow of a doubt that not only is it possible, it is actually very easy
Also, this stuff about finding formal secular "alternatives" to religious ritual and community is just more nonsense. That's like saying we needed to find an alternative to smallpox or slavery when we got rid of those. People gather together in communities anyway. People find meaning and comfort and significance in all sorts of ways. They see their friends. They go out for the evening. They give to charity. They go to the pub. We don't need formal, centralised bodies for these things, and we certainly don't need telling that we do.
