My personal take on the subject always went along these lines:
1. All science is based on the scientific method. It’s a simple premise that states that if you completely recreate the conditions of any particular event, the exact same even will happen again. Mix oxygen and hydrogen and add a spark and you will have water.
2. This is not in conflict with superior intelligences, but it does conflict with any omnipotent deities. If there was an omnipotent deity, that you would have to mix hydrogen and oxygen, add a spark, and with that deities permission you would get water. Alternatively, that deity may choose this moment to create wine, or cheese, or whatever.
3. If such a deity exists, it makes very little sense to study what conditions lead to what results (which is what scientists do), and makes a great deal of sense to learn of ways to obtain or manipulate the deities permission.
4. Historically speaking, society flourishes when people study natural processes. We owe our high standards of living to just such studies. However, when society becomes preoccupied with learning about deities permissions, dark ages inevitably follow.
5. I prefer current and better standards of living to religious oppression and dark ages, thus my view of reality necessitates the complete lack of omnipotent beings. Super intelligent beings are still fair game, so long as they are not limitless.
Having said that, religious belief or faith, contributes a great deal to society, It helps a great many thru tough times (or any times), and it is largely responsible for people being descent to each other (Yes, all of that could be done without it), so I see no harm in people practicing their religion, as long as I am not forced to change mine. I believe Douglas Adams explained it best, in saying that belief in a deity is much like money. Money has no real worth, but our belief in its worth allows us to cooperate and work together. We could, in theory do all that without money, but it is not all that simple.
