Evolution and it's role in religion?

[profmasd]

Ok I really am not trying to be a jerk or closed minded or anything. I am doing a research paper and I am trying to put feelers out there to people as well as what I find on the internet and in the library so I am going to ask the question, but I am asking it from a wanting information and opinion stance not in a " I am going to argue that evolution is a religion" stance. My question is this I understand that not everyone who accepts evolution is atheist or agnostic, but those that consider themselves to be atheist or agnostic doesn't it tie into a "religion?" If your faith doesn't lie in a creator then your faith lies in the science presented to explain why we are here correct? I am just curious what about it separates it from you considering it a religion. Please don't think I am trying to be a jerk or start an argument this is all for my research paper I am doing and I am trying to get as many facts as I can. I am more than willing to admit that when it comes to evolution and the role it plays scientifically and social I am pretty uneducated. It's never been something I have studied til I started this paper so I am having an open mind and trying to learn as much as I can so my paper is based on as much fact and real world statistics as I possible can get
Also please don't get on here and lamb baste me. If I wanted that I would have posted in religion and spirituality. I am merely trying to get mature responses and some information links if you have any would be greatly appriciated
thank you icabod you have given me some really awesome resources to help with my paper. I am sorry if I came across that all evolutionist were athiest I was trying to word it to those that consider themselves athiest. I should have watched my wording a little better

 

[IanW]

Religion is based on myth. Events that can not be confirmed via the scientific method, i.e. repeating an experiment to achieve a similar result. Science is based on confirmed laws that can be repeated with similar results world wide. Religion also demands faith, which can be defined as total lack of reason or fact. It also demands ritual, conduct appropriate to the version of worship. I am a scientist and atheist, but I hold no specific ritual for data. I accept data that is confirmed and place it along side other data to achieve a personal interpretation of the natural laws and their place in the universe. When all the data is assembled I weigh it against the claims of religion and make my own decisions. Again, to reiterate, I need no faith in science as I know the information I process is accurate and indisputable. Faith demands I believe something I have not witnessed and can not prove logically. So no, there is no conjunction between atheism and it being a faith based belief.