In my article The Problem on Both Sides of the Same Bad Coin I outlined part of the problem. That article discusses how people with an extremely low reading level consider themselves qualified to speak for science, and other people with a similarly low reading level consider themselves qualified to speak for religion. The current "conflict" between science and religion only exists because none of those people have any idea what they are saying. Well educated people can recognize the differing roles in society for science and religion, and there is no conflict between those.
There is more to the story than the extremely poor ability to read and the resulting tragically simplistic worldviews. It is important to recognize what a tremendous impact the Moon landing had on society. It is important to recognize the tremendous impact of science fiction in prime time television for about three decades after that. Before that science fiction was generally reserved for after 11 p.m. on Friday and Saturday nights.
After "Lost in Space" the series "Star Trek" had several very long spin off series. The several "Star Wars" movies had makes and remakes that appeared on television. There was "Battlestar Galactica," "Galactica 1980," "Babylon 5," "Andromeda," "Space: 1999," and countless other types of science fiction television series and shows in or near prime time.
It is important to recognize the tremendous shift in society from before the space program to after so many decades of intense fascination with space travel. Before that science was not popular mostly because so many people are not any good at science. Religion could still be used to influence good behavior in ways science will never be capable. After that, although most people were no better at science than they had been before, they had developed a fondness for science, actually a blind faith in science. They liked to believe that they were now very scientific people. They can because the rules of science are much looser now. They are however still not any good at real science. After the shift many people were ready to announce the end of religion and tried to do so on the internet. They are incredibly stupid people. It is the same problem in both political parties.
It is important to recognize that neither political party is using religion as it should be used. That much is true. While religion should not dictate government policy, it can and should influence public policy. That is the big mistake of the Trump base. They are trying to dictate and to force behavior that is not in the purview of government. Government may use force in special circumstances, but the Trump base uses force merely because they do not understand right behavior well enough themselves to explain it to anyone else. They simply fight for what they believe without understanding any of it. A case in point is the bombing of Iran's nuclear facilities. A perfectly logical reason to avoid using nuclear weapons in the Middle East is that there is a risk of fallout. Especially depending on the weather and other factors the fallout likely could be a real problem across the Middle East. Another factor is that anti-ballistic missiles are faster now and might cause detonations nearer to launch sites.
The people who believe Donald Trump is a good leader are far too plain stupid to understand that, so they bombed Iran. Donald Trump is now and probably ever will be the most stupid and preposterous president in the United States by far. His bizarre and unfair behavior toward immigrants might indeed discourage some from wanting to come to the United States. It is however difficult to be certain. But make no mistake, the leaders of the Democrats are almost as stupid.
As this and previous articles should make clear, the country is being run by people who cannot read well, people with tragically simplistic worldviews, people who think "religion" means hitting others over the head with a government stick, and people who think they know "science" like they never did before.
Neither political party represents religion. Too many Democrats have a blind faith in a "science" they believe should replace religion, It is not possible. Too many in the Trump base recognize no discipline whatever, scientific nor religious. What the Trump base has instead is better described as a blind nationalism, much like fascism. When they do attempt to do anything "religious," it is a use of government beyond its purview. For example there should be no "praying" in public schools. Here is a detailed explanation. May you scratch your nose in public school? Yes. When may you scratch your nose in in public school? Whenever you feel the urge. May you pray in public school? Yes. When may you pray in public school? Whenever you feel the urge (before taking a test is a good time). It only becomes a problem when you expect others to hear your prayers. Praying is not supposed to be a "school" activity in that sense anymore than scratching your nose should be a school activity. When you expect others to listen to your prayers in public school you only show your ignorance of proper behavior. In this country it is usually necessary to ask and obtain permission from people before you preach to them or expose them to your religious beliefs. With street corner preaching, people can and should be free to simply walk away. Another thing government force does not do well is ban abortion. No, you cannot prove life begins at conception, stop spreading filthy lies. No, the Bible does not say life begins at conception. When the Bible does address the beginning of life it leaves open quite many possibilities.
Insofar as it might be simple to prove that a fantasy gender is nothing but a fantasy as explained in The Broccoli Argument there would exist no right to expect others to play along with the fantasy. Also since it is likely that the people who believe they are "transgender" are really just stupid, and the Trump base is even more stupid than Democrats, so there are likely more "transgenders" in the Trump base. It will not matter if you accuse them. All they care about is being in power. Nothing they say matters to them. Neither here nor there, the Republican nominee for Virginia Lt. Gov. 2025 is openly gay.