Atheism as mere semantics

An atheist is someone who decides not to fill the term "God" with any meaning while a theist is someone who fills the term with some meaning whatsoever. The difference between a theist and an atheist is not usually a matter of morals or science but, especially among people raised in a culturally similar environment, of mere semantics.

A theist which knows scientific theories about, say, the origin of life which differ from an apparently respective, literally understood, biblical account does not need to find useless religion as a whole. Religion has a fundamental and irreplaceable role as:

1. An economizer of previously required knowledge and/or shortcut to information needed in order to morally act in specific cases.

2. An aesthetic, more palatable way of transmitting moral advice (this is: advice on final goals, as different of engeneering advice or advice on means to achieve a previously determined end).