[Duke]

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I think a very large percentage, perhaps even close to what there is now, would still end up believing in some sort of creator, higher power, or something similar.

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People try to start new religons all the time but the niche being filled makes it hard for them to take off.

Starting from a fresh slate won't make any different except in the very short term.

chez

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If a book came along right now implying that the universe were geocentric, and claiming that it was basically made for us, it'd be laughed at and only followed on a cult basis.

Think about writing stories, books, poetry... it's a very difficult task. Pointing out why they suck is much easier, but still requires a certain level of knowledge. If a guy walked up to you today and told you that the entire universe was 6000 years old, and started telling you something about a boat with 2 of everything on it, you'd laugh in his face. You'd wonder where he got the ignorance to claim that it formed long after Pangaea existed. But back then, they couldn't dispute it correctly, as they lacked the requisite knowledge to do so. Today, it would be immediately disregarded on grounds such as these.

It would fall on its face immediately in trying to convince people of its veracity. There would be no apologists jumping through hoops to say why it doesn't really say what it says, and picking out which verses are metaphor and which literal. There'd be no reason to, as it's an obvious fantasy. It would likely be seen as a fantasy with certain moral guidelines and interesting tales by which to live, but not to believe as truth.

Today we look back on the older religions, some that lasted a very long time, and wonder how anyone could ever have believed them. It's only a sense of familiarity and knowing a lot of people who find something of value in those faiths that prevent many of us from using that same critical eye on the Judeo-Christian mythology of today.

As for the effect of that, I think we would have already devolved into the 2 groups that I foresee for the future: there's a reason for it all, there isn't any reason to it at all.

I think that specific faiths are a relic of a time when it made much more sense to have them.