Since Robert Boyle a supposedly Christian alchemist (can there be such a thing?) started in seventeenth century England and Ireland the presumably European strategy of turning alchemy into chemistry to sidestep English witchhunts modern science has given purpose and power to atheism. Science was based largely on hermeticist sorcery but witchcraft was made illegal punishable by death so science needed a disguise to gain acceptance by Christians and ironically atheisn provided that disguise because by claiming to be atheists the scientists could deny spiritual aspects of alchemy and sorcery to produce chemistry and modern medicine. This has meant that even Christians who want to get careers in science had to be friendly in a symbiotic relationship with atheists. Atheists got to do science by Christians accepting it and getting it past the witchtrials. Christians got to do science by atheists making science look indifferent to matters of spirit so it looked unlike sorcery. Atheism has prospered ever since. But Wikipedia is here and wool pulled over eyes is getting pushed aside. Atheists beware!
