How did it start?

Jackel, the vast majority of people who accept TOE on its merits, in the US and Europe, do believe in some form of god. Scientific principles are not guided by religious beliefs, but by evidence and successful models. It is important to note that less than 10% of western population is considered atheist ( in some areas, its far lower). Therefore, religious beliefs and and acceptance of scientific princples doesn't seem to be a problem, unless one's religious beliefs are based literally on the bible, at which point there is a conflict. The conflict arises because a literal interpretation of the bible conflicts with all areas of modern science.