As Francis Schaeffer said, religion and philosophy are trying to answer the same questions. (Your second and third paragraphs agree with this.) But...
> With the rise of scientific thinking, we're seeing a rapid increase in the number of folks who identify as agnostic or atheist. This is natural given that the tenets of most major religions can't be tested or validated via experimental methods.
The tenets of most major philosophical positions can't be tested or validated via experimental methods, either.
> With the rise of scientific thinking, we're seeing a rapid increase in the number of folks who identify as agnostic or atheist. This is natural given that the tenets of most major religions can't be tested or validated via experimental methods.
The tenets of most major philosophical positions can't be tested or validated via experimental methods, either.
Sauce for the goose...