Nobody has been able to come up with an alternative to religion so far, even
@hairblues admits it, and I don't think we will find one.
And you know what? Despite my religious upbringing, I turned 12 (age of reason or so they say) and I immediately questioned the idea of god and became an atheist.
At 15, I had this horrible existential crisis after realizing that I would die someday, and that there was probably nothing after death.
Thankfully, it only lasted three days (filled with panic attacks) and then I got used to the idea. Funnily enough, it was triggered by my religion teacher.
Lots of unnecessary suffering ensued my "conversion" to atheism, and I wish I could have avoided it.
Then university made it worse by teaching me that life had no meaning and that nothing matters anyway.
That on top of being bald in my early 20's, perfect cocktail.
"Life is all BS, nothing but suffering, and you're bald, so that's more suffering for you!"
I think a religious upbringing beats a non-religious one every time. All my friends who turned out well had a religious upbringing, and all the people I know who were raised without religion did some pretty fucked up things during their teens.
I don't believe this is a coincidence. We don't have an efficient alternative to religion so I'm going to give my kids a religious upbringing. As a former atheist (I'd say I'm an agnostic now), I know exactly why this idea makes people chuckle.