I don't see how scientific identity falls outside identity politics. Humans have a tribalistic genetic heritage, and so we behave this way.

I would say that the better you understand your identity, the better positioned you are to escape a slavish defense of it.

But you also have to be careful not to avoid conversations just because they are difficult. Religion and politics are in one sense two sides of the same coin. It might be better to contrast religion and democracy.

Just because the answers aren't easy to access doesn't mean the struggle to find them isn't worth having. ...no matter how messy.