It is a good choice, especially so for the Maya which can now go for a super-shrine strategy and still take Rationalism. Religion is still quite a ways more powerful for generating Culture, but having a widely-spread religion is very handy regardless for any kind of victory and can net you some serious payoff if invested in early.
Plus, really, in real life, just look at the Caliphates of Arabia. United largely by the teachings of Islam, evolved into the scientific center of the world for the better half of the first millennium AD. Religion and scientific advancements have not always been adversarial (though granted there are issues with that today but regardless!), and have throughout history worked together quite well. Also I want to make a fully effective science cult religion for inevitably pretending to be a Warhammer civ. ^.^
