Well, I have no desire to defend the creationists, especially those of the young-earth variety. Both their theology and their science are questionable.
But creationists and others have a point when they complain that evolution is used as a weapon against religion. Too often it is used that way, by people who should know better.
I believe it was Richard Dawkins who said that evolution makes it respectable to be an atheist. Now, that is a very unscientific statement: science by definition cannot answer questions relating to God. Thus if someone says he believes in God, that is properly classified as a religious or philosophical point of view, not a scientific one. If someone says he does not believe in God, that is a religious or philosophical opinion. Evolution cannot be used to support either position. Yet that does not stop people from doing just that.
Hmmm. It is the creationists that keep repeating this strawman argument as their wedge issue.