Pull up a chair

[Tonus]

Besides, "science is reliable because it's reliable" would only be circular reasoning if we couldn't, say, point to the large, technologically advanced civilization that has arisen due to consistent application of the scientific method.

I hate to say this, but... it's circular because it's circular. I think it's also inaccurate (to be kind) or disingenuous, since saying that "science is reliable because it works" seems reasonable to me. The conclusion follows from the evidence.

This becomes tricky when we talk about "having faith in our senses." I find that to be an inaccurate way to look at it. Although our senses can be fooled, we rely on them nonetheless and very rarely do we need to apply faith. I was not born unable to use my senses until someone convinced me that they were trustworthy, after all. I relied on them and they fed me data about my surroundings that I used to interact with the world. To make them an article of faith ends any attempt at discussion or debate. We perceive our world through our senses. If we can't rely on them, then nothing is reliable. So maybe that transcendent experience that led you to god was just a bad trip.