Steve great post and I identified with every word as an ex catholic and have taken a similar line until this year.I do believe in a God/creator/architect thing now though.
Red indian medicine men chanted danced rhythmic breathing and go on spirit walks have a "trip" SEE THE TRIP THROUGH gain enlightenment come back with wisdom and filled with something that energises evangelises and gives instruction how to live that they are compelled to "share".
   Where does the bible originate, its root some holy men fast chant rhythmic breathe come back with more or less the same deal as red Indians except tailored to their culture.
    Born again Christians have the chakra exp as described above but some don't see it through and misinterpret, but still basically the same message.
      Buddhism same deal,Hinduism same deal.Original Templars same deal had a leg up from suffi tradition,original freemasons same deal,Shamans,druids,Egyptians same deal.African tribes same deal etc ad nauseum.Every culture has had this,and tailored to suit.Millions upon millions of human beings have had this God realisation when it happens to them they know there is some higher power.It also teaches them usually using their own life experiences.I Could flood you with links for scientists,doctors.musicians,artists,white collar,blue collar,tramps,millionaires,etc who have seen this through.This needs to be understood by science for us to move forward.Be nice if we could stop personalising God in human terms.If you study all the religions it is obviously an energetic state that strips any human notions away as scarey as that sounds.Most say you judge yourself to the most and you can't hide from yourself so the vengeful god goes out the window.
   The "trip" exp, those that don't understand come back talking about fairies/leprechauns,space aliens (see S.GREER) angels, devils,Jesus whatever,which is what causes all the problems, it is usually (always) personal and pertaining to current circumstance.The trip is irrelevant the goods is what matters.Very rare anyone else see the phenomena of the trip but can't help but notice the dramatic change to whoever it happened to.Furthermore sometimes in fact most of the time when still evangalised if you are privelidged enough to witness it you see it feel it, truth resonates is a throw away remark but to witness it is mad.It shakes ppl moves ppl look at the oneness movement she is calling herself God has devoted sheep like followers scarey as hell to me because they charge,never will accept that one. Yoga is catching on like wildfire again because people are searching for this via witnessing the result, or word of mouth.It is never going to go away,even if we banned all faiths religions became atheists,it would still be happening to millions and always will,it happens to people who haven't read the bible since school days(or ever) and don't go near churches non of them mentally ill by the way although some do crack up if they don't understand what is happening.It was put to me we all should have this happen naturally like a second puberty try stopping puberty, as some go through this through no choice of their own,then have to figure it out and come through fine changed for the better.Have two friends who went through this,well more but these two Ive known for decades both independently went through this they did not have contact at time.One was tortured by filth and devils until the light/realisation was given, the other had a real gentle exp before the light/realisation moment.Both sane lovely lads never had mental issues both over it now and happier wholesome people,neither go to church but now believe the physical aspect of the christian message.The idea a year ago that i would post a "I believe in God" post on a forum..well i would of sneered like your doing but I have to go with the evidence,and direct exp to me is all i would ever believe and i have seen it.
Did you catch that a few years ago major atheist think groups accepted a higher power concept (cpl had the trip) but wouldn't call it God..god then, mind you I struggle with the word myself ex catholic thing. Look at son of God Mr Icke he had the trip messed him up but as it faded he understood it better,glad my mates never fell into that trap and saw it through.As for commandments I would think we all get on fine in our environments without giving them any thought,humans if happy are pretty sociable wherever you go.So they can ban religions and the word God for me, the world would have to find something else to hate with,and it would find something until we address what is human spirituality,because we can't just ignore it as it messes us up too much and we cant deny it because its there/here.YMMV regards sorry for wall of txt
Re D.ICKE they reckon (i dont know) that if he was an artistic type he would understand metaphor and what he was given was beat the desire/rep part of the brain not space lizards.8)