ah, Dan, my friend...men have always been in the picture. From all those thousands of years ago, cowering in caves and wondering about the lightning and thunder to Popes and Imams issuing edicts to frighten the 'flock', men have both 'believed' and manipulated the belief of others in order to suit an agenda.
Whether any of them stumbled on bits of the 'truth' in the process is hard to know.
We have, at least, the freedom to glean from the heaps of 'wisdom' something to suit almost every taste. I see beauty and goodness... as well as sadness and hate ...in the paths various people have chosen from the 'tower of Babel'.....which is about all we can hope for, I guess.
It is comforting to read about those who have found happy & pleasant pieces.