regarding your last paragraph
You are one of the few people to whom I can say: I disagree on fundamentals but respect you wholeheartedly - and understand your POV - nonetheless (I read your stuff whenever possible).
Still, you could be right .. but I doubt it.
Religious belief has to involve something of a gamble, and I cast my dice with the likes of J.S. Bach, Mozart, Haydn, Beethoven, Berlioz, Stravinsky, and all those super-guys who wrote explicity religious music. - Either they were 'conceited and arrogant' .. or OTOH perhaps were on to something bigger than you or I know about.