I was pleased to find that someone had already summarized and put into words my thoughts & experience with religion. I found these quotes today on Wikipedia, while learning about Buddhism (much to mother’s chagrin):

“Believe not because some old manuscripts are produced, believe not because it is your national belief, because you have been made to believe it from your childhood; but reason it all out, and after you have analyzed it, then, if you find that it will do good to one and all, believe it, live up to it, and help others to live up to it.”
~Swami Vivekananda

“Serenity of spirit and love for all sentient creation are enjoined by the Buddha. He does not speak of sin, but only of ignorance and foolishness, which could be cured by Enlightenment and Sympathy.”
~Sarvepalli Radhakrishnan

“In my case strangely enough, it was not the love of science, nor the love of Nature – but an abstract idealisation, the belief in the value of the human spirit and the virtue of human endeavour and achievement (that motivates me). I am moved by the story of the Buddha’s great renunciation, of his search for truth, and of his final enlightment. It showed me that the capacity for renunciation in the pursuit of exalted aims is the very essence of human greatness.”
~Sir Chandrasekhara Venkata Raman