Are you speaking from a life shaped by living with Christ in your heart, or are you just throwing scripture around.
I speak from a life shaped by ALL the religions of the world and my human experience of the human condition. Why have you isolated yourself to one perspective of reality as if that is the only way of experiencing Life and the Divine. Do you not know yet that EVERYTHING is relative? Dependent entirely on your position in space and time.
If I was to have to choose one human (there are so many) who has shaped my view of the cosmos and life and the divine it would have to be the Buddha.
I do not worship any Gods, imaginary or otherwise. I thought I have made that clear. The fact that you claim you do "worship" a God does not give you any special authority in the matter.
If any Gods do exist then they have more of a responsibility for caring for and nurturing the spark of Life in a violent universe than I have spending my brief existence "worshipping" them.
"It does me no injury for my neighbour to say there are 20 gods or no God. (As long as ... ) It neither picks my pocket nor breaks my leg."
Re #2
Thomas Jefferson argued that a virtuous and educated citizenry is essential to prevent government collapse, as an informed public can make sound decisions, select wise leaders, and protect its own rights from tyranny. He believed that citizens must cultivate virtue and intelligence to sustain a republic, and if they are not equipped to do so, the government will fail.
As we can now clearly see, Thomas Jefferson was absolutely correct.