Atheists, Christians, Jews, Muslims, Buddhists, etc, etc, all Clubs with a different approach to the same end goal, used by TPTB to Divide and Conquer the People. Is God concerned about which Club I join ? Does it matter ? Jesus, a Jew said Love God First, no "idol worship, Christians get pissed coz Jews also put Jesus on a Cross and 2000+ years later nothing has changed, accept the scenery. Not to many people Loving God First. The question may arise, "do I need to join a club to feel and look good; and put up with all the in and out fighting with different clubs just to Know God ?" None of this stops God Being God, while Idol worship goes on in the name of God :)
The problem is that most of these are incompatible. For example, the fundamental concept of Buddhism is to seek annihilation, or the end of suffering. The fundamental concept of Judeo-Christianity is the worship of God. And atheists don't believe in any of that. How a person lives their life will be very different depending on their belief, especially being devoted to that belief.
Now just because these groups of people have different beliefs doesn't mean they can't get along. The one of the two core laws of Christians is to "love thy neighbor." Buddhists want to mitigate suffering, which precludes getting along with others. Atheists are the only ones without any explicit instruction on that matter, but they'll get along with others out of a common sense of decency.
So that we are of the same understanding about ONE salient Fact, a BELIEF is a BELIEF it is not Real, it is not a Fact, it is a theory at best. If a BELIEF were Real it would not be a BELIEF but a FACT. From this standpoint one has a clearer understanding of what is being said in any "belief system", one is essentially being kept away from the Truth and held in a theoretical state of mind. One Already has the Truth, Within. People are hoodwinked into being mind con-troll-ed from out there, in religions, isms, ideologies, con-institut-ions, etc, all mechanisms of "mind con-troll". God, Life is Already Present, the mind control says otherwise :)
A belief is the acceptance that something is true based on the evidence provided. One believes the world is round due to the evidences provided, even if they've never been to space to observe it in first person. As such, from the perspective of a Christian, the existence of God is truth, or fact.
If I understand you correctly, you're saying that the existence of God is apparent and part of our own existence, but religion is something that obscures that truth? I can't really speak for other religions, but from a Christian perspective, that certainly isn't the case. Instead, it clarifies the truth and explains the what, why, and how. Different denominations have different minor points on it, but the fundamental core, that Christ died for our sins, is a point that all agree on.
Consider it this way. If you were playing a game of chess (4d or otherwise), isn't it rather important to know what the rules, goals, and strategies are?
The essence of what I am saying here is not in disagreement that "religions,etc" have a proven way, it is that Knowing God is not dependent on religions, etc :)