Perhaps GP and GGP were "stereotypical westerners who interpreted ancient spiritual texts literally". I for sure was, having been brought up in particularly scripture-obsessed denomination of Christianity. But I'd argue that view holds true for all Abrahamic religions, which comprise the majority of active faiths on Earth. Religions based on the Bible tend to be half faiths, half community management handbooks. Despite promises of various forms of life everlasting, they're very much focused on micromanaging the profane, the mundane.
>stereotypical undereducated westerner
I take offense with this description. Take Christianity and Islam and you've got half the world's populations. Are those 3.5 billion people all stupid westerners?
I have the opposite experience you described. Contemplating the infinitude of reality draws me toward religion via logic. Through contemplation it seems to follow that there's something important happening with meaning beyond our comprehension.