Most people claim to not have any bearing in religious thought, but they demonstrate the opposite in their behavior. Modern fiction is built upon the narrative foundation of religions; for whatever reason, people don't credit religion as the primary cultural creative heritage that it truly has been throughout history; and if you look at modern fiction and the way people treat modern entertainment, then you'll see where religion truly is, I think.

What is the purpose of fiction, if not to be a collective mirror to reflect on society or the individual? Every time someone engages in a piece of fiction (whether movie, literature, video game) they are adopting the internal morality system that fiction implies simultaneously in the act of engagement. Essentially it's a quasi-religious experience, this is undeniable because you recognize the protagonist as good and antagonist as bad then everything between. I think religion has been the primary creative outlet (which gave birth to most fields of science; scholarly astrology became astronomy, alchemical methodology gave birth to chemistry, theology to philosophy, the historical influence is undeniable) throughout time and fiction has subjugated religion in a shift of paradigm similar to scientific fields being updated; where a model is discovered to be a nested feature within a larger structure. This is what most atheists admit to believing. Now let's look at TVTropes and see how much of the characterizations, archetypes, dramatic motifs, story structure, and development of narratology comes from religious or mythological backgrounds--suddenly we realize that Lord of the Rings is 90% Norse and Celtic mythology and things like it are inexplicably captivating to even the most devout anti-theists.

Every one says they don't need religion--but they don't act that way. What does fiction do, if not adjust, play on, and consciously express our moral systems? Doesn't seem odd to see the percentage of fiction that can be traced to direct mythological sources or influence.

P.S. - I think you'd really dig Dr. Jordan Peterson's views of religion. Reading this made me excited to check out Jonathan Haidt; they seem to have very similar veins of thought.