Why do we feel we need to rely on ancient writings?

I am not quite sure why, but it seems the year 2024 views on humanity, our origins, our make up, and questions of whether or not there is a higher power, are mired in nitpicking about religious doctrines which were built close to 2000 years ago. I listen to Richard Dawkins on the one end, and then Jordan Peterson in the middle, and Literalist Fundamentalist teachers on the other end. It seems they are more concerned about arguing and using language that needs use of a dictionary, than they are about finding a deep meaningful, fulfilling answer. (One that indeed exists) When a person quits believing that there is an answer to these questions, the search becomes an academic one, which both legitimizes their job, and absolves them of the need for an actual answer.

None seem to be willing to look at the truth BEHIND the “faces” that we put on these beliefs. There also does not seem to be any directional headway happening towards coming to a new understanding based on the knowledge we now possess. This is not a call towards some sort of ecumenism or erasing lines between those faces. This is not a call to postmodern erasing of all definitions to play kissy-face. If anyone were to be interested in finding a way forward, rather than falling back on outdated ideas, I would be very willing to participate in a discussion on these topics. Will there be any open-minded common sense folks who might wish to speak to this? I will start with a statement, spoken humbly and not arrogantly: I see a deeper “nature” behind the nature science has “tested and proven”. I believe this is played out by what we see in the world around us, without having to make twilight zone type interpretations. I do not see a chasm of “spirit” and “physical”. I see everything in nature tied to/created from one source of all. This neither contradicts fundamental religious thought, nor scientific thought. Saying this, there is no excuse for any side of this, to make assumptions about what this one source is. Our mistake so far, is to paint icons on something we don’t understand. Religion thus far, has only tried to say things that were understandable to the human intellect, while at the same time saying that the face they have built for this deeper nature is beyond our understanding. I posit that there is a way forward, if we are willing to look beyond the beliefs we grasp tightly due to our fear.