When dealing with the reality of human existence nothing is absolute past death.
I see your argument. I offer the following justification of ritual.
Being human is complex. Maybe this was why we were given the understanding that though the spirit is willing, the flesh is weak. I suspect this is why everything is never revealed to humanity at large and why initiates have been chosen carefully throughout history. Who would say everything is revealed to the initiate. Rather, we can say that the initiate is given the tools to see further into the will of the maker. But only as far as the maker chooses to reveal through the always present veil of the flesh.
Certainly, we are warned never to be judgmental. We can agree to that. And, masonry teaches us that our mission is "to make good men better." I believe ritual to be important for this reason. It helps us focus our facilities to fight through the always present human condition.
Maybe you and I and a few more of these digitally attached brethren were born in the wrong time. Too many distractions plague us all. But these occasional insights are the wages of a mason and keep us hopeful in a very profane world.
God bless.
