No offense Incognito, because I like you (really!), but this is why I don't usually discuss religion (especially Judaism) with non-Jews, except to relate what Jewish law would say. You don't know what you are talking about with respect to Judaism, and to educate you might seem like I am advocating or proselytizing, which I don't do, and would require more effort than I care to invest. Just realize that your beliefs about religion and faith have nothing at all to do with Judaism, and are heavily influenced by the predominant Western religion: Christianity. If you want to confirm what I've said is true, ask a rabbi. In the meantime, here is a link to Jewish atheism.
[url=http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Jewish_atheism]Jewish atheism - Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia[/url]
I will address this, though. I believe the laws came from man, and their purpose was to bind together a people, but if you ask 10 Jews the same question, you will likely get 10 different opinions. There is no dogma on the matter, though the Orthodox would likely have the most consistently similar answers.