I think spiritual knowledge is needed to become aware and conscious of the existential truth of the self and the universe and the existential truth in turn provides the being the ultimate freedom from the illusive world that is also known as moksha or nirvana. In other words spiritual knowledge makes the being free from the illusions and helps to realize the existential truth.
A person standing infront of mirror thought it was he. He used to think constantly so and forgot he has a body and believed that image itself is himself. When you meet knowledged people you will learn so much which you do not know , and THAT KNOWLEDGED PERSON IS GURU OR THE MASTER.
You have to follow his words to grow spiritually and you should do all the rituals. By doing all this you gain the power to break the mirror of Maya , the Illusion , then you will exist in your own self. You realise your own self.
Spiritual knowlede helps you transcend the limitations of time , space and mind, alll limitations. Imagination itself is the only instrument to transcent the imagination or illustration. Not possible to explain here everything.
I have no time. READ THE BOOKS BY SWAMI ASHOKANANDA a monk in ramakrishna math . He is a dec\sciple of SWAMI VIVEKANANDA.
I cant really gove you an answer,but what I can give you is a way to a solution, that is you have to find the anglde that you relate to or peaks your interest. A good paper is one that people get drawn into because it reaches them ln some way.As for me WW11 to me, I think of the holocaust and the effect it had on the survivors, their families and those who stood by and did nothing until it was too late.