As I was saying, I do agree with you in this part:

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> Someone can refuse to follow moral laws or occasionally be opportunistic, but that can have a tangible negative effect on their life, even without state enforcement.

> Moral laws are also laws.

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It is true and absolutely right that people are going to form their opinion based on their own morals. Actions do often have consequences. So yes, we don't need state to know what is good and what is bad, but we also don't need God... We can advertise our own morals in many different ways.

In stateless society we don't have the "false feeling of security" the state is giving to people, and that is the reason why terms like "zero trust" are important. We are purposefully creating interactions that are preventing oportunism.

BTW: What statement is better? "I don't kill, because God forbids that." Or "I don't kill, because it is a bad thing to do."

I do follow some predominantly Islamic sub-reddits and the amount of external force created by the religion is huge. They often say "When my mother did find out, she took me to the mosque and the imam told me that what I'm doing is bad. So that is why I don't drink anymore." No self reflection, no place for internal reasoning, no place for individual morals, only do as you are told. It is hardcore manipulation. Manipulation to something good (alcohol is objectively not good for you), but still a manipulation.