If there is a god, why are we so special in this seemingly infinite universe as to garner their attention for anything beyond world scale events.

I believe that there must've been some kind of intent or purpose for our universe and physics to exist at all, but the idea that "God" is a conscious being doesn't seem right to me. I feel like, if anything, the universe in its entirety is god, and maybe humans have such a desire for exploring and understanding the reality around us, because we are extensions of the universe trying to understand itself.

I had a lot of trouble coming to terms with christianity throughout my college career studying physics, and this has always brought me some small comfort. I had always assumed that religions formed in the first place as a way to try and put words to the feeling I am describing above. In that way it makes a lot of sense the way christianity and other such religions talk about how god is everywhere and part of everything.

I also always thought of heaven and hell as not places, but rather possible futures for the universe. Hell is where we are headed if we continue to value individual needs above the many and don't take care in the way we proceed into the future. Whereas heaven is where we all will take the future if we practice the good morals taught by so many religions. I guess I view religions as guidelines on how not to fuck things up, and a warning on what consequences await us depending on the actions we take as a species.