I mostly agree with you. And as you said, 9/11, wars, etc. and other things that have occured to cause people to lose trust in their institutions of religion and government--all this pushes people to look within--to seek God inside without relying on priests and other authorities outside themselves . And this is partly how the consciousness is raised and will continue to raised. It cannot happen to people who are sleeping in a comfort zone, and so the world will continue to be challenged.
As Christ put it:
"Think not that I am come to send peace on earth: I came not to send peace, but a sword."
David