This thread reminds me of a Star Trek: Next Generation episode that really sticks in my mind from many years back. Here is the gist of it, from memory from many years ago:

A group from the Enterprise went down onto a new planet to collect soil samples, but they were seen by someone on that planet. Somehow they critically injured that person. Of course, the Prime Directive says they can not intervene, so that was a big dilemma. They ended up beaming the injured person on to the ship, fixed him up in sick bay, then beamed him back down. Unfortunately, while he was in sick bay he woke up long enough to see Captain Picard and hear his name, and remembered it when he was returned to the planet. When he came to back on the planet, he started telling everyone of the magnificent god-like being who took him into the sky and healed him, "The Picard." Because Captain Picard was concerned that a whole new bogus religion would grow up around this, they had to break the Prime Directive and reveal themselves to the inhabitants of the planet.

I'm a Christian, but I have to admit that the concept in this episode really got me thinking about the same thing you're discussing in this thread. I'm not supporting the idea per se, but just adding some food for thought. Star Trek -- always ahead of their time, preparing us for the possibilities.