I had been an agnostic for many years, and studied a lot of moral philosophy in college, but I came to realize later in life that many of my deep seated moral intuitions came from church as a kid, and the Christian values I was given by my parents.
There's a big difference between the potential to do something and actually doing it. You can buy an exercise bike for your house, or a bunch of great books but that doesn't make you fit or wise if they just sit there unused. Theoretically all of the materials you need to be a world class physicist are available online, but how many people actually spend years mastering the material without the support of a university? The specific habit of regular reflection and learning, supported by a community, helps turn the theory into practice.