Peace be unto you brother and hope the creator helps you in your effort
Islam is surrendering your will to a ultimate ego/will ( God) out of gratitude realizing that God is the creator and sustainer and through that submission finding peace .
God define life as a test , like a traveler going to a destination and stayed to take some rest before reaching to a destination , so it pushes its follower to use every ounce of time to be a better version and be ware of ones actions ( and disassociate from wrong ones) .
God knows our abilities, context , background and based on it how well one perform ( both on actions and intention) will be judged ( its quite possible some one with lesser actions will go through while one with tons of deeds will falter - because its was not done to please God but to ones own ego or for showing up to people)
Wrote another piece , how monotheism can leave this world in a better place ( hope you will get a chance to read)
https://medium.com/illumination/monotheism-the-religion-of-all-prophets-5718c20ad0c1
theologically conservative - may be we can discuss more if you can give some example, but I guess I would make two points here;
one if you look at Muslims majority country to be a role model of Islam they are way off ( there is lot of history and context on it) that is why if you know Moses and story of Jewish community are mentioned in lot detail in Quran ( because God wanted to teach Muslims not become like them, i.e leave religion and do as they desire) but Muslims have done a very bad job in holding on their part of their bargain ( and hence they are not honored and respected) ( I have put some of my thoughts here on this subject: https://medium.com/@mfakhar2000/nature-of-god-and-concept-of-chosen-people-and-their-punishment-65abe3f9078a)
Second entering Islam is saying two sentence , God is one ( all powerful all knowing ) and Prophet Muhammad PBUH is his messenger ( https://www.islamic-relief.org.uk/resources/knowledge-base/five-pillars-of-islam/shahada/)
With consciousness and believe
So if one realizes Quran is the truth and from God, which it send through its Prophet Muhammad PBUH (also Muslims believe all Prophet of God are equal and Quran ask not to distinguish between them) than one should say Shahada and become Muslim; than continue to argue with God , on different aspects and how the society one wants to see in the world will look like ( based on the interpretation of text) . there are few things which are obligated in the religion ( dos and dont) while numerous practices are open to interpretation and Scholars have long debates on it.
Than again at the end of the days we will be judged on our actions and intentions, so if one arrive at a different conclusion based on Quran ( and intellect and research) and other arrive at other; Than God is still the judge and can decide who is right ( and did it sincerely and both could be rewarded equally) as we are not judged based on result ( or changes we are able to brought; as its God will to do as it wish) and it remove a burden from us ( for our good intention turning into bad results)