the Jasmine story always looked like a direct jab at organized religion, and the S5 corporation-bashing was more of a personal vendetta of Joss' toward the studios he'd worked with

Yes, maybe. It's funny how perceptions vary depending on the background. I grew up in a socialist society that eventually collapsed. People who fought against the authorities, got a chance to become the authorities. Some of them got killed, some got transformed by the system. I know some of these people personally. It was funny to watch them change. Maybe because of that experience I was sure that Angel has lost his battle the moment he signed the contract and became the head of W&H. I knew that in RL he'd lose himself. And season 5, for me, was about the dead-end corporate society faces now.
But, I repeat, my perception is colored by my personal experience.