I used to feel the same way, I guess. Then it dawned on me that I was making a decision (or not making a decision) about religion/faith based on the sayings and actions of people. I had not understood that the Good News was the Good News, and it stands alone. I shouldn't be making any judgments about foundational things by using the example of some people as a benchmark as to the validity of that News, or that there was indeed any Good News at all; which is that foundation.
I respect that viewpoint. And I certainly believe that any true faith has to come from within, rather than looking to an external institution.
I guess the broader issue is that the most fundamental story of revelations or salvation in the Judeo Christian tradition is an account put down by
people too. Then re-re-re-re-translated by yet more people. What exactly says the notion of Catholic Papal Infallibility many Christians find offensive is any worse than ascribing it to Matthew, Mark, Luke, or John, or the Council of Nicea?
It seems to me that to argue people are fallible makes perfect sense, but then goes back to say at some point: "Yes, but
those other people had divine inspiration were infallible." at least in regards to what they wrote.
What if Jesus was just a self-taught hippie Rabbi with great teachings, and got the Orthodox Jewish powers peeved enough that they goaded the Romans into killing him? And then the rest of it is embellishment as Christianity worked it's way counter-clockwise around the Mediterranean, perhaps designed to make inroads (Paul/Saul especially) with pagan populations that had heavy worship of Apollo (Risen Sun/Risen Son) Zeus (God, father of Apollo/Sun/Son), and Aphrodite (Mary) etc.?
What if you were born in rural China instead of America, and had never received any exposure to the Bible and Christianity? Would you have found the Truth "smack dab in in front of you" as well?
I'm NOT trying to poke holes in your faith or Christianity, I
despise militant atheists, and those who set up Christianity as a straw man enemy it is not. I am asking just for the sake of discussion, and I'm curious as to why you believe the "foundational things" are truly foundational.
Is it just a "gut feeling", like I have about the existence of a creator, or some higher power when I look at the fundamental laws of the universe and find them too finely balanced for coincidence?