Hi Justin
Nate here, despite the silly moniker.
From your post I conclude that, unless we have an gee-willickers actual inspired 'holy book' to go by, we're out in the cold without a metaphysical leg to stand on. Reading is fundamental, but isn't that a bit extreme? How did our primitive (and non-Christian) forbears (growl) experience the divine without Deities For Dummies (First edition)?
Your conclusion is based on a cartload of epistemological (burp, I just ate toikey!) and ontological assumptions and presuppositions and suppositories.
All of that book-larnin stuff aside, if there's a 'God' of any sort, even an impersonal Ground of Being, I rather think It's there whether It has authored a book or not.
Our ancient ancestors (The ones in the filthy clothes with nonexistent oral hygiene) were quite convinced they experienced the divine, and they did so without books for a far longer period than books have existed. I will also repeat that the sacred writings of the world were written on two levels; the gross, coarse, obvious "literal" level for the spiritually dead and intellectually challenged, and the symbolic, which I LOOSELY refer to as 'allegorical.' "Mythological' is much more accurate a term than either, but I have found that I may as well be speaking medieval Russian backwards when I mention Myth to former Bible-believers. Or to most modern folks at all.
Beyond the literal level of a Myth, which even a small girl or boy can understand and enjoy, lies the deeper, profound, meaning of the Myth. Ancient Myths were not just stories; the characters, animals, places, events, all symbolized a spiritual process that would take place in the deepest recesses of the consciousness of an Initiate if they were fortunate enough to be invited in to be initiated. Most people weren't invited for the same reasons modern day people wouldn't be invited. They simply didn't 'get' Myth, and could only think in literalistic terms. If the Flying Spaghetti Monster isn't literaly true, and it doesn't really pull Golden Meat Balls out of it's derrierre, then it simply has nothing truthful to say. That is how most folks mnds work.
Mine works that way too. Extremely. I dumped all religion when I discoverd that Buddha, Lao Tzu (Now spelled Laozi, lousy), and (*sob*) even KRISHNA are Myths. Then, I found the late Dr. Joseph Campbell (before he became late) and, being an artsy-fartsy sort, I was soon able to resonate with Myth quite handily.
YOU CAN TOO with the NEW AND IMPROVED Myth-O-Matic from POPEIL !
Myths encode spiritual Truths, and actually work very well at releasing the inner experiences the Myths encode. I am now a Christian once more, in that I practice my spirituality in the context of the Christian Mythos. No, I do not have proof my inner experiences are objective reality, but I never did, even when I was a fundamentalist.
If you wish to pursue this further, I'm sure your local library carries The Power of Myth in either DVD, VHS, or book form. Check out the VHS or DVD, it's much more fun than the book. Easier too, and more visceral in its effects.
Nate
"I'm just here for the halibut"