It took two logical type men, a few years, to convince me to fully question things like that and not just give sunday school biblical responses to others questioning or criticising. I used to get very emotional and reactive when defending my beliefs. Ugh, I even used to tell people they were going to hell since I was also threatened with that concept.
That narrow path to god, which you mention, is what ultimately made me turn away from Christianity and in the belief of any kind of personal god. The idea that I would be accepted just for believing in a man, and possibly billions of others would not, did not sit right with me. Thinking and choosing for myself was the best thing that ever happened to me and if there ever was or is a god then that is what free will is about. Not the free will to love god or not but the free will to experience being human with all the flaws and perfection of emotions, thoughts and choices. We are pretty complex organisms.
I remember exactly where I was and what I felt when I was hit with the profound realization that there was no god. At least not the god I was taught to believe in. I realized I am the creator of my own reality. I cried for days, depressed, and had a mental breakdown of sorts. Then I knew that any choice I made from then on was because I wanted to make it and not due to fear of punishment or desire of a reward for being a good person. I consider myself a good person at heart but my beliefs probably would send me to hell according to Christianity even though I went through the whole born again process.
Since then I have found my own meaning in the words attributed to Jesus and yeah he had a message which I believe has been taken way too literal by some and too metaphorical by others. The Nag Hammadi library was pretty helpful since it contains the
gospel of Thomas.
I do believe in a supernatural existence beyond and along side this one. Not because I read about it but because I have experienced so much more since my belief systems collapsed so many years ago. I no longer care what religion others practice or believe because their experience is different than mine. Everyone has a unique "mission" in life and a myriad of choices to make along the way. If I made the wrong one I will find out in due time but for now this is right for me. If I am wrong then back in the cauldron for me.

It is a chance I am willing to take since I don't feel wrong.