Arguing about the meaning of the bible is not the same as telling others what to believe.
Intelligent debate is the hallmark of scholarship. Of course each person thinks he's right, regardless of what he's discussing. But as I said, I've met very few Christians who believe they've cornered the market on salvation.
Actually, most Christians DO think they have the market cornered on salvation. They state you HAVE to accept Yeshua as God (they're not the same individual btw) or you won't get into Heaven.
Pretty much leaves out the Jews, the Buddhists, Hindus, etc.
I think the anti-Christians WANT you to believe that is what most Christians believe. I can assure you that most Christians do not preach other people into hell despite what you've been convinced to believe. Some do yes, just as there are members from all those other groups who blast Christianity as a false faith and dismiss it as a false religion.
Nor is the reading level of the Bible at issue. I am also reasonably convinced that most people have never really studied the Bible--it's origins, the people who contributed to it, their language, culture, beliefs, etc.--and would refuse to do so if given an opportunity lest their firm convictions about what the Bible says and means be challenged.
I believe that God is every bit as much with the hypothetical Islanders in the OP as he is with the most devout Christians. The only difference is that the Christians are aware of it. The Islanders not so much.
Actually, saw it growing up. I was orphaned at 8, and went through a whole bunch of foster families, each was intent on saving my soul, but they told me that the beliefs that I'd learned from the last place were wrong and I now had to believe as they did.
During my 20 years in the Navy, I ran into a lot of them that would immediately ask if I was saved by Jesus when we got into a theological discussion and when I told them no, I'm a Taoist, the standard reply over 80 percent of the time was that I had to accept Christ into my heart or I was going to hell.
Same with the holy rollers that come around the neighborhood who want to invite me to their church.