But, a bronze-age shepherd is the lowest-common denominator (no offense to bronze-age shepherds).
Why is that necessarily so?
More people thru history have found the testimony that demons create disease rather than germs? Should I back away from germ theory?
The Bible doesn't speak to germ theory, however.
You believe that God intervened in your brain directly? Really? What about all those Holy Ghost filled fellow Christians that disagree with on various and assundry points? Is God telling us all somethign different?
That's what the Word is to me. Of course, it also requires "Spirit" to be read, as I noted below to Assyrian regarding the passages from Corinthians. I can only infer that the intervention happened, since at least some of the Word has been received.
I would suggest that you process reality which you extrapolate to the faithfullness of God. We all do. It cannot be otherwise. This is not to say God isn't faithful; it's is just that we all process reality through the filters of our brains.
If I were God, I would deal with that problem with a Bible like the one we have. Of course, Iam more filter than I am God.
I've stated my position above more fully, but let me address one point here -- owning a telescope.
Life is too short to replicate all sciences experiments. But if God should grant me 1000 years, I could understand relativity. I could understand germ-theory. I could understand the math-models for gravity. I could understand why scientists think the sun is made of hydrogen, generating heat thru fusion. I could improve the internal combustion engine.
The point isn't that we all need to replicate everything, but that we could.
If one were to take your position, as noted at the very end of the post, then, you would verify by the methods you suggest or with other trusted sources. My essential point is that the deception argument is difficult, since what creation says to many people varies greatly.
See ... you hold the Bible above creation. My position is that the Bible speaks to relationship; Creation itself speaks to physical reality. One cannot replace the other. One is not above the other. They are different and have different purposes.
A familiar cleavage. We recognize it, nod our mutual acknowledgment and pass on, trusting the Lord.