" Salvation is not based on intellect or understanding."
At least you're being honest about the deception you have fallen for. So let me get this straight.
"The creator" creates the intellect as presumably a valuable parameter within the human psyche, only to ask the human not to use this valuable tool of discernment when it applies to god. I see. This must mean that "god" is a teaser as well as a tyrant. Oh but wait I used the intellect that was "given to me" to make that connection. Disregard.
Great demonstration of how circular logic gets a foot hold through the virus of the christian belief system. One must suspend logic to believe. This is the operation standard for all cults.