IYou are correct, a whole lot of the things I was taught cannot be found in the Bible, or any other "religious text".
Do you not see a problem with that? If you believe "truths" that are considered "spiritual," but have no support in Scripture, then that is a huge red flag. It doesn't matter who taught it.
Gal 1:8 But even if we or an angel from heaven should preach to you a gospel contrary to the one we preached to you, let him be accursed. (ESV)
The pharisees were the supreme authority on all things God; and they crucified Christ for speaking other than what they were teaching.
They also went far beyond what God told them, by adding much to what he said, which resulted in the Jewish leaders being led astray and leading the rest of the people astray.
I do accept that it is inappropriate to encourage the people to think for themselves in any way.
It depends on what you mean by encouraging "people to think for themselves in any way." If by that you mean people should just be open to anything as being true, even things that contradict the Bible, without weighing them against Scripture, then yes, that is highly inappropriate. Especially if the argument then is to "just follow your heart;" ten times out of ten that will lead to error.
However, if you are implying that believers are to just accept everything they are taught as though it is true, without questioning, that would be false. Believers are to check everything they are taught from Scripture, to make sure it is true:
Act 17:10 The brothers immediately sent Paul and Silas away by night to Berea, and when they arrived they went into the Jewish synagogue.
Act 17:11 Now these Jews were more noble than those in Thessalonica; they received the word with all eagerness, examining the Scriptures daily to see if these things were so. (ESV)
I do accept that it is inappropriate to encourage the people to hold their Faith, especially when they do not understand what is going on.
Again, that would depend on what you mean by "their Faith." If you mean their own personal faith, that they came to through a variety of means, but especially those outside of the Bible, then yes, that would be inappropriate. Everything a professed follower of Christ believes is to be subject to Scripture. If someone does "not understand what is going on" (whatever you mean by that), then they should ask questions of those who are more spiritually mature and have greater understanding.
Your statement, and overall position, seems to imply the notion of subjective truth. Do you believe truth is subjective?
But what does the Bible say?
Gal 1:6 I am astonished that you are so quickly deserting him who called you in the grace of Christ and are turning to a different gospel—
Gal 1:7 not that there is another one, but there are some who trouble you and want to distort the gospel of Christ.
Gal 1:8 But even if we or an angel from heaven should preach to you a gospel contrary to the one we preached to you, let him be accursed. (ESV)
Jud 1:3 Beloved, although I was very eager to write to you about our common salvation, I found it necessary to write appealing to you to contend for the faith that was once for all delivered to the saints. (ESV)
There is one gospel, one system of faith, based on the teachings of Scripture. A Christian cannot simply believe whatever they were told by anyone--whether revered family members, church leaders, or even angels--or by what is taught in traditions. We cannot add to what God has said and expect to have salvation. That is a very dangerous thing to do, which the Bible warns against several times (Deut 4:2; 12:32; Prov 30:5-6; Gal 1:6-7; Rev 22:18).
2Ti 3:16 All Scripture is breathed out by God and profitable for teaching, for reproof, for correction, and for training in righteousness,
2Ti 3:17 that the man of God may be complete, equipped for every good work. (ESV)
This shows that Scripture is sufficient; it is all we need for salvation.
I do accept that it is inappropriate to point to any direction where safety might be found for the people.
This is just begging the question, since you are beginning with the assumption that any direction you point is, in fact, safe. But since you cannot provide any biblical support for much of what you have stated, it doesn't seem like there is much safety for a believer in those directions.
My local library has 2 different copies of the KJV Bible, one printed in 1978 and the other printed in 1983. While the differences in the text are not "outrageous", there are differences. The funny part for me, the copy from 1983 is closer to the Scriptures I recall from 1970 than the other version.
On Bible.com there are 3,030 versions of the Bible; and followers of each who claim their version is the only supreme authority.
None of what you have stated supports your original claim, which was, 'how much the "Scriptures" have been altered by men.' All this shows is that you don't seem to understand the principles of biblical interpretation, the nature of language, and why we have many versions.
And, where is your support that for each version of the Bible, there are "followers . . . who claim their version is the only supreme authority"? The only ones I know of, for Christian Bibles, are KJV followers. That is why there is a false belief system called KJV Onlyism.
Again, I do apologize. It is not my intent to offend anyone; I do not seek conflict in any way; but I do learn from the different opinions that others do provide. In Heaven, knowledge is the only true treasure; what need would my Father have of pennies.
1Co 13:8 Love never ends. As for prophecies, they will pass away; as for tongues, they will cease; as for knowledge, it will pass away.
1Co 13:9 For we know in part and we prophesy in part,
1Co 13:10 but when the perfect comes, the partial will pass away.
1Co 13:11 When I was a child, I spoke like a child, I thought like a child, I reasoned like a child. When I became a man, I gave up childish ways.
1Co 13:12 For now we see in a mirror dimly, but then face to face. Now I know in part; then I shall know fully, even as I have been fully known.
1Co 13:13 So now faith, hope, and love abide, these three; but the greatest of these is love. (ESV)
Relationship with God is the only true treasure in heaven, or at least the highest one, but we have to first believe in the God of the Bible to even make it there.