"The old pantheistic belief systems had much more interesting ways of dealing with these sorts of questions and scenarios."
Interesting ways will be interesting, but the concept of having things 'figured out' is still just a concept and just a feeling.
As for your scenario about accepting Christ and the examples of the rapist priest…
Anyone can simply say that they accept Jesus Christ as their Lord and Savior. Doesn't mean they actually do. God will judge us by what is in our hearts and that is the true reason to fear God. Only he knows our hearts. If that thought alone doesn't drive one to live by God's command, then…
These conversations are near impossible to engage in because faith in God is irrational by nature and by virtue of what it is.