If it was not for the "puritan garbage about god torturing people", the churches would be empty and there would be no such thing as Christianity. If people were too "dumb" to understand Christ, then couldn't he have used his godly powers to find a way to clearly communicate his thoughts?

Religion is a gigantic hoax, and nobody knows what happens after death. Everything in Christianity, and Judaism, was stolen from previous religions, both monotheistic and paganistic types. The idea was to enslave people's minds in ignorance, and get them to blindly follow - and, of course, give money to the priests.

The advice given by Jesus is dumb, whether or not you subscribe to a particular religous organization or not. He clearly stated that it was his way or......face the devil.

Matthew 13

40 As therefore the tares are gathered up and burned with fire; so shall it be in the end of the world.
41 The Son of man shall send forth his angels, and they shall gather out of his kingdom all things that cause stumbling, and them that do iniquity,
42 and shall cast them into the furnace of fire: there shall be the weeping and the gnashing of teeth.
43 Then shall the righteous shine forth as the sun in the kingdom of their Father. He that hath ears, let him hear.