I'm not embarrassed to say that I only knew what "exoteric" meant because it was Dictionary.com's word-of-the-day.

Clarendon Code. You have no idea what you're talking about, and you need to read up.

Where, exactly, was there an "accepted" diversity of religious practice in Europe? Like, say, any time before the Confederation of the Rhine?

You sound quite informed on Jewish history, and as I cannot claim to have studied it in depth I must submit that you're more likely to be correct than I. Apologies for being simplistic about Yahweh, I had no clue you were so well informed on theology! I erred on the side of caution.

Now, if you'll just take a prostrate position for your beheading, we'll have this all wrapped up in a short bit. ;P

The whole point of moving to America back then for most folks was to get away from religious persecution. The idea that no one should die because they have a different faith was ingrained in America from the most enlightened deist to the the most devout puritan.

John 14:11 is perhaps the second-most obvious (though there are countless other examples): "Believe me when I say that I am in the Father and the Father is in me; or at least believe on the evidence of the miracles themselves." In this text, he's using "in" in an existential manner; it refers to coexistence and coequality of essence and substance.

The most-most obvious, however, is John 8:58: "Most assuredly, I say to you, before Abraham was, I AM." This is the crucial one because "Yahweh" is simply ancient Hebrew for "I am." At the time, there were something like four or five extant claims to being the messiah. But the one guy calling himself Yahweh was considered a blasphemer.

Also, remember that the Jewish concept of the moshiach has changed a lot over the last two thousand years. Originally it was supposed to be war leader; like a second coming of David, to throw down the various oppressors and enslavers of the Hebrew people. After the destruction of the temple by the Romans, Judiasm has had a two-thousand-year identity crisis. Many Jews no longer believe in a moshiach. Others think the moshiach will be just an event, or an idea. A mere concept that will somehow change the world. But in the original Hebrew texts (from before 200 CE, so predating talmudic texts like the mishnah), the moshiach was definitely a person.

Correlation does not show causation.

Except.... they did.

Ok, then I suppose I gotta take Germans off the list.

I mean, there isn't even spot on the podium for 4th place, is there?