Regarding the question about salvation about those who could not know Jesus.
We have to remember that Judaism and Zoathericism (the two basic monotheistic religions) were only present in a very small area of the world at the time of Jesus. Because of a lack of information exchange between different areas, large segments of the world could NOT have known about Jesus or his coming. Even after Christ, there was NO POSSIBLE way anyone in, say, South America, North America or Japan could know of His message despite their best efforts. Today, tribes in rainforests and remote islands CANNOT, despite their best efforts know the physical teachings of Jesus Christ.
Christians who believe Salvation lies ONLY through Jesus Christ are condmening all of these people to hell. Quite heartless really, not to mention irrational.
Now, there are a few ways we can address this.
The first is semantic. If Jesus Christ = goodness, compassion, God etc.. then knowing the physical Jesus Christ is not as important as knowing the IDEA of Jesus Christ. These semantic differences, I think, are a major source of conflict in metaphysical ponderings.
Secondly, that we have no idea how people are judged to go or not to go to heaven. God may take into account whatever exposures they may have had to his teachings, Jesus' etc...
Thirdly, is that persons who are able to get close to God begin to speak his teachings. All of the prophets and goodly people spreading faith, compassion, and goodness are all doing God's work and a collective message is spread. In this, there is no question that the power of Jesus' teachings stand out. But I think people who are looking can gather God's messages from people around them who are holy, or even themselves. Goodness and happiness lies within all of us, it is just sometimes hard to find and expose it.
A Fourth is that the whole premise of 'salvation' per se is a fallacy and that compassionate deeds and actions bring forth their own reward here on earth. In other words, it is not which teacher one chooses, but the results - how close to God one can get - irregardless of who one follows. Again, Jesus' teachings cannot help but aid in this.
So, I do not know which of these is correct, perhaps a combination. But thats my ideas on it.
I agree with you. I think God could and probably did present himself to different cultures at different times in fashions unique to them and in a way they could relate and understand it. Like I said before, the message is more important than the messenger. I don't think Jesus ever said to worship him. Only worship God. Jesus said he was the son of man. You should really look into the concept of Adam Kadmon. The collective soul or energy of man is the son of God, Adam Kadmon...also Jesus. It seperates Jesus and Christ. Jesus was a man, the Christ within is the God he teaches is within each of us. And, yes, the Aquarian Gospel is somewhat gnostic, but it was written in the 1800s.