Hello John K you are right about the density of information out there which has attempts to lead many away from truth.
Primarly, I would begin with a prayer for you. We ask the Creator of the heavens and earth to show you the truth of Islam and help you follow it and to protect you from Shaytan and is doubts and the misguidance of the enemies of Islam. Ameen!
I would advice you to look carefully at the primary texts of the faith and then come to a conclusion based for yourself not from secondary sources or sources written by those who may hate or have other dubious motives against Islam.
Here is a copy of the Quran. I would tell you to do a search of the topics such as Jesus, or Moses or righteousness or belief and look up those particular verses.
QURAN :
Quran Translated to Modern English. Clear, Pure, Easy to Understand.
www.clearquran.com
The Message of God is consistent and is the same message to all the Prophets. Worship One God and do not worship other dieties along with him. False worship consists of worshiping idols, his Prophets/Priests/Rabbis even sophisticated worship like the thoughts and laws of enlightened men and acting upon those things that they prohibit or legislate as lawful or unlawful.
Say, He is the One God. God is the eternally depended upon while He is self-dependent. He does not beget nor is He begotten. And nothing in existence is similar to Him. (Al-Ikhlas 112:1-4)
God- There is no deity except Him, The Ever-Living Sustainer of all existence. Neither does he tire nor does He sleep. Everything in the Heavens and the Earth belongs to Him. Who can intercede except by His permission? He knows what is presently before them and He knows what will come after them. They (all intelligent life forms) don’t encompass one bit of His knowledge except for what He wills.
“In the Name of the One God, The Source of Mercy to all, the especially Merciful (to his servants)”. (Al-Fatihah 1:1)
He also says
“My mercy encompasses everything”. (Al-A`raf 7:156)
Ignorance is not bliss we are swiftly on a trajectory towards death and the test will be over. As they say in courts, "ignorance of the law is no excuse."
Keep this in mind:
(Verily, in the remembrance of Allah do hearts find rest.)
(Qur'an 13: 28)
Every organ of the body has a source of satisfaction, the eyes can find pleasure in seeing something beautiful, the ears in hearing something beautiful and the heart finds satisfaction in the remembrance of its Creator.
Analogy:
"If the body is the house of the spirit, then the universe is its city. The heart likes both that house and that city. It knows that both are Allah’s domains. By believing that His Divine attributes encompass all things, it lives comfortably both in the body and in the universe. And it leaves the body and the universe with peace. It knows very well that neither of them is its domain. Thus, it leaves both of them and seeks refuge in their actual owner. It asks all its desires from Him. It does not get jarred by any event; it does not get afraid of anything. It knows very well that absolute power and will belong to Allah only. Without His permission, neither an ant can take a step and winds can blow, nor blood can circulate and the sun can shine.
As you see, the heart can find rest by that belief and knowledge.
Neither the color, nor beauty, nor smell, nor taste of a fruit we eat reaches the heart. And the heart does not find rest in any of them. However, if man is filled with admiration for that color and feels grateful for those bounties, gets fond of that taste, then, those meanings take place in the heart. If that admiration results in thankfulness, then, it means the heart has begun to take its sustenance.
The heart gets its sustenance from the essence of the universe and is interested in its meaning. Its work is not related to that universe but to the Divine names which are manifested on them. When the eye looks at an apple, the heart sees the names of Allah being manifested on them and finds rest only in such a gaze. "
Alaaddin Başar (Prof.Dr.)
Here is a good website:
Your way to a better understanding of the true message of Prophet Jesus
www.islamforchristians.com