Dave

In your initial post you answered your own question.
You said:
Quote
I've always believed that the New Testament teaches us that Jesus is the way the truth and the life and that no one comes to the father accept through Him. But I've tried to tell people this and they look at me like I'm some kind of weirdo.

Since this is exactly what Scripture teaches (Jn.14:6), it should tell you a lot about those who look at you as though you are a weirdo. Hence why I believe that it is very important that your pastor does some teaching on this topic.
But in the mean time if you get that response again I would just ask them to show you from Scripture where it shows that one can be saved any other way, regardless of whether or not one has heard the Gospel before.

Tom