What Kind of God Is a Being from Whom We Need to Be Rescued?

I have a Protestant friend who sees Jesus (God, the Son) as the great rescuer of mankind from God, the Father.  He takes this view from the contrast between the Old and New Testaments.  My question to that perspective is:

"What kind of God is a being from whom we need to be rescued?"

I can't stand that type of depiction of God, the Father. I don't believe that Jesus' mission was to rescue us from his Father's desired punishment, but even too many Mormons have bought into that apostate philosophy. Rather, in my opinion, it was to "make us free" to grow and become and fulfill the measure of our creation. I really love that particular concept - fulfilling the measure of our creation, not escaping God's intent.

To me, the difference is between a focus on "salvation" from death as the ultimate goal vs. exaltation and becoming like God.