OK, let me ask you this. If I disconnect the rubber fuel line before the fuel rail and after taking every precaution, if I crank the engine shouldn't I see fuel coming out of the hose? If I don't see it, wouldn't that mean I have a faulty fuel pump even if I hear the hum from the fuel pump when I turn the key to the ON position? Perplexed!

Yes if you disconnect a pressure or even a return fuel line and crank the engine fuel should be pumping out. Normally simply cycling the key to the ON position turns on the fuel pump. Yep you should hear it humming. If you got no fuel coming out the pump has failed or....you've ran out of fuel...