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>How else is one supposed to take the Bible? It's not >really worth much if you can just pick and choose what >parts you will accept for yourself.

The problem is that the Bible is full of contradictions, so the question is which part to choose to accept? The example of the "selling your daughter into slavery" and "not associate with a woman menstruating", etc... So if you take every law written, then you are not going to make it very far in this society. I personally follow my heart and let myself be guided by Jesus. I screw up, but still, I cannot reasonably accept every word written and commanded in the Bible.

Christians since the 1st Century on have not found contradictions in the Bible. Different laws applying now than those to ancient pre-Christian Israel yes, but its a canard to say you can't really know Christian morality due to strange Old Testament ceremonial laws no Christian has ever known to apply. Since St. Peter was commanded by God to give up Kosher law, therby accepting gentiles into fellowship, dealing with obscure Old Testament picadilos is not a problem---unless one is not looking for truth, but rather a reason to avoid it. Moral laws mentioned in BOTH Old and New Testament--as the sexual laws are--are known to apply. Not an obscure or cloudy method of interpretation. The condemnation of homosexual behavior (note, not simple "orientation") in both Old and New Testaments is one of those clarities folks today especially, try to obscure and avoid.

The Bible is not a simple childrens' book...but neither is it "full of contradictions" to those who actually take the time to know it well--and love its Savior.