I think mc's point is that once you start litterally interpreting every single verse in the Bible, you've then got to swallow every one of them.
Genesis cannot be litteral, because it conflicts with itself in the two different creation stories of Gen 1:1 vs Gen 2:4.
Gen 2:4 is a bit more subtle and has been wrongly interpreted as being a summary of the creation in Gen 1:1. But the story beginning at Gen 2:4 contains sequences ("B" had not happened because "A" had not). Therefore it is an independent creation story with sequences, that unfortunatly do not agree with the sequences in Gen 1:1.
And we get into the unexplained things in Genesis, such as why there were "days" before there was a sun, and where the did light come from before the sun, moon, or stars were created? Where did the other people come from? Yes, convoluted explanations can be concocted to explain these discrepancies, but once you demonstrate you're willing to convolute the words in Genesis, then why not allow for Evolution as well?
Bottom line, Genesis is not litteral. The evidence in Gods creation points heavily to Evolution, and I do not believe God lies in His creation. Evolution does not negate any other meaning the Bible, so why fight it?
This creationism fight is damaging for believers, and damaging for religious conservatives, which have much more important things to do. This is why I believe these stories are being written, in a continuing attempt to hang the albatross of creationism around the neck of George Bush and conservative Republicans. We must reject it.
No, you can't jump in; Oh, you already have.
I know what he was saying; I just wanted to know if he knew the context of those verses...he didn't know...and you can pull verses out of a skeptic's book and pretend you have labored long and hard to dig them out yourself.
I am amazed that in one long breath you convolute the creation story (any child can get it)and then accuse others of convoluting.
Are there some things figurative in the Bible? Sure, but every time it disagrees with popular opinion does not mean you can slap a figurative label on it. That is quite convoluted.
The Hebrews had it long before you and they easily understood Gen. 1 and Gen 2 to be obvious compliments of one another.
I have read the 'skeptic' books, they never give the Bible the benefit of a doubt; their doubt.