All scripture is given by inspiration of God, and is profitable for doctrine, for reproof, for correction, for instruction in righteousness (2 Timothy 3:16)
Just because fallen man, apart from the guidance of the Holy Spirit, is incapable of understanding the things of God and the Word of God, does not negate the fact that the Scriptures were written by God and are infallible and absolutely true.
There have been many, many instances through the thousands of years since the Scriptures were completed that they have been twisted, misunderstood in the light of the limitations of the time in which they were read and understood to mean something quite different years later when science and technology made advances, denied in light of the fact that prophecies which have been fulfilled were, in years past, seen as nonsensical and impossible by people living in a time before events occurred that brought those prophecies to pass.
The fact that man cannot fathom the thoughts and words of God without the help of God and the revealing of the Holy Spirit to man of what Scripture means, does not mean that the Bible "is not literally true". God has also said:
18 For the message of the cross is foolishness to those who are perishing, but to us who are being saved it is the power of God. (1 Corinthians 1:18)
You have to know God personally to understand His Word. If somebody claims that the Bible is "not literally true", then they are revealing something about themselves.
Yes, they are revealing that they are celebrating God's great gift to mankind of unique self-awareness, intelligence, curiosity and enlightenment.
Either God has constructed an elaborate logical mirage known as science or - just maybe - somebody was creating tall tales to explain unfathomable earthly concepts 1500 years ago.
I believe the earth is older than 6000 years and revolves around the Sun. That's what God gets for blessing a bum like me with rational thought.
Now, it is a disgraceful and dangerous thing for an infidel to hear a Christian, presumably giving the meaning of Holy Scripture, talking non-sense on these topics; and we should take all means to prevent such an embarrassing situation, in which people show up vast ignorance in a Christian and laugh it to scorn. The shame is not so much that an ignorant individual is derided, but that people outside the household of the faith think our sacred writers held such opinions, and, to the great loss of those for whose salvation we toil, the writers of our Scripture are criticized and rejected as unlearned men.
If they find a Christian mistaken in a field which they themselves know well and hear him maintaining his foolish opinions about our books, how are they going to believe those books in matters concerning the resurrection of the dead, the hope of eternal life, and the kingdom of heaven, when they think their pages are full of falsehoods on facts which they themselves have learnt from experience and the light of reason?
Reckless and incompetent expounders of holy Scripture bring untold trouble and sorrow on their wiser brethren when they are caught in one of their mischievous false opinions and are taken to task by those who are not bound by the authority of our sacred books. For then, to defend their utterly foolish and obviously untrue statements, they will try to call upon Holy Scripture for proof and even recite from memory many passages which they think support their position, although 'they understand neither what they say nor the things about which they make assertion.' - St Augustine of Hippo
There is much truth in what you say. My problem w/ W's statement is that athiests and others will use it to discount the entire Bible.
In my view the Sacred Word of God is written on many levels, ie dimensions. Things that make no sense to us in our normal daily lives are absolutely true in higher plains of understanding.
Just as the work of Einstein would be incomprehensible to the average citizen of ancient Rome, so too the word of God is often above common interpretations even as it instructs and guides us. The miracle of the Sacred Word, indeed what makes it Sacred, is that it works on every level.
It is true in 360 degrees x 360 degrees. Nothing, and I mean absolutely nothing, ever written by men is as true as Scripture. And anyone that disparages it, regardless of intent, is a fool.
Unfortunately, that includes W.
As I said, we understand the literally earth shaking difference between a flat earth with four corners that is proven to be a sphere. Our world did not turn upside down when we adjusted from the notion that the sun literally revolves around the earth (Isaiah 38) to an earth that revolves around both its axis and the sun.
We know that the events at Jericho and in Isaiah 38 happened, but we do not rely on the earth being the center of the universe as those before us did.
Yes, I'm sensing that right now.
Great post.