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Thanks... I look to Christ as the model for teaching. It's not about the facts! Christ taught by example and metaphors - stories. In fact, that is a very Jewish way of teaching, which makes GREAT SENSE considering His upbringing, His culture, His country, and His audience!

To assume that the teachings of Christ by example and metaphor is God-inspired, but that all other teaching of the Bible as recorded by generations of Jews are NOT examples and metaphors is a very tenuous construct, and does not flow logically (and the Jews are great lovers of logic).

Too often we worry about the words themselves, and ignore the meanings behind them. It would be a shame to read Ayn Rand's classic Atlas Shrugged as only a collection of words and an interesting story without considering the strong political, economic, and philosophical threads (so relevant to today) underlying the yarn.

Likewise the Bible. To read the Bible as a literal history or textbook is ignoring 99% of it. Does it make David's slaying of Goliath any less important if Goliath was 9 feet tall or 10 feet tall? No, the actual fact of Goliath's size is immaterial, or even if David used a sling or a bow and arrow! What matters is that David - a simple shepherd - killed a hardened, trained soldier in one-on-one combat when all other Israelites were afraid.

It was not the size of Goliath or the weapons used that mattered - it was that God's chosen man won against insurmountable odds BECAUSE he was God's chosen man!

Anyway, I've had lots of time talking with YEC and what I call jihadi Christians, those who put the literal words in the Bible on a pedestal as if the words themselves are inerrant. It borders on idolatry, if not being so outright.

What's amazing is that most of these jihadi Christians bash the Catholic Church for "worshiping Mary" with their veneration of Mary. When in fact it is NOT the personage of Mary that matters but her example of obedience and submission to God. Again, they cannot look past the literal and understand that it is metaphor and reflective (I get it, and I'm not even a Catholic!).

It's the truth of the metaphor and meaning behind that is lost for examination of only the written words.

Thank you so much for sharing your insights and concerns, dear PugetSoundSoldier!

Of a Truth, the words of God are spirit and life. The words of men are neither spirit nor life.

It is the spirit that quickeneth; the flesh profiteth nothing: the words that I speak unto you, [they] are spirit, and [they] are life. – John 6:63

The words of God are inerrant. But they cannot be approached like a textbook; they can only be discerned spiritually.

But the natural man receiveth not the things of the Spirit of God: for they are foolishness unto him: neither can he know [them], because they are spiritually discerned. - I Corinthians 2:13

My sheep hear my voice, and I know them, and they follow me: - John 10:27

Why do ye not understand my speech? [even] because ye cannot hear my word. – John 8:43

Jesus answered and said unto them, Ye do err, not knowing the scriptures, nor the power of God. – Matthew 22:29

To God be the glory, not man, never man.