Then how should we interpret it?

The Bible is a book of symbolism, and it isn't meant to be taken literally.

I'd say a great deal of it is. I agree there are a lot of metaphors but there are many things the Bible makes clear are meant to be taken literally. Like the stories of Moses, Jesus, and several others. Even the story of Noah is at least partially literal.

I should have said "mostly". That might have made what I wanted to say clearer. There are those stories that are used as examples for us and to spread the word, and then there are some things that are more abstract.

I look at it this way. The most important thing to take away from the Bible is this: Jesus was the Son of God. He actually did die on the cross to redeem mankind. Only through Him are we accepted into heaven. That's the essence of Christianity. I think it might not matter how literally or metaphorically people interpret the Bible as long as they know those things to be literal and factual.

I agree

Some of it I do believe, but not everything is meant to be reality. Many of the stories were retold and weren't written down until a couple centuries later. And if you've ever played the telephone game or know gossiping then it would make sense how things can be obscured with time and from person to person. So my post was meant to apply solely to Adam & Eve, not the Bible as a whole.

Ah, well, I'm open to the idea that Adam and Eve may have been metaphorical, especially considering my beliefs that the Creation story was metaphorical of evolution.

Yeah, glad we can agree to some level. It irritates me when people take religion to literally.

Exactly. I completely agree with you. Great talking with you

....I believe some of it has merit

Well see, the sad part is.. the majority of Christians think the stories of the Bible are historic facts. The majority on the internet may not, but in real life most do...