The bible... why take it seriously?

[Michael]

In short, the bible was never something separate from the community that wrote and read it.

Agreed. And that is why it's so dangerous - It's subjective. Tomorrow the 'community' can decide that witch trials are once again a good thing. Just look at what churches are trying to do to gays. I bet there are still plenty of congregations that would readily go out on fag burning crusades. The whole thing is Human inspired whim that never fails to patronize its own preferences.

It's interesting that you mention subjectivity, because for Kierkegaard the existential crisis that promoted his 'leap to faith' occurred when he realised subjectivity is ultimately all we have (everything I know, even reading a scientific gauge, comes to me subjectively); we can never strip out subjectivity. The risk we accept then is grounded on the understanding that we need to embrace subjectivity. The alternative is to stare into nihilism. It seems that Nietzsche and Kierkegaard seemed to reach a common point; but then they each went different ways. I'm with Kierkegaard (natch) whereas others may be with Nietzsche.