(October 19, 2018 at 1:39 am)Whateverist Wrote:(October 18, 2018 at 3:52 pm)Bahana Wrote: I agree. I can still appreciate the literary value of some parts of the Bible as an atheist. I would go as far as to say that you trample on the original author's intent by trying to find a way to harmonize different books of the Bible together that have been written centuries apart. Fundamentalists, and inerrantists, invite scrutiny to the Bible by saying all these legendary tales literally happened. I was taught that Adam and Eve, The Tower of Babel and Noah's flood were all true events at my Christian elementary school.
It probably doesn't work to apply a modern author/work of fiction idea to these ancient stories which probably evolved from an oral tradition. But regardless, we are still in danger of missing the point of the story by virtue that attempt to impose an order to stories which have different lineages.
For example, the Serpent isn't identified anywhere in Genesis as Satan. That connection came MUCH later. That's an example of what I was referring to about harmonizing the books together that fundamentalists often do.
