A small thanks to the resident Theists..

[Heir Apparent]

In my perception of the average believer is pretty much what you've hit upon. Most just take the good messages and cut out the bits where god goes homicidal or decrees that unruly children die.

I have a problem when you try to tell me that two men or two women who love each other can't get married because you have a bronze age definition of marriage that you refuse to let go of. Or if you insist that you must teach kids that evolution is false because you refuse to look at the evidence for it.

Like you said, I would bet most believers aren't well-read in their supposed "holy" book and have not taken the time to examine the negative points of it. Or inconsistencies, of which there are many.

And of course there are the FSTDT regulars who know full well what they believe in and try to impose it on the masses for whatever reason. My favorites are the Rapture Ready loons. Saw one on FSTDT the other day that said they were glad the planet is disposable. I guess that's a perfect example of not being well-read in their bible because god clearly says to be "shepherds to the Earth" or something along those lines.

They probably just interpret that differently, of course.

Done sidetracking now