# Why Do Atheists Interpret the Bible Hyper-Literally **URL:** \ **Category:** Great Debates\ **Created:** [September 24, 2010, 2:57am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-do-atheists-interpret-the-bible-hyper-literally/554842 "2010-09-24T02:57:32Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 20\ **Page:** 15
**Author:** ![Malthus](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/85f322/32.png) [@Malthus](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Malthus)\ **Post date:** [October 8, 2010, 1:49pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-do-atheists-interpret-the-bible-hyper-literally/554842/281 "2010-10-08T13:49:45Z")
> [@Princhester](#): > > Horse hockey. Religious scholars are to religion as \*cinema verite \*auteurs are to hollywood blockbuster fans: tiny, ignored and largely irrelevant. Huh? The entire machinery of the Catholic Church - all of which is based, ultimately, on the opinions of centuries of religious scholars - is “tiny, ignored and largely irrelevant” to observant Catholics? The entire Talmudic tradition - based, once again, on centuries of Rabbinical scholarly tradition - is “tiny, ignored and largely irrelevant” to observant Jews? You simply don’t know what you are talking about. > [@](#): > > It’s not. It is a direct attack on literalists but few non-literalists tend to fully grok the implications of biblical contradictions and the insertion of fallible witnesses, just as you didn’t till I pointed out the implications in post #191. You didn’t rebut that post, but you seem now to be ignoring its implications. Bull. Make these arguments, and anyone who has studied their respective religious traditions will just roll their eyes. It is a _commonplace_ of biblical studies that, say, the four gospels all tell slightly different and partly contradictory stories - not the great and amazing revelation you appear to believe. > [@](#): > > They do, essentially. They don’t, essentially. Most people in this thread, on _your_ side of the argument, are perfectly willing to admit that. Some go so far as to say that the OP in accusing athiests of using the argument is raising a straw-man - since few actual athiests would use such an obviously flawed technique. Look, I no more believe in the literal existence of gods than you, but this is just a damnfool way of attacking religion, only possibly applicable in those odd bits of the world where some highly ignorant folks literally believe in the absolute truth of every word of the Bible - and a silly argument even then, useful only because literally believing every word of the Bible is even sillier. ---
**Author:** ![shy\_guy](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/a6a055/32.png) [@shy\_guy](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/shy_guy)\ **Post date:** [October 8, 2010, 2:59pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-do-atheists-interpret-the-bible-hyper-literally/554842/282 "2010-10-08T14:59:05Z")
> [@Malthus](#): > > Look, I no more believe in the literal existence of gods than you, but this is just a damnfool way of attacking religion, only possibly applicable in those odd bits of the world where some highly ignorant folks literally believe in the absolute truth of every word of the Bible - and a silly argument even then, useful only because literally believing every word of the Bible is even sillier. Those “odd bits of the world” include the United States, where literal interpretations of the Bible _form laws and policy_. People who form these arguments are not tilting at windmills. Remember, we _just_ got done having a President who claimed that his views on foreign policy were _literally_ informed by psychic communication with a supernatural being, and most of the country saw this as normal. ---
**Author:** ![Diogenes\_the\_Cynic](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/e99b99/32.png) [@Diogenes\_the\_Cynic](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Diogenes_the_Cynic)\ **Post date:** [October 8, 2010, 4:00pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-do-atheists-interpret-the-bible-hyper-literally/554842/283 "2010-10-08T16:00:53Z")
We also just had a candidate for a major office (and one who is currently still being touted as a realistic candidate for President in 2012) who believes in the Rapture, is afraid of witches and thinks that people and dinosaurs lived at the same time. ---
**Author:** ![Truman\_Burbank](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/ecc23a/32.png) [@Truman\_Burbank](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Truman_Burbank)\ **Post date:** [October 8, 2010, 4:51pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-do-atheists-interpret-the-bible-hyper-literally/554842/284 "2010-10-08T16:51:14Z")
I’ve only had time to skim the last 3 pages, after reading the first three, and Curtis doesn’t seem to have come back. So, for Curtis when he returns, or anyone else that is generally ‘taking his side’, would anyone like to present a 'Champion", that is, the person whom you think has the interpretation you agree with and would defend literally, eg ‘they correctly separate the wheat from the chaff regarding allegory/folklore/that which is literal’? ---
**Author:** ![begbert2](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/begbert2/32/3357_2.png) [@begbert2](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/begbert2)\ **Post date:** [October 8, 2010, 5:28pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-do-atheists-interpret-the-bible-hyper-literally/554842/285 "2010-10-08T17:28:49Z")
> [@Truman\_Burbank](#): > > I’ve only had time to skim the last 3 pages, after reading the first three, and Curtis doesn’t seem to have come back. So, for Curtis when he returns, or anyone else that is generally ‘taking his side’, would anyone like to present a 'Champion", that is, the person whom you think has the interpretation you agree with and would defend literally, eg ‘they correctly separate the wheat from the chaff regarding allegory/folklore/that which is literal’? I ain’t **Curtis** , but I kind of suspect his most honest answer would be “ **Curtis** ”. Mainly because most theists I’ve met seem to be very confident in their own chaff-separation abilities. ---
**Author:** ![Truman\_Burbank](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/ecc23a/32.png) [@Truman\_Burbank](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Truman_Burbank)\ **Post date:** [October 8, 2010, 6:45pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-do-atheists-interpret-the-bible-hyper-literally/554842/286 "2010-10-08T18:45:13Z")
Well, that is, of course, the suspicion, but if he’s going to start this thread it seems he ought to be ready and able to educate us as to which interpretation we should be attacking… Curtis? Curtis? ---
**Author:** ![Skald\_the\_Rhymer](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/ecccb3/32.png) [@Skald\_the\_Rhymer](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Skald_the_Rhymer)\ **Post date:** [October 8, 2010, 7:04pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-do-atheists-interpret-the-bible-hyper-literally/554842/287 "2010-10-08T19:04:21Z")
> [@Truman\_Burbank](#): > > Well, that is, of course, the suspicion, but if he’s going to start this thread it seems he ought to be ready and able to educate us as to which interpretation we should be attacking… > Curtis? > Curtis? You’ll need a bullhorn. ---
**Author:** ![J\_Cubed](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/j/c6cbf5/32.png) [@J\_Cubed](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/J_Cubed)\ **Post date:** [October 8, 2010, 7:20pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-do-atheists-interpret-the-bible-hyper-literally/554842/288 "2010-10-08T19:20:44Z")
> [@Guinastasia](#): > > > [@Latro](#): > > > > [QUOTE=Guinastasia] > > > > I believe in A god, however, not necessarily the Bible. Whether that’s considered “spiritual” or “religious”, I don’t know. I didn’t come up with it, or invent it, it’s just what I believe. The Bible really has no impact on my beliefs. (Other than I do think that Jesus had some pretty good ideas – a lot of what he was saying: “don’t be an asshole.”) > > But you were raised with the idea that there is an all seeing father figure watching you, no? > That’s a feeling not easily gotten rid of. I was raised Catholic, if that’s what you’re asking. Nowadays I’m more of a Unitarian type. (I do have some traces of Catholicism in me – you know, you can take the girl out of the Catholic church kind of thing. 😉 [/QUOTE] So, in other words, the Bible **has** had an impact on your beliefs… ---
**Author:** ![SteveG1](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/bb73d2/32.png) [@SteveG1](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/SteveG1)\ **Post date:** [October 8, 2010, 9:06pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-do-atheists-interpret-the-bible-hyper-literally/554842/289 "2010-10-08T21:06:43Z")
> [@Diogenes\_the\_Cynic](#): > > We also just had a candidate for a major office (and one who is currently still being touted as a realistic candidate for President in 2012) who believes in the Rapture, is afraid of witches and thinks that people and dinosaurs lived at the same time. About that Rapture thing - I am asking this of anyone who cares to answer - just WHERE did that nonsensical garbage come from? ---
**Author:** ![begbert2](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/begbert2/32/3357_2.png) [@begbert2](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/begbert2)\ **Post date:** [October 8, 2010, 9:22pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-do-atheists-interpret-the-bible-hyper-literally/554842/290 "2010-10-08T21:22:39Z")
> [@SteveG1](#): > > > [@Diogenes\_the\_Cynic](#): > > > > We also just had a candidate for a major office (and one who is currently still being touted as a realistic candidate for President in 2012) who believes in the Rapture, is afraid of witches and thinks that people and dinosaurs lived at the same time. > > About that Rapture thing - I am asking this of anyone who cares to answer - just WHERE did that nonsensical garbage come from? There’ve been whole threads about this. Searching may yield useful results. ---
**Author:** ![Boyo\_Jim](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/87869e/32.png) [@Boyo\_Jim](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Boyo_Jim)\ **Post date:** [October 8, 2010, 10:13pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-do-atheists-interpret-the-bible-hyper-literally/554842/291 "2010-10-08T22:13:03Z")
> [@SteveG1](#): > > > [@Diogenes\_the\_Cynic](#): > > > > We also just had a candidate for a major office (and one who is currently still being touted as a realistic candidate for President in 2012) who believes in the Rapture, is afraid of witches and thinks that people and dinosaurs lived at the same time. > > About that Rapture thing - I am asking this of anyone who cares to answer - just WHERE did that nonsensical garbage come from? _Jurassic Park_ – it’s a mis-perception of the term “raptor”. 😛 ---
**Author:** ![SteveG1](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/bb73d2/32.png) [@SteveG1](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/SteveG1)\ **Post date:** [October 9, 2010, 12:24am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-do-atheists-interpret-the-bible-hyper-literally/554842/292 "2010-10-09T00:24:57Z")
> [@begbert2](#): > > > [@SteveG1](#): > > > > About that Rapture thing - I am asking this of anyone who cares to answer - just WHERE did that nonsensical garbage come from? > > There’ve been whole threads about this. Searching may yield useful results. I do remember something about it. Some loony back in the 19th century started a cult of some sort, and “predicted” the date and convinced many equally stupid people of his “prophecy”. The day of doom came and went. SO he drummed up excuses and “predicted” a new date. That was wrong too. > **[Chapter 17: The Rapture Theory - Its Surprising Origin](https://www.askelm.com/essentials/ess025.htm)** > [@](#): > > Pre-Tribulation Rapture Theory is shown to be false. 1 > > The Pre-Tribulation Rapture Theory, however, is a menacing doctrine that perverts the plain language of the text of the New Testament. Some preachers today look on the doctrine as the heart and core of present Christian expectations in regard to prophetic truth for the near future! Many believe this false teaching is the principle hope of the Body of Christ for their redemption and safety during the Great Tribulation. We need to look at this teaching carefully. > The Doctrine of the Rapture > > First understand that the word “Rapture” is not found in the King James translation. There is also no single word used by biblical authors to describe the prophetic factors that comprise the doctrine. > **[ORIGIN OF THE SECRET RAPTURE THEORY](https://www.angelfire.com/mi/Malkaynu/rapture.html)** > [@](#): > > To many it is both amazing and shocking to discover that neither the word rapture nor the doctrine/teaching of a “secret rapture” is to be found in any bible translation. Moreover, it is not even mentioned in any “christian” literature prior to the year 1830. > > Dave MacPherson, author of The Unbelievable Pre-Trib Origin, reveals that the “rapture” teaching born in England during the mid-1800’s. MacPherson’s research found that a Church of Scotland minister, named Edward Irving, was the first to preach the “rapture gospel.” … Belief in the “secret rapture” doctrine has become so widespread among today’s “evangelicals” and “fundamentalists” that many sitting in the pews assume that the teaching dates back to the apostles themselves and the Messiah. Regardless of whom one regards as the originator of the teaching — whether Irving, Darby, Margaret MacDonald, or a Jesuit priest - one thing is obvious; the “secret rapture” theory is of relatively recent origin. Moreover, it has no basis in fact nor was it ever a teaching of the Messiah, Apostles, or the early movement begun by Messiah. So, it’s nonsense, just like I said. ---
**Author:** ![Locrian](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/locrian/32/14146_2.png) [@Locrian](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Locrian)\ **Post date:** [October 9, 2010, 4:04am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-do-atheists-interpret-the-bible-hyper-literally/554842/293 "2010-10-09T04:04:02Z")
This IS a great discussion. Many great posts. I’ll take a stab at the OP. I can’t answer why many atheists interpret the bible hyper-literally-- because we’re individuals (“Yes! We are all individuals!”), but I can explain why I do it. A literal theist will tell me that this book is written by a supreme being and it is a guide book for life. It spells out exactly what the supreme being wants from us. So if it that were true, I’d BETTER be interpreting it hyper literally. 😉 BUT… we read the whole thing (I did) and if we’re paying attention, we see hundreds and hundreds of obvious contradictions, much like the one you brought up about geocentrism, **Curtis.** So now this book for life and how to please a being needs some answers, translations, interpretations. Ask ten priests, you get ten different answers. (???) The more we read and try to interpret, the validity of this book starts to plummet. To counteract this, believing people seem to make their own version of their favorite parts, their savior, their god. Now I hear how much Jesus loves animals from one girl recently. So I ask why Jesus transferred demons into 2,000 pigs and sent them over a cliff in a time of famine? Why kill the pigs? Why not kill the demons? A son of a deity should be able to, no? The reply I get is usually something like, “You can’t question him/his works.” Well, why the hell not? The answer I just got is a make-it-up-as-you-go-along type of answer and all I can qualify the characters of this book are as imaginary friends. When I first read the whole bible in eighth grade, I was astounded at all the murder and suffering this god causes to his creations. Biblical numbers tell us that he killed over 2 million, 83 thousand people IN JUST ONE BOOK. (33 million in “real” numbers) His evil counterpart, Satan, whom god also created it appears only killed ten people entirely in the book of Job under god’s direction over a bet! If there was a choice, I’d trust Satan a lot more. Too bad neither of them exist. Bottom line: If a deity REALLY wrote this, inspired this, directed this, why can’t it be clearer? A decent deity wouldn’t write or inspire a book that requires constant debate over centuries. It would be clear. Period. ---
**Author:** ![Guinastasia](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/guinastasia/32/5751_2.png) [@Guinastasia](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Guinastasia)\ **Post date:** [October 9, 2010, 4:27am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-do-atheists-interpret-the-bible-hyper-literally/554842/294 "2010-10-09T04:27:49Z")
> [@J\_Cubed](#): > > > [@Guinastasia](#): > > > > I was raised Catholic, if that’s what you’re asking. Nowadays I’m more of a Unitarian type. (I do have some traces of Catholicism in me – you know, you can take the girl out of the Catholic church kind of thing. 😉 > > So, in other words, the Bible **has** had an impact on your beliefs… Is this one of those “gotchyas!” :dubious: Depends on what you mean by “impact”. I don’t consider myself a Christian anymore. Now, as far as Jesus goes, I guess you could say I’m “agnostic” on that subject. Was Jesus the son of God? I don’t know. I do believe he had some damned good things to say, which basically boils down to: don’t be an asshole. (Do unto others, let he who is without sin, the parable of the good Samaritan, etc) Like I said, I can’t totally get away from it entirely, having spent nine years in Catholic school, and then having gone to a Catholic college. But in essence, my belief is simply that there is a god, or something. (BTW, does anyone ever watch [“The Naked Archaelogist”](http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/The_Naked_Archaeologist) on History International? It’s a pretty cool show and goes into a lot of the history of the Bible and the roots of certain traditions.) ---
**Author:** ![Diogenes\_the\_Cynic](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/e99b99/32.png) [@Diogenes\_the\_Cynic](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Diogenes_the_Cynic)\ **Post date:** [October 9, 2010, 6:35am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-do-atheists-interpret-the-bible-hyper-literally/554842/295 "2010-10-09T06:35:18Z")
_The Naked Archaeologist_ is complete crap. The host of the show is not an archaeologist, but a Canadian filmmaker (the same one who made the _Jesus Tomb_ documentary). He is extremely inaccurate factually and basically tries to argue for Bible historicity where there isn’t any. He is fundamentally dishonest in what he presents and is not remotely credentialed in archaeology or history. He tries to argue for things like Mosaic authorship for the Torah. He is not anybody you want to look for for reliable information. No offense intended here. He is very intelligent and skilled at what he does. He does not come across as an obvious fraud or crackpot and he knows how to make himself sound plausible. To people who don’t aren’t familar with the material he covers, he can seem persuasive and reasonable, but he is very selective and deceptive in how he does it. Know that what he is presenting is often at complete odds with real scholarship and evidence. ---
**Author:** ![Zoe](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/z/a4c791/32.png) [@Zoe](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Zoe)\ **Post date:** [October 9, 2010, 12:10pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-do-atheists-interpret-the-bible-hyper-literally/554842/296 "2010-10-09T12:10:55Z")
> [@](#): > > Bottom line: If a deity REALLY wrote this, inspired this, directed this, why can’t it be clearer? A decent deity wouldn’t write or inspire a book that requires constant debate over centuries. It would be clear. Period. And you know this how? The book itself doesn’t require constant debate over centuries. Many people choose to debate it for the sheer hell of it. For the most part atheists are “preaching to the choir” when they ridicule the Bible for all of its contradictions. Even in America, fundamentalist Christians are out-numbered by mainstream Christians. And mainstream Christians don’t seem to have that much problem in accepting non-literal interpretations. The funny thing that I’ve seen is that those who do not believe in the literal-meaning of the Bible are targeted by many atheists as “cherry pickers.” I find many of you atheists to be not quite as logical as you wish to appear. You seem to argue the same points over and over. Most atheists that I’ve known are basically no different from most mainstream Christians. Many Christians, for example, are annoyed by “In God We Trust” being on our currency. Many were and remain opposed to school sponsored prayer. We don’t want tax dollars spent on religious displays. Do you think that only atheists and agnostics were responsible for these changes? Religious freedom. We ought to try it sometime. Meanwhile I am horrified by the growing Islamophobia worldwide. ---
**Author:** ![Superfluous\_Parentheses](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/8edcca/32.png) [@Superfluous\_Parentheses](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Superfluous_Parentheses)\ **Post date:** [October 9, 2010, 12:45pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-do-atheists-interpret-the-bible-hyper-literally/554842/297 "2010-10-09T12:45:42Z")
> [@Zoe](#): > > The funny thing that I’ve seen is that those who do not believe in the literal-meaning of the Bible are targeted by many atheists as “cherry pickers.” Well, they are. And good thing too; nobody except maybe for a few insane maniacs takes the whole of bible serious. But the argument doesn’t end with “y’all just cherry pickin’”. The argument is more or less; _given that every Christian follows parts of the bible and completely ignores others, but not every Christian picks the same things, it should be obvious that the bible is not a dependable guide to morality, law, or even belief. So don’t use the bible to argue for in those areas._ ---
**Author:** ![Boyo\_Jim](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/87869e/32.png) [@Boyo\_Jim](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Boyo_Jim)\ **Post date:** [October 9, 2010, 1:07pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-do-atheists-interpret-the-bible-hyper-literally/554842/298 "2010-10-09T13:07:22Z")
> [@Superfluous\_Parentheses](#): > > > [@Zoe](#): > > > > The funny thing that I’ve seen is that those who do not believe in the literal-meaning of the Bible are targeted by many atheists as “cherry pickers.” > > Well, they are. And good thing too; nobody except maybe for a few insane maniacs takes the whole of bible serious… I knew immediately upon reading this that you are not from the US. While I agree with you about the “insane maniacs” description, you are so far off about the “few” as far as the United States in concerned. America has extraordinarily large numbers of insane maniacal biblical literalists – 1/3 of our whole population. I wish they could be dismissed as casually as they are everywhere else. but they can’t be. They are noisy and dangerous. ---
**Author:** ![SteveG1](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/bb73d2/32.png) [@SteveG1](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/SteveG1)\ **Post date:** [October 9, 2010, 1:24pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-do-atheists-interpret-the-bible-hyper-literally/554842/299 "2010-10-09T13:24:08Z")
> [@Boyo\_Jim](#): > > > [@Superfluous\_Parentheses](#): > > > > Well, they are. And good thing too; nobody except maybe for a few insane maniacs takes the whole of bible serious… > > I knew immediately upon reading this that you are not from the US. While I agree with you about the “insane maniacs” description, you are so far off about the “few” as far as the United States in concerned. > > America has extraordinarily large numbers of insane maniacal biblical literalists – 1/3 of our whole population. I wish they could be dismissed as casually as they are everywhere else. but they can’t be. They are noisy and dangerous. If they didn’t demand that the rest of us have to believe and think like they do, if they were not so hell bent on remaking this place into their version of a theocratic “christian nation”, if they didn’t keep trying to rewrite the law according to their own beliefs, people might not be so annoyed at them. They are the ones who are trying to dictate, trying to take control, trying to force everyone to follow their narrow and wrong superstitions and prejudices. They think only their way is right, and all other opinions and religions are wrong. History has plenty of examples, of just how dangerous this is. It isn’t that anyone is denying their freedom, it’s that they want to deny it from anyone who is not exactly like them. Sp they whine and complain that the are being picked on when they are doing the picking. They bitch that “the other guys” won’t shut up, when it’s really them. They scream that the other guy is interpreting wrong and saying things, when really it’s them. So, they are really saying everyone else should shut up, when really it’s them who need to shut up once in a while. ---
**Author:** ![nachtmusick](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/n/ac91a4/32.png) [@nachtmusick](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/nachtmusick)\ **Post date:** [October 9, 2010, 6:15pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-do-atheists-interpret-the-bible-hyper-literally/554842/300 "2010-10-09T18:15:25Z")
> [@SteveG1](#): > > > [@Boyo\_Jim](#): > > > > I knew immediately upon reading this that you are not from the US. While I agree with you about the “insane maniacs” description, you are so far off about the “few” as far as the United States in concerned. > > > > America has extraordinarily large numbers of insane maniacal biblical literalists – 1/3 of our whole population. I wish they could be dismissed as casually as they are everywhere else. but they can’t be. They are noisy and dangerous. > > If they didn’t demand that the rest of us have to believe and think like they do, if they were not so hell bent on remaking this place into their version of a theocratic “christian nation”, if they didn’t keep trying to rewrite the law according to their own beliefs, people might not be so annoyed at them. They are the ones who are trying to dictate, trying to take control, trying to force everyone to follow their narrow and wrong superstitions and prejudices. They think only their way is right, and all other opinions and religions are wrong. History has plenty of examples, of just how dangerous this is. It isn’t that anyone is denying their freedom, it’s that they want to deny it from anyone who is not exactly like them. Sp they whine and complain that the are being picked on when they are doing the picking. They bitch that “the other guys” won’t shut up, when it’s really them. They scream that the other guy is interpreting wrong and saying things, when really it’s them. So, they are really saying everyone else should shut up, when really it’s them who need to shut up once in a while. Words can scarcely describe the inanity, but you have come closer than most. I salute you. [Previous page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-do-atheists-interpret-the-bible-hyper-literally/554842.md?page=14) [Next page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-do-atheists-interpret-the-bible-hyper-literally/554842.md?page=16)