>>822394>What independent criteria determine when a religious text should be interpreted literally, metaphorically, historically, symbolically, or allegorically, and are those criteria applied consistently even when the result is unfavorable to the believer's preferred conclusion?There is no independent criteria. The only criteria is the needs of the religious institutions at any given moment. And religoids either don't know what those words mean, or they are part of the priesthood and they know that religion is social engineering.
>>822409>most of the bible is misinterpreted by christians there is no static correct interpretation. Correct interpretation changes with the times based on the needs of the religion.
>>822406>i mean if we had perfect knowledgeno such thing
>of the circumstances in which the texts were writtenthe old testament was written in the iron age by a city dwelling priesthood, well after the legendary exodus would have taken place. it was not written by "bronze age goat herders" like the 00s neckbeard atheists insisted. the new testament was written in late antiquity by greek speaking judeo-roman aristocrats with an interest in spreading a pacifistic 5th jewish philosophy that would be more compatible with the needs of the roman client state in judea than the esoteric essenes, the militant zealots, the fussy pharisees, since the sadducees were the most compatible with roman imperial rule, christianity probably had its origins as an result of that group's cooperation with romans.
>we could probably answer that question. it's not necessarily true that if parts of the story are symbolic none of it can be treated litetally, plenty of other kinds of text especially artistic ones freely mix figurative and literal writingnone of it is particularly figurative or literal. what is considered figurative and literal changes with the particular conversation and what the needs of the religious institution are. this flexibility is a feature, not a bug. things are alle
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