what percentage of adherents of abrahamic religions believe in, for example, the garden of eden story literally?
https://news.gallup.com/poll/394262/fewer-bible-literal-word-god.aspxpolls show that fewer and fewer people take the bible literally, yet they continue identifying as religious. what is the strategic, operational, or tactical utility in embracing ideas if they are only allegorically true?
it is apparent that some stories in these books have at least a little historical veracity. for example some of the kings in the old testament exist in the archeological record. they have coins and so on. but regarding the supernatural elements… why? What is the point in believing in that if it is only an allegory? What does it mean to believe in something allegorically? If you choose to derive a more abstract message from it, what is that abstract message, and why not just say that? Why cloak it in allegory and leave room for confusion?