I take it literally as it says. I am not too interested how others see it and they don't bother me. If they want to claim Christianity, that's not up to me. Two reasons I believe it literally. One is if it disagrees with the evidence, I think that's fine. It forces me into a choice as to what I must believe. It's a culling device. The other reason is, what other verses may be questioned, then. I know not everything is to be taken literally since some is just being descriptive and poetic, but when he flat out gives an account of something, I feel I need to take it at face value. Revising it kind of calls most bible passages into doubt. Did the Red Sea really part? Did Jesus really heal? Did he really die and come back to life 3 days later? They can all be picked apart and revised into something more fitting with what evidence and reason tells us. But if God's word is accurate and true and is our teacher, then I will accept what it says in spite of the evidence. I would rather stand before Him and say I did my best to accept what he said as my truth, regardless of what any other sources said. Others may try other explanations. It's their life.
