>>Did it never occur to you that something like the symbol of a dove descending from heaven could refer to an event in consciousness, rather than a physical event?<<

It was NOT a physical event. No one saw the dove or heard the voice other than Jesus. Read the passage carefully. It is his personal epiphany. I am saying why does he require it when his miraculous birth would have been greatly celebrated and widely known throughout that region. He could hardly have grown not feeling special.

>>Or that legends can be symbolic? That a parable can be metaphorical?<<

Are telling this to me or to a Christian. They're the ones who will fight with you when you say that. According to them, Jesus was real and there wasn't no metaphorical mumbo-jumbo going on. It happened--period.

>>Or is it all just literal for you?<<

No, it is literal for a Christian. If you do not believe in Jesus Christ as a historical person, you can scarcely be considered a Christian these days. Clearly, there was a time when some Christians did believe this way and were still called Christians. Today they are called Gnostics but all they were back then were rival Christian sects.

>>If so, forget it. You cannot be a literalist and come up with anything rational for most ancient spiritual writings.<<

Again, don't tell me, tell the Christians.

>>You can either believe them literally...and become a fanatic fundamentalist...or not...and call yourself an "atheist". Either way, you're missing the boat, in my opinion.<<

That depends. Atheist as materialist or realist misses the boat. Atheist as atheist does not. It cannot because in its pure form atheism is not a position.

>>I do not call myself a "Christian". I call myself a human being.
As a human being, I'm interested in all great changes in human philosopy over the past few centuries. Christianity offers much insight into the development of human philosopy, and for that reason is very much worth studying...and DOES contain much that is of value.<<

It contains no value at all as false, contradictory history. I would place Greek paganism, Sufism as well as Buddhist and Hindu philosophy far, far above it. Interpreted as allegory, Christianity could take its place alongside them. But then they are share the same root, so why not?

>>You don't need to even believe in a "God" to see that.<<

That's what I've been trying to tell people.