...and in the human condition, we have a gradation from those who would take most of the metaphors literally clicka click2 to those who 'interpret' the metaphors while still believing in the basis, to those who simply shrug and assume it's all complex poetry.

The point is, 'belief' is the operative word, and if YOUR personality is wired for these things, then you will accept some aspect of them.....but none of these things are true (or NOT true) by virtue of majority rule or by the beauty and complexity of the story/metaphor.

With so many competing versions of 'truth' being waved about, I can see NO course for me other than just waiting and seeing...(and Pascal's Wager is silly!)