The problem with interpreting religious writings in a literal and logical fashion is this: they were never intended to be interpreted that way. Do you interpret poetry in a literal fashion? Not usually, but sometimes. It's the same with religious writings which are very akin to poetry. Religious writings are full of allegory, symbolism on many different levels, and parables.

If you insist on interpreting their every word and line through the literal, logical mind you will encounter contradictions, non-sequitors, and arrive at totally pointless and silly conclusions...or else just swallow it all and become a doctrinal fanatic.

This does not in any way invalidate religious writings...it invalidates an earthbound, unimaginative approach to interpreting religious writings.

Dear Jay...is God infinite? If so, then God does not begin in one place and end in another. If so, then God is not only outside you but also inside you (and inside everyone and everything else). If so, God is not only One but is also many, and can be seen as a singularity (of All That Is), a duality (of apparent opposites, such as light and darkness, positive and negative, male and female, etc), a trinity (of body, mind, & spirit...or Father, Mother, and Child...or whatever else you like), a 4-part Divinity, a 5-part Divinity, or a 25 million-part Divinity, or an 85-trillion part Divinity revealed in every single thing that IS or ever shall be.

Stop just thinking literally, stop counting how many angels there are on the head of a pin (I'm speaking allegorically when I say that)...and THINK! And you will then find that All the great religious traditions are different ways of expressing the Truth about God (or about Life)...each in a unique and beautiful way...and you don't NEED to take one of those traditions and claim its the Only right one...because it's not. There is no Only right tradition. They are all valid ways of seeing the Truth.

And if you believe that, you will seek brotherhood and human unity, rather than perpetuating misunderstanding, fear, and division.

- LH