I appreciate your response very much. A big problem with writing is that the reader cannot hear the tone of voice or any facial expression….thus way too easy for misunderstandings. While I am “anti-religious” I am not anti-religious people. I was one for decades.

By the way, let me assure you that I have read numerous commentaries and books by evangelicals. Several by Arthur Pink, Josh McDowell, the full 3 volume by J.Sidlow Baxter, Matthew Henry, all of Phil Yancy’s, Unger’s, Young and I promise you many dozens of others. In fact, to my shame, that is all I read for decades. I said to myself, hey, why waste my time reading history or science if I already had the truth?

I agree, there are some verses that are legitimately difficult, but there are far too many to excuse. Rape of young virgins, kidnap and rape of captives, genocides, slavery, a worldwide flood, etc. etc. to pick one verse and claim all is well. While I readily agree and state many times that there are some really good Christians, percentage wise from my observation on both sides, they do not hold a candle to atheists. Many are good because they are good people, not because they are Christians.

The vast number of atheists, at least in the United States were former Christians who left because of its immorality and biblical contradictions. Why is it that 1% of atheists (a survey of 16,000) voted for trump while 80 % of evangelicals did? A pathological liar, an adulterer who bragged about it, a racist, a thief and the Christians loved him and most want to take away basis health care from 20 million fellow human beings. I rest my case.