Pastor,

In all due respect, it seems that anyone who decides what should be literal and what should not be, is really writing their own Bible subject to their own notions and likes and dislikes. And that is the easy part. What is harder is dealing with the many outright contradictions and immorality such as slavery, rape, and genocide. Surely, a perfect God who loves and really want us to understand His/Her message, could not have possibly done a worse job.