I appreciate and value the stories in the bible because I've learned to look for the non literal meanings hidden within them. I think the problem I have is that "church" is a large room filled with people who take it literally and are convinced it's the only correct approach. Don't get me wrong, it's not that they're jealous or offended or something. I've literally seen it melt people's brains, they can't process it so they just lash out in some way. It just makes it difficult to be around people like that.