Every piece of literature including the Bible should be interpreted in the context of the time and language in which it was originally written, not through the lens of contemporary values and vernacular. While certain truths remain eternal, the actual words human authors use to express those eternal truths do not.

The mistake that biblical literalists make is they assign authorship to God, as though He dictated every word to his “secretaries.” And, even if that were true, which is a fanciful notion in and of itself, they disregard the numerous translations ordered by powerful figures who clearly had their own agendas, and/or understandings (misunderstandings?) of the scriptures’ original intent.

The idea that Heaven and Hell are real places where humans are destined to spend their eternal afterlives seems childish. I’ve been to both Heaven and hell in this lifetime. My heart is still beating and I remain uncertain what will happen when it ceases. Meanwhile, I’ve got enough on my plate trying to live a moral and meaningful life in the brief time I have left.