is all fine and good and can even be fascinating but it can not supersede reality.

I have never witnessed anyone rising from the dead, or walking on water, or any of the miracles as so describe in the Bible or in any religious text for that matter. Thus for me the literal interpretation of the Bible falls apart quickly.

I have always believed that the Bible is a mix of history, myth, and allegory and in order to properly understand it, one must study the culture and languages of the time.