How do you interpret the Bible...?

I read the Bible literally.

When we read the history of our nation don't we take it literally?

The Bible is HIS story.

You present a false dichotomy.

"Literally" is the wrong word to describe how Christians should take the Bible..

The Bible consists of many grammatical devices such as metaphors, similes, allegories, parables, lyrics, poetry, prophetic visions etc. (which involve some degree of symbolic application). To interpret these "literally" would be to ignore the intent of the author.

Many Christians now use the term "as written" as in "the Bible should be interpreted as written". This basically means that the Bible should be interpreted in accordance with the obvious grammatical context. If a passage is written as an historical account, then it should be interpreted as an historical account. A parable should be interpreted as a parable etc.

Therefore, The Bible should be interpreted with the goal of determining the original, specific intent of the author.

There is no room for compromising the message. One cannot simply "decide" to not take something literally.

It's not an either/or question. Most of the bible was compiled before genres were rigidly defined. There was no separate bookshelf sections for fiction and non-fiction. It was history, poetry, philosophy, theology, civil and criminal codes, farming tips, and much more all wrapped up together.

Personally, I like to see it not as moral guidelines, especially since so much is seemingly amoral (lot's of first born killing on throughout among other nasties), but see it more as a polemic, a set of literatures designed precisely to make us question, rather than something that provides answers. It's a poetic version of a socratic dialogue. Although it can provide some insight into who we've been, it's mostly good for helping us frame the questions about who we want to become.

Contemplating the paradox between the nasty bits and the good bits, the miraculous, incredulous bits with the realistic bits has inspired great art and literature and intellectual activity for 2000 years. Contemplating paradox usually does. This is why it's an activity so highly recommended by your average zen master on the street.

Of course it contradicts itself. That's half it's charm. Demanding that it be internally consistent is to avoid delving into deeper religious and philosophic nuances.

The biggest contradiction is the stance on human sacrifice. There are frequent complaint from the "prophets" of the falling of the Israelites into the ways of their neighbors, including child sacrifice. [For example Jeremiah 19:4-5], and yet God asks for a sacrifice from Abraham which supposedly presages the sacrifice of his own son. This is a wonderful paradox that can lead to many fruitful hours of contemplation if you aren't afraid to look at the questions it poses.

Is what God declares evil, always evil, even if God says otherwise for a little while, under certain circumstances? Then morality isn't absolute but depends on God's whim. Is what's evil always evil, irrespective of God? Then why is he needed?

You needn't be afraid of asking questions. If your faith is true, questions will only strengthen your faith.

The Roman Emperor Constantine produced the bible and he was a pagan not god!!! He took the Jewish religion and basing it on the Mithras religion, organized it into Christianity and then into the Holly Roman Catholic Church!! Not in Israel or any of the countries of supposed origin but entirely ITALIAN!!

Not one word of it is contemporary with the period and was not written until several hundred years after the period the story is set in!! How did the apostles write their books more than a hundred years after they would have been dead?

What a wonder full disinformation and deception campaign he waged against his Jewish enemies by turning them into his invented Christianity - so good in fact that Christians are still following the deception to this day!!!

Ever read One Flew Over The Cuckoo's Nest?

12. However, since God speaks in Sacred Scripture through men in human fashion, (6) the interpreter of Sacred Scripture, in order to see clearly what God wanted to communicate to us, should carefully investigate what meaning the sacred writers really intended, and what God wanted to manifest by means of their words.

To search out the intention of the sacred writers, attention should be given, among other things, to "literary forms." For truth is set forth and expressed differently in texts which are variously historical, prophetic, poetic, or of other forms of discourse. The interpreter must investigate what meaning the sacred writer intended to express and actually expressed in particular circumstances by using contemporary literary forms in accordance with the situation of his own time and culture. (7) For the correct understanding of what the sacred author wanted to assert, due attention must be paid to the customary and characteristic styles of feeling, speaking and narrating which prevailed at the time of the sacred writer, and to the patterns men normally employed at that period in their everyday dealings with one another. (8)

But, since Holy Scripture must be read and interpreted in the sacred spirit in which it was written, (9) no less serious attention must be given to the content and unity of the whole of Scripture if the meaning of the sacred texts is to be correctly worked out. The living tradition of the whole Church must be taken into account along with the harmony which exists between elements of the faith. It is the task of exegetes to work according to these rules toward a better understanding and explanation of the meaning of Sacred Scripture, so that through preparatory study the judgment of the Church may mature. For all of what has been said about the way of interpreting Scripture is subject finally to the judgment of the Church, which carries out the divine commission and ministry of guarding and interpreting the word of God. (10)

13. In Sacred Scripture, therefore, while the truth and holiness of God always remains intact, the marvelous "condescension" of eternal wisdom is clearly shown, "that we may learn the gentle kindness of God, which words cannot express, and how far He has gone in adapting His language with thoughtful concern for our weak human nature." (11) For the words of God, expressed in human language, have been made like human discourse, just as the word of the eternal Father, when He took to Himself the flesh of human weakness, was in every way made like men.

i interpret it in the way that the Holy Spirit of God teaches me. sometimes a chapter may be in regards of literal and then sometimes we see metaphoric. we need to rightly divide the word of truth.

I interpret it as a work of fiction. Similar to Harry Potter, or Twilight.

i interpret it the same way most right minded people do; as nonsensical bull 5h1t

Reading the Bible promotes atheism. Keep reading.