Taking Religion Literally

The problem with taking what was written hundreds of years ago for religion literally, is that you would have to kill a good many people in order to observe the scriptures fundamentally. Even if you decide to observe some parts religiously (forgive the pun), how do you justify leaving the more horrific fire and brimstone bits out? That's the fundamental (forgive the pun) problem with religion -- people. Instead of reading the scriptures and interpreting them for our times, a lot of very stupid, and inevitably, loud people, decide that what was written many years ago should still apply today. For a humorous take on how things can really go bad fast if things were taken literally, check out this post: Religious Advice and Best Fan Letter.