Let me ask you this; are you religious? There is certainly no shortage of creeds available for you to choose from. Myself, I was raised as a Lutheran. Yes indeed, another branch of Christianity. It was what my parents were raised as, and therefore they naturally exposed me to it. Probably hoping that I would adopt the beliefs and pass them onto my children. We encountered the usual routines in church each Sunday. It was mostly about worshipping, listening to a sermon, and learning bible history. I assume most of Middle America is subjected to the same rituals. Not that it's a bad thing! I actually think it's wise to learn as much as you can about various religions. This way you can decide for yourself whether or not you choose to practice one. It pays to investigate on your own.
Any religious official will rant off bible history like it's fact. The word parable doesn't mean much to them. As far as they know, all things told in the bible really happened as written. Hmm, I can't be so accepting when it comes to bible history. Could biblical tales have played out just as they're depicted in the holy book? Sure, I suppose so, but that doesn't mean I believe so. When I read the bible, I feel as though I'm reading life lessons. Stories that were created by man in order to persuade individuals to follow a certain path or live a particular way. Now, I can't help but ponder the world before religion was introduced. There is certainly a contradiction somewhere in there. We know that people lived prior to what the bible depicts. Well, at least if you've studied history to that extent.
When all is said and done, I can't help but come to the conclusion that bible history is not all it's made out to be. In fact, I believe people invented many religions simply to deal with the hardships of life. All of us want to believe/know that there's someone watching out for us and that there is a better and greater place we go after this physical realm. Religions help us focus on this notion and believe more. On the other hand, religion tends to cause plenty of death and destruction as well. There is certainly a balance that must be found when it comes to spiritual beliefs and dedication.
