I don’t really pay much attention to the bible factually because some of its “facts” don’t jibe with science or history. I don’t agree with the morals the bible espouses because it blatantly turns a blind eye to slavery. So can I read the bible symbolically, and agree with it?
I don’t have to go any further than the book of Genesis to test the symbolism of the bible. Yes, I’m going to talk about the story of Cain and Abel, Adam and Eve’s sons. Yes, I believe the symbolism of writing Cane and Able only exists in English but that is the only language I’m fluent in, so I think it’s real. Cane and Able might very well stand for the able and the disabled .
Cane is a farmer type and grows food to survive. Able is a hunter and kills animals to survive. This might also represent the tug of war between vegetarianism and meat eating. This might be fine until Cane offers up a sacrifice of some of his food. Able also gives an offering of some of his food.
God is pleased with Able’s offering and shows it. God is not pleased with Cane’s offering and shows it.
Later, a jealous Cane kills Able because of Able’s in with God.
Couldn’t Cane’s offering be frowned upon because God believes that Cane is fundamentally lesser than Able? Is that how God views the disabled?
Does God view eating animals as pious and vegetarianism as much less than pious? Then why are we made to naturally be omnivores? We want to consume both animals and plants. Indeed if we eat all meat diets, we die. Similarly, vegetarians have to watch their diets to make sure they are getting all the right vitamins and nutrients.
And I won’t believe in an all knowing, all powerful God that makes its people with varying abilities, then snubs one for being less capable.
The Cane and Able story does not jibe with me symbolically. You’ll have to excuse me while I ignore the bible again.
