I love the Bible. I purposefully teach two Bible classes every week and preach in a way that I can keep up with the Biblical languages. What I don’t love is when people turn the Bible into an idol and apply it literally. Read in this way, scripture has been used against medicine, science and minorities seeking equality.
When Christians finally stopped claiming the sun rotates around the earth, it wasn’t because they found Bible verses that convinced them otherwise. It was because that they realized that the Bible is a lousy guide to astronomy. They continued to gain insights about nature, but the insights were no longer confused with science.
When Christians finally stopped defending slavery or stoning disobedient children, it wasn’t because they found new biblical passages that refuted those practices, it was because they realized that the Bible is a lousy substitute for a human heart.
Read with love, a scripture can be the most wonderful book in the world. Read literally, without love, any scripture becomes the most evil book ever written.