Degsme,

Again, I don't understand why atheists have to view the Bible in such a narrow, literalistic, fundamentalist fashion. The Bible is just one of many sources that we have for our faith. Others are church doctrine, tradition, creeds, etc. To say that it's all just about the Bible and that we must believe every bit of it 100% isn't even a traditional way of looking at our faith. And yes, I believe Jesus Christ existed. Why would I even be a Christian if I didn't believe this? There's a big difference between believing that Jesus Christ is just a metaphor and believing that God creating the world in 7 days is just a metaphor. Jesus Christ existing is important in our faith and salvation, the literal 7-day creation of the world isn't.

Believing in evolution doesn't make me a "cafetaria Christian". I'm deeply serious about my faith and I do take the Bible seriously. It's funny how atheists are far more judgemental against Christians who believe in things like evolution than other Christians are.

"Who left you in authorit to decide on which works and acts of God actually are works and acts of God?"

I believe that everything in the Bible is a work and act of God. I may not believe the world was literally created in seven (or six to be precise) days, but I do believe that God created the world. And I believe that's the importance of the story. That God created the world and everything in it and that it was "good". I'm not saying that I look at a story in the bible (such as the creation of the world) and throw it out because I don't agree with it. I look at the spiritual truths and messages that are being relayed by the story about the creation of the world and the fall of mankind. The importance is that God created the world and through sin mankind has fallen. The Bible is true to me and I do take what it says very seriously.

"If the bibile is an Authoritative Work on his existance - than what criteria do you use to distinguish between that "actuality" and the "metaphorical" guicand in Leviticus that REQUIRES you to stone to death children to talk back to their parents"

Considering a huge part of the NT is about how we are no longer under OT laws, then what does this even matter? It's pretty easy for anyone to see anyway that rules and guidelines for living aren't supposed to be metaphorical. That's just common sense.