This little story was shared with me by my loving wife. She thought it was rather funny, I did not get it - maybe it is a mom thing?
Anyway, apparently this mother's rant has made the rounds and a lot of people are getting some kicks from it. When you put all the "expert" advice side by side in one document, there are areas that are in sync and others that are contradictory. It makes for a funny read.
But here is the thing. This is in many ways how the Bible reads. There are stories that and teachings that contradict other stories and teachings. I don't have to account for these numerous contradictions, many atheist/agnostic Biblical literalists have compiled lists. Then there are theist Biblical literalists who then argue that there are no contradictions or if there are there are at least no contradictions when it comes to matters of salvation.
For everyone else, we are left with a Bible that is full of contraction and unsure what o do with it. Some will laugh at the Bible, seeing how all these "experts" all contradict each other thus making the claim that the Bible is all hogwash. Some will discount the contradictions and choose for themselves which verses they want to hold on to and ignore the others. Still others will see the Bible for what it is - a community over time who were trying to articulate something that is beyond comprehension.
I mean, if we cannot even agree what the best way to get a baby to sleep, then we sure are not going to be able to agree what the best way to talk about God is.
The Bible, according to Girard, is a "text in travail." That is to say, it is a text in tension with itself - constantly tugging and pulling itself in order to try to stretch around a limitless God that cannot be covered with simple words. The Bible's tension, contradictions and complexities are what make it a "living word".
So to those of us who are not atheist/theistic Biblical literalists, might we approach the Bible for what it is - a text in travail.