I simply said it wasn't NECESSARY to go into the deep corners of the bible seeing as the ten commandments alone are sufficient to make my point but seeing as you ask:

Deuteronomy 22:28-29

and yes I do think that the bible's effect on society is now wholly pernicious. You are a Christian and presumably think it wrong to reject the morality of the bible. It would be wrong, for instance to say that God was wrong to indiscriminately drown most of humanity in the flood for example, because this is merely the way it seems from our limited point of view. And yet you feel that you are in a position to judge that Jesus is the son of God and the Bible does not contain lies. You are using your own moral intuitions to authenticate the wisdom in the Bible. And then in the next moment you assert that we human beings cannot possibly rely upon our own intuitions to guide us in the world, and rather we must depend upon the prescriptions in the Bible. In other words you are using your own moral intuitions to decide that the Bible is the guarantor of your own moral intuitions, it's a circular argument essentially.

In fact, we decide what is good in the Bible. Here's another one, "if a man discovers on his wedding night that his wife is not a virgin, then he must Stone her to death on her father's doorstep." Deuteronomy 22 versus 13 to 21. If we are civilised and live in the 21st Century we will reject this as absolutely horrendous lunacy but doing so requires that we exercise our own moral intuition,and we do have moral intuition for it has evolved within our species. A belief that the Bible is the word of God is of no help whatsoever here. The choice is simple, we can have a 21st century conversation about morality that includes all of the scientific discoveries and philosophical insights that we have made over the last 2000 years since your guide book was written or... well I think you know the alternative. Bible hater? That's not it exactly, it's more that I hate the fact that it is considered the only available source of morality and wisdom. It isn't...it clearly isn't.

BuleGila - you may well be right.

to Sir AKB - you are very typical of Bible haters. You admit you don't delve into the "obscure depths of the texts" but still consider yourself informed enough to speak authoratatively on the topic - interesting. And you never answered the challenge on where the bible condones rape...

To Padt - (and with apologies to Sir AKB for delving into detail)..2 Peter 1.21 "For no prophecy was ever made by an act of human will, but men moved by the Holy Spirit spoke from God. Sounds like direct divine dictation to me...

Interesting as this debate is Lets just spare a thought for the poor young lady please.

Also, it's not necessary to delve into the obscure depths of the texts by the way. The contradictions and unpleasantness are there in the Ten Commandments, the first 4 of which have nothing to do with morality at all and everything to do with instilling a requisite attitude of fear and subservience in those of faith. Fear and subservience are the enemy of true morality in my view and do not appeal to our better instincts.