The way of a fool is right in his own eyes, but a wise man listens to advice.

Do you believe that that the above statement is in any way ridiculous? Is it
irrelevant? Is it a raving of any kind? Is its source guided by the phases of
the moon? Perhaps you feel that someone who thinks a wise men listening to
advice is something that should commit a person to be restrained and placed in
an institution.

If you take specific verses, sentences, or phrases, then yes, they can very well make sense if placed in a completely different context.

However, if you take the Bible as a whole, which I understand it is very seriously intended to be taken as such, the foundation is the premise that it is the inerrant word of god, dictated to man, largely through a mysterious inspiration process.

It has been argued for centuries by many scholars, not the least of which is famed Egyptologist Gerald Massey, that the bible was not the first to state the stories and quotes you are referring to and certainly not the only historical document to contain most if not all its "wisdom".

So, taken in that context, the whole context, it can be fairly stated that since god is imaginary, anyone claiming to literally "talk to god" or "receive direct instructions from god" to be a raving lunatic, or categorically insane.

My statement was terse but not invalid. There are far greater pieces of literature in existence that deserve much more consideration that this injustifiably revered work of fiction.

The primary difference between the Bible and Science is that the Bible starts with a conclusion, then attempts (pathetically IMO) to justify its position in light of readily observable evidence. Science the other hand, starts with a question and never really reaches a conclusion.

It is a constant refinement of position that gives the truth the reverence it deserves, that it is illusive and difficult to discover, perhaps even unknowable by our tiny species."