Reply #7: You deal with a literalist

[GrpCaptMandrake]

the same way you deal with a deranged person, or the person who walks down the sidewalk yammering away at an invisible person (although these days the person may be on a hands-free cell phone). Trying to get an insane person to stop talking to imaginary people is fruitless. Usually, the best response is to ignore the person in question.

The problem is faith. In other circumstances, we treat it as irrational superstition. We consider a person "superstitious" who won't step on a crack or who throws salt over their shoulder. In religion, however, we regard someone who eats a sacred saltine as somehow "pious" give them special relevance and reverence letting "persons of faith" have some sort of elevation over us weirdos who only believe that which we may know and don't believe that a swig of Bolla Lambrusco turns into human blood once it's in our guts.

It's been my experience that most peoples' faith is false. They will talk about what they believe, but, if pressed by dint of circumstance, will rely upon what they may know.

True spirituality arises from the internal self, or "spirit" or "soul," if you prefer, not from external dogma. Thus, to that extent, I would think your thesis to be correct: that non-literalists DO have more in common with atheists than with the fundie demons.

"Thou art God."