Question

I've been much concerned over what seems to me great damage done
by those religious leaders who believe that they KNOW the mind and
will of God — usually based upon a literalistic and uncritical
bibliolatry. I wonder whether you would agree with, disagree with,
amend, or consign to oblivion the following line of thought.

As Immanuel Kant showed quite well, I think, we humans cannot claim
knowledge of anything that transcends the realm of our ordinary
spatio-temporal condition. I think this is so, and it helps to
explain why, in matters of theology having to do with gods or God,
there are so many different and conflicting views prevailing in
various human traditions — traditions of humans who are
obviously quite rational beings. On the other hand, I find it
interesting that, when it comes to basic moral rules, the major world
religions come up with rules or principles that are astonishingly
similar. They are not identical, but there is much overlap and
agreement, I believe, on the most important things. But our basic
moral principles are learned through ordinary human experience —
becoming aware of the consequences of this or that sort of behavior.
Even St. Thomas Aquinas believed that revelation was not required for
humans to learn what he called the "natural virtues." To conclude, as
I have, that one cannot claim to KNOW the nature, mind and will of
God, does not, however, mean that one may not EXPERIENCE a reality
that calls forth one's reverence and commitment. I have come to the
point of regarding much of what is in the Bible as myth, as legend, as
tribalistic propaganda — and, indeed, some passages that if
taken as God-inspired, would imply a God that is not worthy of our
devotion. There is in the Bible, however, a great deal that inspires
an awareness of that which is, indeed, worthy of our ultimate
commitment and devotion. I think in this connection of the basic
message of the great prophets, and of what Paul Tillich called "the
picture of Jesus Christ." A renunciation of absolute and dogmatic
claims of knowledge and an appeal to our ordinary experiences of what
makes life sublime might, I think, lead to greater tolerance —
and openness to the spiritual riches of other traditions.