What is interesting to me is the line people form to create "personal faith" meaning where do they say "Yes, I believe that despite no evidence" and then say "No, I don't believe that".
To me this shows how the individual forms an identity and then conforms the concept of faith around it.
"I think in a general sense there is a higher power"
"I think a god exists, but does not interfere"
"I think the stories are not literal, but morality tales"
"I think everything in the texts occurred"
"I think this particular passage or book is the most important"
"I think god or angels shape every event in my life"
It's the same concept, the same canonized text, and yet people seem to be able to read it that it agrees with their own worldview. I'm not sure our species with modern influences of freedom can experience religion in the same monolithic fashion our ancestors may have. If you have a pastor that says LGBT members are vile and evil, part of the congregation will just leave, and others will stay. Who is correct given cannot ask a god for reference? What if a god showed themselves and picked a side, what would the other side do? Conform or resist?
