Literalist and Allegorist

Literalist and allegorist I am an allegorist. I look behind patent symbols, and images, to derive deeper, latent meanings. Thus, when I read "Aesop's Fables," I understand that his animals are symbolic principles laden with human meaning, allegories on human life. Similarly, when I look at Egyptian imagery and religious depictions, I draw inferences from those symbolic allusions that speak to universal truths, as expected from the source of civilization, arts, science, religion. To understand a proverb, it is essential to extract the meat from the shell of fiction; to pull the vital nutrients from the excess of dross; to pull hidden messages from apparent messages. Jesus often berated his disciples for being numb-skulls; for failing to grasp his meanings; and for having to explain himself to them repeatedly. On other occasions, Jesus would applaud non-disciples for their depth of perception and perspicacity, as with the Canaanite woman who sought only to eat the crumbs that fell from the Master's table, like dogs, since He was sent only to the Jews, allegedly, and not to others. Literalism, the opposite of allegorism, has its place, surely. But, divine birth is allegory; walking on water is allegory; dividing the Red Sea is allegory; surviving in the belly of a whale for 3 days is allegory or in a fiery furnace or in a lions' den. So also, rising from the dead is allegory. These powerful symbols and tropes are intended to awaken in man tacit insights, and to quicken dormant energies in human consciousness. Others which may be taken literally, and, which should be so taken, like 'love thy neighbor as thy self' or like 'thy shall not kill' are scorned by all. So, the orthodox interpretations of Bible teachings, whether Catholic, Protestant, or other, therefore, consists of a scornful literalism and and of a suppressed allegorism in certain Christian communities. Thus, there have been needless controversies between science and religion, costing many human lives over the ages. Also between religion and literacy, there has been ancient enmity, needlessly and heedlessly to human harm. I am an allegorist like Aesop and like Jesus. You can be, too, they teach.