The chapter opens by challenging biblical literalism, noting that 61 percent of Southern Baptists accept the Bible as God’s literal word, yet selective enforcement is common. Fugelsang recounts arguing with his second-grade teacher that snakes once talked but lost the ability through evolution, illustrating how children internalize literal readings. He contends that not every passage was meant for literal application, as many reflect ancient societal norms, and suggests that applying all biblical rules literally would conflict with modern legal and social norms.

Literalist readings have historically been invoked to justify slavery, segregation, and discrimination against women, LGBTQ people, and minorities. Fugelsang lists widely ignored biblical commands: killing Sabbath workers, avoiding pork and shellfish, prohibiting mixed-fabric clothing and divorce, permitting polygamy, and prohibiting certain activities while not explicitly addressing practices such as slavery or violence. He distinguishes between well-meaning literalists and those he calls “wrathful literalists” focused on culture-war battles.

Theologian Dillon Naber Cruz explains that the Bible is an anthology reflecting varied beliefs about God, with inconsistencies even within individual books. Examples include discrepancies about Peter’s confession location, contradictory creation timelines, and physically impossible events like the Tower of Babel or Jonah surviving three days inside a fish, which are presented as difficult to interpret literally.