It seems to me that even very religious individuals, while claiming that the bible is of absolute authority, still "pick and choose" what to believe, and what to live by.
The example I would like to discuss is women and Christianity. In the bible women are often put at an extremely low level.
"1 Corinthians 14
If they want to inquire about something, they should ask their own husbands at home; for it is disgraceful for a woman to speak in the church."
If this is the case, why do you see so many outspoken women ministers? Why does the modern church allow women to talk/sing/do anything in the church? For people to take the bible so literal, how can they ignore the parts they don't like? Are there "loopholes" that allow women to now speak in the church, even though it is disgraceful to the lord? Disgraceful is a pretty serious word.
Wives are to submit to their husbands - How far does this go? Non-virgin women are considered "used", and unfit... Women are spoils of war...
Women are clearly mans "property" according to the bible, and belong to husbands and fathers. If I was a woman, I would take offense to this, and this fact alone would make me wary of proclaiming the bible as "perfect", etc...
How does a modern Christian woman interpret, and justify to herself and others the clear anti-woman posture of the bible?