Reading the allegories as allegories and the metaphors as metaphors is reading the Bible literally.
Well, therein lies the problem. My point is how does one determine what is meant to be literal and what is meant to be allegorical?
When Jesus said that nothing is impossible with God, did he literally mean that you can tell mountains to throw themselves into the sea? I only ask because, curiously, we've never seen that. Ever.
So, was Jesus using intentional hyperbole when he said that with God nothing is impossible, or was he being literal?
"Reason obeys itself; and ignorance submits to whatever is dictated to it" -- Thomas Paine