You did not throw out the baby with the bathwater. Look at all the baggage you would have to carry if you kept Biblical literalism. You would have to keep to the 6 day creation, the flood, dino's walking with humans, and all sorts of things that there are tons of evidence against.
Then, you would have to show disapprovemnt of anybody that doesn't accept 'salvation' in the way you do. What a burden that would be.