Edit: I'm sure I had a lot more meat on this post in my head, but unfortunately the draft is too old for me to remember it all now. I really need to figure out a better way to get my thoughts down. Just publishing this as is is unsatisfying, though still accurate as far as it goes to describe my present thoughts.
A literal interpretation of the Bible is wrong
The Bible was written about things thousands of years ago in completely different contexts. To apply it literally today has no meaning. In order to apply it today it must be interpreted. To maintain it's own internal consistency it must allow for context, a context-free literalism with regard to the commandments puts Saul in a huge bind when God, through Samuel, orders him to break the commandment against killing.
A thing gains power as a symbol, as its literal self it has none. A blade of grass vs. a poem.
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