Bingowings said:

If I were to create a piece of software with the potential to complain, run it on hardware with a short shelf life and not update the operating manual regularly I wouldn't be surprised if my program lost faith in my skills and doubted my existence. Particularly if there were lots of competing derivative or wholly original operating manuals which offered different and sometimes better satisfaction.

This is why God needs to provide modern prophets in a modern age. Of course, now I am just putting in a plug for my faith ;)

In all seriousness, my point isn't to point out any need to update the Bible. It's about the fact that when people read the Bible, particularly the Old Testament, and attempt to judge God by giving a revelation to an ancient culture. We are talking about an ancient culture and commandments consistent with what that culture is prepared to accept. And do not forget that God did update those commandments with the higher law taught by Jesus Christ, laws that liberals and conservatives, progressives and traditionalists agree with. Love your neighbor as yourself. Love thine enemies. Pray for them that despitefully use you and persecute you. Whatsoever ye would that men should do to you, do ye even so to them. Etc. Good laws that require a little of one's own wisdom to apply them appropriately to particular situations. The problem is too many people do not live by these laws, fail to apply them sufficiently, do not trust in the long-term success of many of these laws and instead cling to the short-term rewards, often to their long-term detriment.

But my point is that if we are dealing with people of a different culture and the commandments God gave to them, do not judge God for granting what the people were capable of accepting at the time.

In other words, the Old Testament is not Mein Kampf.