Blake Brantley - Myth Became Fact

"A man who disbelieved the Christian story as fact but continually fed on it as myth would, perhaps, be more spiritually alive than one who assented and did not think much about it." Stories, novels, and shows aren't always meant to be taken literally, in fact most aren't. They are meant to give us knowledge about different topics that could guide our future lives. Stories always have a hidden meaning behind them, and they often come out through symbolism. What would the world be like if people took stories for fact rather then deciphering the hidden meanings?  Would stories be effective if they were meant to be taken literally? Even if certain stories are meant to be taken literally, by looking at it symbolically, multiple meanings can arise and serve different people in different ways. Taking a piece of media for fact can only lead to a few conclusions, but with symbolism, people can find their own meaning in the story. Many times I have heard people discussing a story or tv show and when they are discussing different hidden meanings in the show, they have different answers. With symbolism and hidden meanings, it is likely that both of them are correct even if they have conflicting answers.