You'll never understand the divine by reading words in old books.

I hope I'm understanding this question correctly. I think the values in the Bible were meant to be universal and applicable to all human beings. However, such a large, influential, and symbolic text is left open to wide interpretations of its meaning. It has also been translated from a different language and has been rewritten throughout history. This could also alter its original intent. Therefore, in my opinion, it becomes a matter of personal judgment. Instead of following each word to the letter, try instead to extract a general impression about what is being said and whether or not it flows with the rest of the teachings. At the risk of sounding lame, try to understand the essence of the message. As aforementioned, the literal interpretation could lead to problems because of translation and rewritings. As for false teachings, I'll use a televangelist as an example. Let's say there's a guy named Kenny Copesand. Kenny preaches on TV every Sunday about the virtue of being poor, and urges you to donate your money because God would want you to. He says that poverty encourages good moral values. How do you determine whether or not this is a false teaching? Look beyond just his words - look at what he does. If Kenny Copesand recently acquired his fourth private jet, chances are that he is a false leader. Basically, look for the motivation behind their words - fame, fortune, hatred for a minority group, etc. It may not work every time, but it will certainly help. ** Also, could you please refrain from typing certain words in all caps? It makes it very difficult to read properly.