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I believe that a literal reading is not only incorrect, but potentially damaging to faith. It forces you by implication to take the Bible word-for-word, when it is full of chronological inconsistencies, apparent philosophical contradictions, and a few outright fabrications. It pulls away from the message of Jesus, which sometimes must be read in between the lines. His message, aside from him being the Son of God and dying on the Cross for our sins, is that we must love one another as we love ourselves. Unconditional love is one of the most powerful things a person can feel.
He as many wise things to say aside from the Golden Rule. The Synoptic Gospels are a treasure trove of knowledge. He dines with the sinners instead of with the faithful. The devil's three-part challenge in the desert explains why we don't test God, why materialism is bad, and why miracles do not occur for their own sake. He teaches the value of spiritual humility, and balances it with the importance of sharing faith and doing good works.
A literal reading of the Bible is not really necessary to understanding the Christian way, and it introduces more problems than it solves.
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"The idea that money doesn't buy you happiness is a lie put about by the rich, to stop the poor from killing them." -- Michael Caine
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