Tracey, you bring up some excellent points. But the bible is so much more than these cherry-picked examples of bad behaviour. It is a record of human thought. It is full of poetry and mythology. It has deep resonance even for people who disagree with the patriarchs' and God's behaviour. It is full of irony (see the story of Tamar, who outwits her sexist father-in-law). It has humour. It has great characters (check out King David- a flawed but fascinating character. Or Joseph a man who forgives his murderous brothers).

Sorry, as a lover of literature as well as a feminist and a humanist, I cannot just dismiss the bible.

Like human nature, there is much to criticicize. And appreciate.