(can I call ya Ben? I dunno what to call you with such a confusing username. ),
I think it's POSSIBLE that it could've been meant as symoblic or something of the sort.
The only thing I am sure of is that there's some kind of God out there, and that it appears to be the God from The Bible.
Christianity isn't actually a religion. Religion is man's attempt to reach acceptence by a Holy God. Christianity is the message that God loves us, and came into this world in human form to die for us so that, anyone who accepts this and believes this, can call themselves Children of God.