OK Jazz, here you go. I trust you will read this in its entirety as opposed to many that will skim and jump to conclusions in order to quickly get in their counter point or try to refute what I am posting.
First, let me say that I never post anything that is meant to be any form of hate. I try to have love and compassion even for those I don't particularly care for. I am not condemning anyone, because I can't. I don't have that power; it belongs to God. I do follow Jesus' instruction to proclaim the Truth. It is far more loving to want people to establish a personal relationship with Jesus through Truth than it is to lie to them saying something is OK when it is not.
Let me point out that going to church, being from a Christian family, being raised in a Christian environment, studying theology, or even reading the Bible does not make a person a Christian. Accepting Y'shua (Jesus) as Savior and Lord and keeping a personal relationship with Him is the way you become and are a Christian.
That said, here are my observations on the Bible.
The Bible is a collection of books, journals, songs, proverbs, poems, and letters. There are 39 books of the Old Testament and 27 books in the New Testament in a canonical Bible. The Old Testament is the Jewish Torah. The first five books of the Old Testament is the Pentateuch. The books of the Bible are not necessarily arranged in chronological order. There is some indication that the book of Genesis was written after Exodus and certain books were probably written during the same period by different authors and certain books were written over a period of time by several authors. The forgoing comments apply primarily to the Old Testament but in some cases as to order apply to the New Testament.
The Bible is a history book. It is a book of the census. It has love stories, war stories, accounts of how the men of God were treated by the general populace, prophesy, lots of different topics all centered around one theme, God and His plan and interaction with people, especially the Jews in the Old Testament.
Much of the Old Testament is Jewish history. Exodus is the account to the Israelites leaving Egypt, crossing the Red Sea, and wandering for 40 years in the wilderness. This is also where God gives the Ten Commandments. Exodus 20:14 <sup id="en-NASB-2066">14</sup>"You shall not commit adultery." is an English translation for the concept of not having sex outside of marriage. It could as easily have been translated as "You shall not have sexual relations outside of marriage." So, no fornication, no same sex sex, and no sex with children, animals, or anyone or anything other than your spouse. There are also laws on slavery and lots of other things. Let's address the slavery issue. It was not like the slavery we think of prior to the civil war in the U.S. It was more like the live in servants we have today. Often, someone would put them self into the service of another for a period of time to pay a debt or earn a piece of property or even earn the right to marry the daughter of a family. Also, Jewish slaves were to be released after no more than six years of service and would be set free unless they choose to remain the servant or slave of the household. There were lots of other rules too. Leviticus, Deuteronomy contain many additional laws and sacrifices.
The historical truth of the Bible is the basis for the nation of Israel. Archaeologists have used the Bible to find ancient cites and cultures that there was no mention of anywhere except the Bible; the Assyrians and the city of Nineveh are examples. It is the historical account of the Israelites of the wanderings or the twelve tribes in the desert, conquering of Palestine, split into two factions, Judah and Israel, their wars and conflicts with each other, Babylonia, Assyrians, and others.
Now just because these were laws given either by God to the Jews or created by the Jews does not mean they are not applicable for instruction of us to know what is expected and is right in the eyes of God. Many of the commands and laws carried the death penalty as does any and all sin.
Romans 5:11-13 (New American Standard Bible)
<sup id="en-NASB-28059">11</sup>And not only this, but we also exult in God through our Lord Jesus Christ, through whom we have now received the reconciliation.
<sup id="en-NASB-28060">12</sup>Therefore, just as through one man sin entered into the world, and death through sin, and so death spread to all men, because all sinned--
<sup id="en-NASB-28061">13</sup>for until the Law sin was in the world, but sin is not imputed when there is no law.
But God provided Himself, comes as the Son of Man, Y'shua, Jesus, as the final sacrifice ever needed for our sin with the proviso that we accept Him.
John 3:16 "For God so loved the world, that He gave His only begotten Son, that whoever believes in Him shall not perish, but have eternal life.
So the laws and sacrifices are there as instruction and example as to what is required to be perfect to show us we can't be perfect and that we need Jesus as our Savior to be reconciled to God. Now just because we cannot be perfect does not mean a Christian should not strive for perfection as proper thanks to God for the gift of Salvation.
Those that had sexual relations outside of marriage were still stoned to death by the Jews in Jesus' day.
John 8:2-
<sup id="en-NASB-26384">2</sup>Early in the morning He came again into the temple, and all the people were coming to Him; and He sat down and began to teach them.
<sup id="en-NASB-26385">3</sup>The scribes and the Pharisees brought a woman caught in adultery, and having set her in the center of the court,
<sup id="en-NASB-26386">4</sup>they said to Him, "Teacher, this woman has been caught in adultery, in the very act.
<sup id="en-NASB-26387">5</sup>"Now in the Law Moses commanded us to stone such women; what then do You say?"
<sup id="en-NASB-26388">6</sup>They were saying this, testing Him, so that they might have grounds for accusing Him. But Jesus stooped down and with His finger wrote on the ground.
<sup id="en-NASB-26389">7</sup>But when they persisted in asking Him, He straightened up, and said to them, "He who is without sin among you, let him be the first to throw a stone at her."
<sup id="en-NASB-26390">8</sup>Again He stooped down and wrote on the ground.
<sup id="en-NASB-26391">9</sup>When they heard it, they began to go out one by one, beginning with the older ones, and He was left alone, and the woman, where she was, in the center of the court.
<sup id="en-NASB-26392">10</sup>Straightening up, Jesus said to her, "Woman, where are they? Did no one condemn you?"
<sup id="en-NASB-26393">11</sup>She said, "No one, Lord." And Jesus said, "I do not condemn you, either Go From now on sin no more."
Jesus showed forgiveness but also said not to sin even though forgiven. Some Middle East cultures still stone adulterers and fornicators to death.
Genius is the account of creation. It also has the account of the first judgment on mankind when God wiped all of mankind on the face of the earth except one family. Genesis is also where the destruction of Sodom and Gomorrah is found where God wiped out two cities with the exception of one family. God, besides being a loving Father, is also an exacting judge and He always carries out His promises.
The Song of Solomon is erotic without being vulgar.
continued ....
I said I think it was in Romans 12 - maybe its Romans 1 or 7 - I don't have a Bible handy and I'm tied up at work right now, but I am quite certain its in Romans somewhere. 
