The Bible as Literature

I know some people that get offended when one calls the bible 'literature.' I don't understand this issue. Do they assume that literature is fictional? Is literature an offensive word when talking about historical books? To put it bluntly: no. Literature is not an antonym for history. Literature is any written work, fictional or non fictional.

According to dictionary.com, the definition of literature is "writings in which expression and form, in connection with ideas of permanent and universal interest, are characteristic or essential features, as poetry, novels, history, biography, and essays."

The Bible fits this definition perfectly. The ideas presented in The Bible are universal and will be taught for a long time. The Bible is literature so I don't understand why say it's not.

Religion and Victor Hugo

I'm a fan of the French opera Notre Dame de Paris. We know it as The Hunchback of Notre Dame and probably as a Disney movie. In the opera, religion is a huge part of the plot. Frollo will condemn sinners and bring death upon them. The titular church will not let the foreigners, poor, and starving in their doors. Religion is such a negative force in this opera. I'm assuming this is the same for the book.
I've read a little of Hugo's Les Miserables. In the novel, religion is a good thing. The ex-convict Jean Valjean is rejected by everyone but a bishop. This man shows the criminal some kindness. He even helps Valjean turn his life around. Without the kindness of the religious man, Valjean would not have surivied and he wouldn't be able to help many others around him.
What changed for Hugo? Les Miserables was written first, so what changed for him in the twenty years between Les Miserables and The Hunchback of Notre Dame?

The Phantom of The Opera and God

This weekend I watched The 25th anniversary production of The Phantom of the Opera and I noticed that the Phantom is a god-like figure in the show. We don't see most of his face throughout the show and we aren't supposed to look directly at god or else we will be blinded. When we finally see the Phantom's face, we are almost blinded by his deformity. It isn't the same kind of blinding, but we are blinded when we look at both of them.
The Phantom also decides what is good and what is bad. He will punish the wrongdoers. From what I learned, this is quite similar to God. He will pass judgement. He will create plagues as punishment. The Phantom was plaguing his opera house. As a woman was singing, he made her croak like a frog. He was passing judgement on the singers and if he didn't like what they were doing, he would punish them.
The Phantom is Christine's guide and teacher. He is determined to make her life better. He will help her every time he is capable to. She completely trusts him at the beginning even though she can't see him. Isn't that our relationship with God? He helps us in our time of need and we have complete faith in him.
I don't know if it was intentional, but The Phantom of the Opera is like God.