Stages of Faith

I found the stages of faith described by James Fowler to be really quite interesting. While I completely agree with these stages, I am surprised they were in the text as I believe to allot of people they would be rather controversial. I think that it is controversial and that the stages are stages of development, each stage being considered more advanced than the previous and also set up in a hierarchy, level six being the highest. However, it seems to me that many people practice religion at stage two, a mythical- literal faith. Many people believe the works of their holy doctrines, bible, Torah, Koran, etc. to be literal and not symbolical means to guide and bring meaning to their faith. We in the United States often deal with in politics when people quote the bible as a basis for political belief and likewise with terrorism when the words of Muhammad/ parts of the Koren are taken literally and therefore validate the acts of violence and treatment of women that some Muslims participate in. As people have the right to believe and practice in whatever capacity they choose, I was surprised that their was aheirachy ascribed to the way in which people practice their faith.