when miss maudie says, "but sometimes the bible in the hand of one man is worse than a whiskey bottle in the hand of--oh, of your father." What person is she criticizing, and what is the point of her criticism?

Some say religion is the intoxicant of the masses. Certainly there is nothing wrong with the Bible; it can teach us many things. What Miss. Maudie means is that the Bible's meanings can be twisted and used to harm people as much as help them. Consider Aunt Alexandra's sunday woman's group. THey use the Bible to perpetuate their ignorance.If people warp the "Word of God" and deem their version to be the truth, it really can be poison.