The church as a parasocial framework

I've observed some for whom the church is a means by which they can push other people into acting as though they've ``accepted'' them, where they define ``accept'' to mean something like ``have the opinion of me that I want you to''.

What can we do for (or about) those crying for instant gratification in Church, like children crying for sweets?

Do we give them something that rots their teeth (but perhaps in these enlightened times has a little fruit juice and vitamins in it)? Or something with those deadliest and most addictive non nutritive artificial colours and flavours called ``acceptance'' and ``equality''?

No, we can in conscience only offer them solid healthy food -- and we know how spoiled children respond to that! No, this only one thing they want when they want sweets, and that's sweets. But they don't satisfy for long, and they soon want them again.

Whatever happened to ``He who comes to me will never thirst?''

John C. G. Sturdy

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Last modified: Thu Nov 22 11:53:00 GMT 2007