I have not seen this episode but am very interested in pyschology and sociology of religion. First up I understand what you say Joe about normally one person manipulating but I think how groups work and function, things which come to be accepted as normative or true, or right or the good can also be oppressive and manipulating (not neccessarily manipulative) to members of the group leaving them feeling marginalised, an outsider, as if they do not really fit, that they are somehow less than, without it being articulated. An example would be a single mother in a church where no-one says stuff, indeed no-one means to be anything other than supportive and yet the culture of the community leaves those kind of feelings in her. I think we may need to be careful in our own community - I know I have my middle class norms, values, assumptions, ways of doing things, that could leave others who join with some of those feelings.

I have been asking for a long time now how one can know or experience 'God' outside ones own constructs, needs, tribe, drives - whether 'God' is not actually just a way of us coping with the world. I may be reading you wrong, but as I understand what you are saying that these insights are really important but it doesn't take away from faith in an external 'God?'(which incidentally when push really comes to shove I believe in too - but maybe that is my pyschological needs?!!) How do you marry the insights of pyschology and sociology of religion with 'knowing God'

Tim