Re: Let's not forget...
Hunter the analogy I used was based on what the christian belief system advocates, and that is not parental guidence but as IC put it, "love me, praise me, or else". As a child of this god, you are never allowed to grow up, you remain a child always, a child of a tyranical, narcissistic parent. Of course the parent will give love to the child while the child is bowing to the needs of the parent and the will of the parent. The only way out of this abusive relationship, (If we put a real person in place of god, it is quite easy to see that it is an abusive relationship), is to reject the parent totally, and take responsibility for yourself.
I have seen this type of abusive parent, the children of these parents either remain under the power and control of the parent, and usually become abusers themselves, or they reject the parent, and the parents control and never look back. This analogy fits very well with the christian model of mans relationship with god.
spud