'We had been all been comforted and reassured by the confident belief that this plague was part of God's Great Plan and was a punishment for our sinfulness, which we could only overcome by contrition, prayer and general inaction' said elderly parishoner Mrs Dee Vaught 'And that those who died were struck down by God because they had been wicked.'
'We could happily live with that' agreed her fellow-worshipper Mrs San Timmonious 'Because it meant that we didn't have to actually do anything or put ourselves to any inconvenience. All we had to do was wallow in a pit of self-pitying guilt, or else (depending on how arrogant we were) strut around tutting and radiating self-righteousness. And we've enjoyed doing that all our lives.'
'Now these smarty-pants church leaders have gone and upset everyone by suggesting that we do actually have a bit of influence over our own destiny, and that we might start having to take a bit of responsibility for the wellbeing of human society. So what was the point of all that going to church and praying? This is a disaster. Where will it end? Next thing, they'll be saying that we even need to think for ourselves sometimes as well, instead of meekly accepting The Truth As Revealed To Us.'
'At least we have never been told that we need to go around knocking on strangers' doors, telling everyone that they need to do what we do, so that they can be 'saved' from something-or-other. We have been allowed simply to safeguard our own spiritual destiny individually, smugly and in private, and we we all happy with that. I can't stand interfering religious busybodies.'
