Traditionally, but mostly mythically, rural friars wandered the land dispensing good Christian advice to those who needed it. This could be suggesting a way to end a long-running feud between peasant villagers, ensuring that people didn't forget their duty to the poor, or even counselling royalty on the rule of the realm.
Today, priestly advice is even harder to find. A lady of my acquaintance requested that a priest visit her elderly relative who is bed-bound some weeks ago; and yet even such a humane request has been delayed due to the evident pressures of religions within the logistics of modern life.
A relative of who is of the Roman Catholic persuasion laments regularly that the confessional is very rarely manned, again apparently due to logistics.
Upon considering this grave lack in today's society, I came up with the idea of a high-street bureau of good advice - a small office or even wall kiosk at which those in need of good Christian guidance can obtain it in a private and free-of-charge consultation.
The bureau, where possible, should be manned by a priest, or even by a seminarian or lay minister. Where nobody is able to man the bureau, a telephone screen should be lowered which connects to the first available manned bureau via VoIP.
Alms may be issued or collected at these points, should that be required. The switchboard might also allow finding a minister of the appropriate denomination to hear confession.
All-in-all this will make good advice easier to come by, and ensuring that all those who are worried are able to find answers.-- vincevincevince, Jun 22 2008 Citizen's Advice Bureau http://www.citizensadvice.org.uk/It's not quite pastoral in terms of personal advice, but it is a bureau of advice that is free in the UK. They can help out with a wide number of legal, money, and offical type problems. [Jinbish, Jun 22 2008] THX-1138 http://www.imdb.com/title/tt0066434/Something similar [8th of 7, Jun 22 2008] Philosophical counselling http://members.aol....lebon/philcouns.htmIt has been done in bars and cafes, particularly on the Rive Gauche. Otherwise, mainly at the top of pillars. Don't know about kiosks. [nineteenthly, Jun 22 2008] Speaker's Corner http://en.wikipedia...ki/Speakers'_CornerAll kinds of advice [mylodon, Jun 22 2008] Not exactly Baked, but exists in a dystopic way in the film THX-1138 <link>.-- 8th of 7, Jun 22 2008 Begs the question, can folks other than Christian still get get good advice.
Perhaps I would care for some good Bhudist advice.-- 2 fries shy of a happy meal, Jun 22 2008 How can one "wander the land" in a kiosk?-- Amos Kito, Jun 22 2008 With a pedlar's licence.
The Doctor is {in}-- nineteenthly, Jun 22 2008 <pedant>
Technically, that's a Police Box, not a kiosk
</pedant>
[2fries} SP: Buddhist-- 8th of 7, Jun 22 2008 //Begs the question, can folks other than Christian still get get good advice.// The advice, in this idea, would be given to anyone who asks for it. Whether other religions would be dispensing the advice to their adherents would probably depend upon how it is structured and funded.-- vincevincevince, Jun 22 2008 //grave lack // none available due to bad logistics.?-- Ling, Jun 22 2008 See, now that 8th of 7 fellow, he gives some good Buddhist advice.-- 2 fries shy of a happy meal, Jun 22 2008 I will use this service next time I uncover a witch and want to know whether to burn her or drown her.-- simonj, Jun 22 2008 It raises the question. RAISES THE QUESTION YOU ILLMANNERED TWIT! It does NOT BEG THE EVER-BE-DAMNED QUESTION! the QUESTION WAS NOT BEGGED! NOOOOOTTTT BEGGGGGED! *chokes* *collapses in a pedantist fit* beeggg*gurgle*-- Voice, Jun 22 2008 //Not exactly Baked, but exists in a dystopic way in the film THX-1138 // Also in 'Demolition Man'. Have a joy-joy day!-- DrBob, Jun 23 2008 <puts wallet between [Voice]'s teeth, turns him on left side and mutters as he recovers>
"Their they're.""They're there"
"Beggers can't be raisers."-- 2 fries shy of a happy meal, Jun 23 2008 halfbakery