The real religion?

[robvalue]

If a child came up to me with a story book and claimed that a magical character in the book was real because it was in the book, I'd be seriously concerned. What have its parents been teaching it?

It boggles my mind that I have adults saying this to me. What am I supposed to say to that?

Not only is the (magical) character real, but the adult also thinks it has "a relationship" with it, whatever that is supposed to mean. And it thinks this relationship is having some effect on the real world.

I do understand how people end up in this mindset. It's just so jarring and painful when viewed from the outside.