"Religion, like water, may be free, but when they pipe it to you, you've got to help pay for piping. And the Piper!"

Abigail Van Buren, best understood for her suggestions column "Dear Abby", wields a sharp and thoughtful wit in this quote, drawing a parallel in between faith and water to comment on how specific systems and institutions in society operate. At its core, the quote recommends that while fundamental, valuable resources like water and religion are naturally free or need to be, the methods by which they are delivered and organized within society frequently come at a cost.

Beginning with water, she explains that in its natural state, water is a totally free resource. Nevertheless, to make it accessible and useful to a large population, systems of delivery-- pipelines and infrastructure-- are necessary. This systemization involves expenses that eventually drip down to the consumer. Likewise, faith, or spirituality as a concept, is an individual and easily available aspect of human experience. Yet, arranged religion, with its organizations, buildings, clergy, and associated routines, requires resources to sustain.

The phrase "you've got to help spend for piping" metaphorically highlights that adhering to or taking part in organized religion frequently includes financial or time commitments, such as donations, tithing, or volunteer work, that support these institutional structures. The reference of "the Piper" presents the concept of paying for the ceremony or the service itself, maybe meaning the clergy or the organizational leaders who assist and translate the faith for its followers.

Van Buren's quote can be understood as a critique or an observation on the nature of organized systems and how they, even when handling naturally totally free aspects like water and spirituality, develop mechanisms that need support and participation from their beneficiaries. It welcomes reflection on the balance in between personal spiritual experience and institutional religious practice, along with the determination of individuals to contribute towards keeping the structures that provide these experiences. This point of view motivates readers to consider how societies change fundamental requirements and worths into structured services and the implications of those changes on individual flexibilities and common responsibilities.