Notre Dame

peterm1 said:
No offence meant but I wonder what makes you think the rich may not already be donating to the poor. It's a time honored institution to do this in many countries. I don't see it as a particular dilemma myself.

There are about 5 billion (at last count) poor people in the world. The 700 million euros, or about what, 1 billion US dollars would be about 20 cents each - one time payment. That's not how you solve world poverty. Mighty thin pickins. Poverty is solved by changing cultures that allow poverty, eliminating ugly backward and repressive systems of government and corruption that feed off it, by trade, by jobs that trade creates, by education and so on. It's not so easy when stated like this but in this instance I guess I would rather not ask Jesus but instead ask an economist with experience in international development.
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I agree with what you're saying.

I just find it amusing to see the wealthy donating money to rebuild something that's owned by the 6th richest country in the world, and operated by a church worth billions. And yes, there are many kind people out there, but we all know the wealthy do these things as tax fiddles, to have their names carved in stone and claim a place in the crypt for their families.
As a life-long atheist, I probably shouldn't ask, "what would Jesus do?", but I think it is an interesting moral question in these circumstances. My guess is he would look at Notre Dame and see hubris, waste and decadence. On surveying the burnt out shell of the building, he would liken it to the current state of the Catholic church and insist it be left as it is—a symbol to remind the faithful of what happens when men begin to think they're gods. I'd like to think he would take that money and hand it to the tens of thousands of men, women and children the church has mentally and physically abused over the years, kiss their feet and beg them for forgiveness.


But hey, that's just me! The morally bankrupt atheist ;-)
 
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The last user of the telescope had been looking at the spire
ZM28
 
Not quite sure why all this is a "tragedy". No one died. The building is still there. Everything can and will be fixed. Rich people ready to donate. All chill.
 
David Hughes said:
It also sparked and unholy row about the wrath of god...


Regards, David
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I remember it well, dear old Rt Revd Dr David Jenkins and his conjuring trick with bones sermon prior to his appointment to the see of Durham (which bishop's throne is higher than St Peters). I went up to Durham University as a fresher the following year, and heard him preach on occasion. I can hardly imagine such a furore here today over the finer details of theology, it seems so Victorian. I much preferred the sound of the choir singing Evensong, and that magnificent Harrison Organ, which lower pitched pipes seemingly resonating all the building and me. Wonderful.

If anybody here is visiting the North of England, York Minster and Durham Cathedral are two of the world's finest, the latter a magnificent Norman building described by Sir Walter Scott as "Half church of God, half castle 'gainst the Scot" on a natural peninsula defended by an immense mediaeval castle. I must go back some day and take some photographs I neglected to do as a student.
 
CharlesDAMorgan said:
I remember it well, dear old Rt Revd Dr David Jenkins and his conjuring trick with bones sermon prior to his appointment to the see of Durham (which bishop's throne is higher than St Peters). I went up to Durham University as a fresher the following year, and heard him preach on occasion. I can hardly imagine such a furore here today over the finer details of theology, it seems so Victorian. I much preferred the sound of the choir singing Evensong, and that magnificent Harrison Organ, which lower pitched pipes seemingly resonating all the building and me. Wonderful.

If anybody here is visiting the North of England, York Minster and Durham Cathedral are two of the world's finest, the latter a magnificent Norman building described by Sir Walter Scott as "Half church of God, half castle 'gainst the Scot" on a natural peninsula defended by an immense mediaeval castle. I must go back some day and take some photographs I neglected to do as a student.
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Yes it was the first thing that came to mind when I heard and then saw the news.

I'll second the tourist/tourism paragraph too; we have some superb churhes etc here and yet only one or two famous ones get the attention.

Regards, David
 
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