Churches Shouldn't Spend So Much Money on Buildings

"My opponent seems to believe that since Church A overbuilt and spent beyond its means that beauty in a Church is wrong." That's not what I said. The large church building itself is not the problem; the fact that huge amounts of money was spent on it...money that could've been spent on something worthwhile...that is the problem. The resolution of this debate is not "Church buildings should not be big and beautiful." It's "Churches shouldn't spend so much money on buildings." If a church could be built big and beautiful at no cost, well, I suppose that'd be fine. However, a prettier church isn't any better in God's eyes than a run down metal building church. It's a huge waste of money, and it turns the church's attention away from what matters. Take a load of this: http://eugenecho.com... 130 million dollar church?! Seriously?! Let's say that the church provided 1000 dollars worth of aid to each poor person. Do you know how many poor people that could provide aid for? 130,000 people. The guy in the article said: "The building of the Tower of Babel isn"t what upset God. It was the hubris after it was built " not for God"s glory but to make a name for themselves"" Okay, can that guy honestly look me in the eye and tell me that the construction of that fancy and ultra-expensive building had nothing to do with pride? Anyway, I'm getting off track. I'll continue. "Is it possible that young people are not attracted to a drab building that has no draw for them." Why do young people need an exciting church building? Do they really need to be entertained constantly, even in church? "A church is supposed to be a place where you can feel the transcendence of God. A place where you understand that the offerings of beauty of the parishioners to God helps them to envision and desire the hereafter." Uh, okay. I've never heard of a church having this purpose. Last I heard, it was a place where people gather to worship God, have fellowship with one another (may I add this is pretty hard in a building with 3000 people), and listen to the Pastor preach so that their spirits can be fed on the Word of God. "My opponent claims that the early Christians only met in Church houses, however we know that the Apostles themselves worshipped in the temple:" "Now Peter and John were going up to the temple at the ninth hour, the hour of prayer. [1] - So yes Peter did worship in something like a Cathedral." Thank you for pointing that out to me. However, after their conversion they were kicked out of the Temple, correct? "Additionally my opponent rightly states that while Christianity was officially illegal in the Roman empire that the gathering places were generally church homes. However if we look at the oldest know Church House we can see that the walls were painted with frescoes. [2] And that, as per my argument in the previous round, they were instructive in that they showed events and parables from the bible like the Good Shepherd, Peter and Jesus walking on the water, the Samaritan woman by the Well." Like I said, the beauty of the church building is not the problem. It's the money behind it that is spent, money which could be spent on more worthwhile things. Those frescoes were probably hand painted, and they probably didn't cost the church any money. And yes, they were instructive. However, a huge chandelier and a marble floor has no instructive purpose (as far as I know). "When you hold a special party for your family and friends you put out your good tablecloth and plates. You clean the house up, maybe wash the windows, vacuum, maybe buy party hats or candles. You do this because you want to show your family and friends how much they mean to you. You want the place to warm and welcoming. You want your home to be a place they want to come to and a place where they feel happy. Could you not have made them a better meal if you spent that time cooking instead? Could you not have bought a nicer piece of meat? Sure, but something intangible would have been lost." Sure, keep your church clean. Sure, it can have some decorations. But let me ask you this: when somebody visits your home, do you take the money that they gave you for something else and use it to make your home fancier? "Now you wish to do that when God is present in His house, and at His meal. My opponent brusquely ignores that it is a central tenant of the Catholic and Orthodox religions that God is physically present in the Eucharist. " Indeed, God is present. http://biblehub.com... But it's not the building where God is present at. It's in the hearts of the many believers who are gathered together to accomplish something for God's Kingdom. "In the Gospel of John Jesus says, "I am the bread of life. "Your fathers ate the manna in the wilderness, and they died. "This is the bread which comes down out of heaven, so that one may eat of it and not die. 'I am the living bread that came down out of heaven; if anyone eats of this bread, he will live forever; and the bread also which I will give for the life of the world is My flesh.'" "And when the Jews began to grumble and argue he told them more bluntly:" "'Truly, truly, I say to you, unless you eat the flesh of the Son of Man and drink His blood, you have no life in yourselves. "He who eats My flesh and drinks My blood has eternal life, and I will raise him up on the last day. "For My flesh is true food, and My blood is true drink.'" I've got two things to say to this: A. Jesus's blood and body being bread and wine is figurative. We're supposed to hold Communion in remembrance of him, as Jesus said. http://biblehub.com... B. He'd never advocate cannibalism, which is sinful. C. If you X-Ray the stomach of someone who just ate Communion bread (or crackers) you'll find that it's still bread (or crackers). I'm running out of characters, so I can't finish with the rest of what you said. However: The purpose of the Church is to be a light unto the World. I have a long way to go before I'm sanctified (shown by some of my outbursts on this Site) but that's what I'm supposed to be, me and every other believer. We're supposed to show our sanctification through our love, through our ministries for the poor and the widows and the orphans. "This is true religion that is pure in God's eyes: to build a beautiful church building which brings the pastor glory." -No Verse Ever-