Churches Shouldn't Spend So Much Money on Buildings

My opponent claims that it is okay for churches to be big and beautiful so much as you don't spend money on it.I'm sorry to say that these two values are at odds with each other. While there are simpler and more ornate versions of beauty, they all cost money. Some more than others.And the bible instructs us to give the best that we have to God:The best of the first fruits of your ground you shall bring into the house of the LORD your God. - Exodus 23:19Con continues to be blinded by his own Protestantism. He refuses to acknowledge clear evidence by Jesus through the Gospels and the Church Fathers that the Eucharist is the the body, blood, soul and divinity of Jesus Christ. However, lets go one further, if the Eucharist were considered simply symbolic why would Paul write:For he that eateth and drinketh unworthily, eateth and drinketh damnation to himself, not discerning the Lord's body. - 1 Corinthians 11:29It is illogical that eating and drinking a symbol would bring damnation on you unless it were not simply a symbol! And why would Paul refer to the body and blood as the body of the Lord if he only meant it figuratively? My opponents claims do not mesh with his own scriptures.I have established that both of the oldest Christian denominations (Catholic and Orthodox) believe that God in the person of Jesus becomes physically present in the Eucharist at Mass.I have also shown though use of the scriptures and early Church that the belief that Christ was present in the Eucharist was present.Con has conceded that it was acceptable for the Jews to have an ornately decorated Temple since God was present there.In the Catholic and Orthodox masses the faith of the religions is that heaven and earth are joined and that God becomes physically present in the form of the Eucharist.Con has accepted burden of proof and yet he never proved that Churches that have beautiful buildings do not also have large congregations that are able to donate generously to Charity. He only discussed two Churches. The one he discussed was unwise and built more than it could sustain. The second one he did discussed was one that doesn't seem to even be able to remotely replace it quickly aging population.He then goes on to mention a $130 million dollar Church. Now he doesn't mention that it is not just a Church but a 6 story education building that will be able to charge tuition to students and a parking structure because it is in a busy downtown location. Additionally, my opponent does not mention how many families will be serviced by this Church. Banks do not lend out $130 million dollars to people without a proper business plan that will not have valuable assets if it all falls through.Finally I would like to note that even though the Catholic Church has some of the most beautiful Churches it is also the largest charity worldwide. [1] So obviously spending money on beauty does not hamper charitable giving to others.I will close my argument with a quote from the Book of Mark:While He was in Bethany at the home of Simon the leper, and reclining at the table,there came a woman with an alabaster vial of very costly perfume of pure nard; and she broke the vial and poured it over His head. But some were indignantly remarking to one another, “Why has this perfume been wasted? “For this perfume might have been sold for over three hundred denarii, and the money given to the poor.” And they were scolding her. But Jesus said, “Let her alone; why do you bother her? She has done a good deed to Me. “For you always have the poor with you, and whenever you wish you can do good to them; but you do not always have Me. “She has done what she could; she has anointed My body beforehand for the burial. “Truly I say to you, wherever the gospel is preached in the whole world, what this woman has done will also be spoken of in memory of her.” Then Judas Iscariot, who was one of the twelve, went off to the chief priests in order to betray Him to them. Mark 14:3-10People who honour God do so in many ways. That she did this for Jesus is not to say that she did not also give to the poor. Jesus did not stop her, but was grateful for the gift. One could claim that Judas loved the poor, but it was others honouring Jesus in a way he disagreed with that led him to jealously betray Jesus.[1] http://pseudo01.hddn.com...