It's a building and it burned down.
France has lots of derelict Catholic Churches
I think you should re-read my post if you think I suggested that it was "Just a building". It is/was of a major historical, architectural and artistic significance but nobody died, it is not 800 years old and it in no way unique.Lots of buildings have been burnt down. Few get the global media attention that Notre Dame has got. I would suggest it is more than just a building that burned down as your remark implies.
About 3% of the population of France goes to Mass regularly. Most Churches are empty most of the time. Empty buildings get broken into. We don't know if the Churches identifies in the NewsWeek article are derelict, disused or closed most of the time. They cite individual Churches and then quote numbers but don't state what the status is of the churches included in those numbers. Obviously there is an anti-Church element to some of the attacks and all attacks on religious sites should be condemned but it is inaccurate to suggest that all attacks are part of an anti-Church agenda.Thanks.
But staying on topic, Notre Dame nor the churches identified in the newsweek article are not derelict.
I think you should re-read my post if you think I suggested that it was "Just a building".
Most Churches are empty most of the time. Empty buildings get broken into. We don't know if the Churches identifies in the NewsWeek article are derelict, disused or closed most of the time.
It's hard to overstate how underused French Churches are.Most churches are empty most if the time. No different to here in Ireland. Very few churches, used, disused, derelict or closed, are vandalised, broken into or desecrated, to the extent that it is occurring in France as far as im aware.
[broken link removed]
smacks of someone, somewhere wanting to downplay the prospect of arson.
You may be right, but downplaying the prospect of arson before the facts are known is preferable
I always look at Cathedrals as monuments to inequality; all the highly skilled labour and backbreaking work that went into building them could only ever have been paid for in a grossly unequal society. They are the very antithesis of what Christianity should stand for and a physical manifestation of how human frailty will eventually corrupt any ideal.Nantes Cathedral
Another cathedral on fire in France. There doesn't appear to be any hesitancy in calling foul play this time.
I always look at Cathedrals as monuments to inequality; all the highly skilled labour and backbreaking work that went into building them could only ever have been paid for in a grossly unequal society. They are the very antithesis of what Christianity should stand for and a physical manifestation of how human frailty will eventually corrupt any ideal.
On the one hand I agree (I remember when we visited St Peter's Basilica we were both disgusted at the shameless display of wealth there). However on the other hand, it's not just Cathedrals or Christianity that can be targeted with that argument. A large portion of the truly impressive buildings around the world are religious buildings of some description. For each of these buildings there is a story of the construction of them and the suffering of the people who built them.I always look at Cathedrals as monuments to inequality; all the highly skilled labour and backbreaking work that went into building them could only ever have been paid for in a grossly unequal society. They are the very antithesis of what Christianity should stand for and a physical manifestation of how human frailty will eventually corrupt any ideal.
Absolutely, it's a general point.On the one hand I agree (I remember when we visited St Peter's Basilica we were both disgusted at the shameless display of wealth there). However on the other hand, it's not just Cathedrals or Christianity that can be targeted with that argument. A large portion of the truly impressive buildings around the world are religious buildings of some description. For each of these buildings there is a story of the construction of them and the suffering of the people who built them.
On the one hand I agree (I remember when we visited St Peter's Basilica we were both disgusted at the shameless display of wealth there). However on the other hand, it's not just Cathedrals or Christianity that can be targeted with that argument. A large portion of the truly impressive buildings around the world are religious buildings of some description. For each of these buildings there is a story of the construction of them and the suffering of the people who built them.
Lots of magnificent buildings in Berlin there for a while too that were built on the cheap!True and yet some magnificent art work exists as a result of all of that. The world would be a poorer place without Michaeangelo's David or Sistine chapel or LDV's last supper. Same applies for the Taj Mahal or giant Buddahs. And how many craftsmen, builders and workers were employed in all of their building. ?
I always look at Cathedrals as monuments to inequality; all the highly skilled labour and backbreaking work that went into building them could only ever have been paid for in a grossly unequal society. They are the very antithesis of what Christianity should stand for and a physical manifestation of how human frailty will eventually corrupt any ideal.
Not sure how you see this as the antithesis of Christianity, for most of its existence Christianity was a completely hierarchical institution, and for the very most part still is.
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