Notre Dame...

[Dalen Naskiel]

Has anybody ever been to Notre Dome?

When I was there last summer, I thought the stained glass was beautifully crafted and the architecture of the church was magnificent. One of the Stained Glass windows was of Jesus driving out the merchants, who were selling goods in Gods house...

The ironic thing was that about 10 feet away from this window, the people were actually selling (inside the church, during a service) jewlery and prayer tokens in a vending machine (pay the church a dollar and God will answer your prayer). I don't know if this is ok because they were selling religious objects, but it was still during a service, in one of the greatest churches in the world.

What's everyones opinions on this?

 

[MorgWolfsong]

this is sad because the church in recent years has become more profit oriented

 

[moniker]

this is sad because the church in recent years has become more profit oriented

It only occurs in some of the most visited sites in the world that are more tourist desitnations that happen to be cathedrals than cathedrals that happen to be tourist destinations. The same is true of St. Mark's in Venice. You're charged to go up behind the horses and other places as well, they had a giftshop the whole sad thing. However, none of this was the case in Florence's Duomo nor Chartes (or Ronchamp at least as of 2 years ago, according to my prof). So I would have to say it is in bad taste at least the church isn't going overboard.

I've only seen the outside of Notre Dame since we arrived late on the first day, and always had something else planned during the time it was open and just missed it later on. No complaints, though, due to everything else we saw in and around Paris on my euro-trip. It is a truly beautiful structure with all the ornamentation and catechism sculpted into it, even the buttresses give it an amazing appearance.

What other cathedrals and basillicas did you see while you were over there? I hit St Marck, Sacre Coure, Chartes, Pantheon, sat through mass in St Peter's, and went into a handful of little greek churches. Still have to go back and see Ronchamp and Hagia Sophia, though. Particularly Hagia Sophia, I just have to see that before I die. It's said to have rivaled King Solomon's temple in its heyday.

 

[MorgWolfsong]

Well yes not all are corrupt but for example do you have any idea how much money is in the vadican in forms such as art, gold, ect...

 

[destiny]

Has anybody ever been to Notre Dome?

When I was there last summer, I thought the stained glass was beautifully crafted and the architecture of the church was magnificent. One of the Stained Glass windows was of Jesus driving out the merchants, who were selling goods in Gods house...

The ironic thing was that about 10 feet away from this window, the people were actually selling (inside the church, during a service) jewlery and prayer tokens in a vending machine (pay the church a dollar and God will answer your prayer). I don't know if this is ok because they were selling religious objects, but it was still during a service, in one of the greatest churches in the world.

What's everyones opinions on this?

Sounds like fortune telling to me. Theres a lot of religious activity going on these days that have nothing to do with the real Jesus Christ.
It leaves people with a false perception of who He really is and what he's really about.
I'm sure it all stinks to the highest heavens.

 

[Dalen Naskiel]

Wow, this is the first topic I started in which people actually agree with me...

Good to know I have something in common with some people here

 

[moniker]

Well yes not all are corrupt but for example do you have any idea how much money is in the vatican in forms such as art, gold, ect...

Seeing how most, if not all, of them are priceless... What is your point, though? The precious metals and materials aren't going to be better used if they had never been put in the basillica. If Bernini's altar was only 10 ft high and made out of sticks the church wouldn't be any more or less noble. The works of art in the Vatican museum are just as useful as they would be in the Smithsonian.

 

[MorgWolfsong]

I'm not talking about the museum I am talking about its storage of wealth
and also "priceless"? Please there are people standing in church selling "Prayer coins and beads" the church shouldn't need money only what it takes to run the church no more no less

 

[moniker]

any idea how much money is in the vatican in forms such as art, gold, ect.

The Sistene Chapel is indeed priceless. Bernini's Altar is priceless. The Seat of Peter is priceless. I'd go so far as to say the 6 foot tall golden background for the text is priceless as well.

There are no people selling anything inside of the Vatican. Arguably tourguides are selling their wisdom, but that's about it. And that's mainly thanks to the registration process to make sure you are being accurate in the tour. The Vatican Museum has giftshops like any other museum, but that is not a church. If you meant the Vatican's bank book that's a rather strange way to go about saying it. Aside from which mind linking the Catholic church's profit margin since you condemn them for selling rosaries and such trinkets?