How can some religions beg for money to help the poor, then spend a fortune on artwork, decorations, etc.?

Question

How about not buying the expensive building / statue / stained glass and giving THAT money away?

Thanks to those who used their minds and thanks also to the fundies who once again made themselves look foolish.

Answer 1

Because they are hippocrates and liars.

Answer 2

Yeah, how about that. The building, art work and stained glass windows provide an atmosphere of reverence for the believer to worship in. Only part of that money is actually for improvements and usually the worshiper knows in advance when that collection will be going to the building fund.

The rest of the money goes to the general fund, salaries, etc. Also money is destined for missions, orphanages, and hospitals.

Now how about the 'reverend' who spends millions on his Learjet and personal perks to 'spread the truth (as he knows it)?' How about the preacher who arrives at church in a helicopter to preach?

And let's not forget the Television Evangelists. How much do they give to charity?

H

Answer 3

I regularly give money to Catholic Relief Services. Every year the bishops hire a different outside firm to audit them. Being a regular member I get a summary of the report. The average that they have given away in charity over the past several years is over 90 million dollars per year.

That is just one organization in the Catholic Church. I suggest you do some research to find out what you are talking about before you talk about it. Sometimes we need more than just prejudice to go on.

Answer 4

The basic answer? Screwed up Priorities.

People tend to focus on the pretty things around them rather then the acts people do. When an average person donates he wants to see some value for his money, not spend it on loading up his far with those down on their luck, talking with them, and buying them lunch.

It's the same with any donation project. Why are we building memorials and monuments that are laced when gold, only to have those without a chance huddle and die underneath them? Because people would rather have a shiney valuable stone then save a hundred lives they'll never meet.

Answer 5

It's not about a religion asking for money to help the poor then not using it as such.

Any faith has needs. Needs to run the church. Needs to pay pastors. Needs to help the elderly. Needs to, as you say, help the poor. Even needs to foster political campaigns to see that our culture of death slows down.

To my Protestant friend lfeata, who clearly isn't familiar with a lot of Protestant money makers, this Catholic begs to differ.

There are a lot of Protestants who are all about the mighty dollar and not at all about helping the poor. They love to build their "megachurches." For instance, the famous "Crystal Cathedral" in Los Angeles is Protestant.

There is a vast difference between a cathedral - with stained glass and statuary - and a church or chapel. Simple, undecorated design.

Protestant leaders like Pat Robertson and Jerry Falwell believe that one can only say they are saved if they are rich. They teach that God grants money to those He loves. Which is not biblical. That's why so many protestants are looking to the Vatican. The pope has no money. Owns nothing. Sleeps in a little twin bed in the corner of his apartment.

Answer 6

Because the are false churches.Jesus said not to take a begging bag with you when you go to preach the word of God. If Jesus wanted us to have a building to worship him in, don't ya think that he would have built one? God destroed the Temple of the Jews for much of the same thing.They were in it for the money and fame. Jesus said "You cannot love both God and money, for you will love one and hate the other"

Answer 7

While I agree with you in large part, people need to have more than their mouths fed. They need to have their souls fed also. Art (including architecture) and music go a long way toward feeding that need. In a public place, like a church, everyone can see the art and music without any entrance fees. Sometimes just sitting in a church and taking it all in can be very peaceful.

Answer 8

For the same reason that celebrities and filmmakers try to get everyone to donate while they spend a fortune on producing movies and other forms of entertainment we don't need.

Answer 9

various version, even interior one denomination or faith. i'm rather disenchanted that there are such various knee-jerk 'it extremely is all approximately administration'-form solutions. Have any of you ever regarded into analyze on the project? i understand there is been a minimum of one study carried out by utilising an financial anthropologist (subset of anthropology which seems at financial behaviours).

Answer 10

Better question... why does the Pope live in a lavish "palace" while Jesus "did not have a place to rest his head"?

Answer 11

hmmm...you mean like, for example, the CATHOLIC CHURCH?????

okay, and before I get blasted, I can say this without malice because I was raised Catholic...there are so many things in that church which make NO sense at all!!!!