Why do churches have steeples?

Answer 1

The church steeple is a phallic symbol, and is detestable to God.

(Isaiah 57:8,17) The male organ you beheld [in false worship]. ...I [Jehovah] was indignant. But he kept walking as a renegade in the way of his heart.

Learn more:
http://watchtower.org/e/20050101a/article_01.htm
http://watchtower.org/e/20001215/article_01.htm
http://watchtower.org/e/rq/article_11.htm

Answer 2

Why do churches have steeples?

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Until quite recently, accurate clocks were either nonexistent or expensive. In fact, standard time wasn’t invented until the nineteenth century, so even when clocks became common, each person set his clock by the sun, which meant that they could differ considerably. The time of day was very approximate—for example, in the New Testament, everything happened at either the third, sixth, or ninth hour. People told time by the position of the sun, which is part guesswork, and on overcast days they had to go by feel.


So you can see that until very recently, it was impossible to fix Sunday morning worship at, say, 9:30 and expect everyone to show up on time.

In the beginning, Christian worship was at sunrise. Sunrise and sunset are the only two times of day about which everyone can be unanimous without accurate timepieces. But after Christianity became legal, pious Christians wanted to worship at different times of the day and on all days of the week, so it became necessary to develop some means of announcing the time of worship to the public. Church buildings acquired bell towers for this purpose, and they evolved into today’s steeples. Now that we have accurate and inexpensive watches, we don’t need church bells to tell us when to set out for church. So steeples have become decorative—though I understand that their original function is beginning to return.

Synagogues do not have steeples for the simple reason that ringing a bell on the Sabbath violates the Law.

Steeples are more or less a western European innovation. Churches in Bavaria, Austria, and points east have historically had domes, not steeples. Steeples have never been a feature of churches in Africa or Asia, either. Take a look at the cite: http://www.kencollins.com/question-16.HTM and http://www.kencollins.com/default.aspx







mandiedq also has a VERY good answer, which could also be historically correct. "Bells coulda been on top of churches because historically they were the center of town, the meeting place for many town meetings, and the heart of the community. The bells would sound to signify different things. Steeples were put on top of the bell towers because lightning would strike the bell tower or church. The steeple would act as a lightning pole to keep the bell tower from being struck.













Go to: http://www.ask.com/web?q=Why+do+churches+have+steeples%3F&qsrc=0&o=333&l=dir&sugreqs=21
for:Church Steeples Origins
Purpose of Church Steeples
History of Church Steeples
Brief History of Church Steeples
Why Do Cathedrals Have Steeples

Answer 3

Bells were on top of churches because historically they were the center of town, the meeting place for many town meetings, and the heart of the community. The bells would sound to signify different things. Steeples were put on top of the bell towers because lightning would strike the bell tower or church. The steeple would act as a lightning pole to keep the bell tower from being struck.

Answer 4

Heres my guess.
1. In the old times it could be seen and the bell could be heard for miles around. Being the tallest manmade structurearound.
2.You could make it more beautiful with the paintings and murals. in essensce more Awe inspiring.
and my last guess
3. Rain and snow would roll off a sharper pitched roof therefore preventing roof collapse.

Answer 5

So the church can be closer to god. LOL Those christians are real characters.

Answer 6

They are carryovers from pagan worship of sacred poles and are actually phallic symbols.

Answer 7

to hold a cross or a bell tower.

Answer 8

To hold the bell?

Answer 9

They're each little towers of Babel. I think it's appropriate.:-)

Answer 10

to keep their bells dry