Churches

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IntoTheVoid

Banned
#1
Sep 14, 2013
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#1
So I had to attend a wedding last weekend and I have to say the old church was incredible. Beautiful stained glass, stunning stone statues and arches... Certainly not a product of awful 'Modern Architecture'.

I've had to visit a lot of churches recently due to weddings, deaths etc and they have all been amazing, apart from a newly built chapel which had zero atmosphere.

Anyway, was there a certain blueprint or style that churches had to adhere to when being built? Any biblical instruction? Why Aren't they built like that anymore?
 
I

IntoTheVoid

Banned
#3
Sep 14, 2013
915
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#3
Thank you Didymos.

I appreciate the info, also just wanted to point out that even as an atheist I can appreciate the beauty of an old church :)
 
p_rehbein

p_rehbein

Senior Member
#4
Sep 4, 2013
30,196
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#4
My personal like is for the old country style church building.........kinda rectangular in shape, real wood construction, painted white, with a tall bell tower, topped off with a steeple.......Don't know if I have a pic of any, but maybe you can imagine. Yes to stained glass windows....double front doors.......
 
S

sensible

Guest
#5
#5
it is not the beauty of the building the most important, because who is the church? it is YOU and ur SISTERS n BROTHERS, that make the church, so u all have to be clean and thats the beauty God loves :)
 
D

didymos

Guest
#6
#6
IntoTheVoid said:
Thank you Didymos.

I appreciate the info, also just wanted to point out that even as an atheist I can appreciate the beauty of an old church :)
Click to expand...
You're welcome. Well, it's good to hear an atheist 'can appreciate the beauty of an old church.' ;)
For a christian it's much more important that it's a practical building, than the aesthetics of it. A church should be suitable for worship, for the services that are held there, and the congregation should feel at home in 'God's house.' Too often, especially in Europe, old church buildings are a burden to the congregation. They cost a lot of money in upkeep, they're impossible to heat, they're way too big, they're not suitable for modern forms of worship anymore etc.
 
Delija

Delija

Banned
#7
Oct 16, 2013
492
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#7
Orthodox Churches are built in the mesurements of instructions which Holy Angel gave it to the Moses.Maybe u read that chapter.
 
K

Kerry

Guest
#8
#8
I would be like a lot of folks here on CC. If I went to dead cemetery of a church. Thank God that there are still churches with The Holy Ghost and fire.
 
p_rehbein

p_rehbein

Senior Member
#9
Sep 4, 2013
30,196
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#9
sensible said:
it is not the beauty of the building the most important, because who is the church? it is YOU and ur SISTERS n BROTHERS, that make the church, so u all have to be clean and thats the beauty God loves :)
Click to expand...
Yes, we know, thanks........but just discussing various designs that are esthetically pleasing to us. :) Not putting the building ahead of God.
 
O

overcomer2

Guest
#10
#10
May I ask IntoTheVoid why you fellowship on this site if you are an atheist? Do you find us good company? Just wondering. :confused:
 
I

IntoTheVoid

Banned
#11
Sep 14, 2013
915
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#11
I do find a lot of you good company yeah! I am a member of various forums of different cultures and beliefs. I don't let my view on the world decide who I do and do not associate with.

I like to talk to people from all walks of life. They say your only the person you are because of the people you've met. So I want to meet as many as possible :)
 
O

overcomer2

Guest
#12
#12
okay, you remind me of the woman at the well.
 
O

overcomer2

Guest
#14
#14
she was a woman at the well who met Jesus and they talked. The conversation turns to her married life. She admits shes not married and Jesus tells her that she has been married 5 times and the 6th she's just living with. In other words she looks around for husbands marries one and decides she doesn't like him, then the, just keeps trying on different spirits. Then she meets God.
You just keep trying on different spirits, religions without commitment. Lukewarm. If you were hot or cold that would be better.

Anyway word of caution: to much openmindedness and you have to be careful your brains don't fall out.
 
I

IntoTheVoid

Banned
#15
Sep 14, 2013
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#15
Well, I can't say if heard that tale before. A couple of corrections though, with all due respect.

I am no way open minded. I'm 100 percent convinced god doesn't exist. Same goes for Allah, Ganesh, Zeus, Vishnu etc. I don't frequent religious forums for religious reasons.. It's just that religious forums are the easiest place to meet a lot of people from different cultures and backgrounds... One of the view good uses of the internet these days.

Secondly I'm not a woman, and thirdly I don't possess a well :)
 
Agricola

Agricola

Senior Member
#16
Dec 10, 2012
2,638
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#16
didymos said:
You're welcome. Well, it's good to hear an atheist 'can appreciate the beauty of an old church.' ;)
For a christian it's much more important that it's a practical building, than the aesthetics of it. A church should be suitable for worship, for the services that are held there, and the congregation should feel at home in 'God's house.' Too often, especially in Europe, old church buildings are a burden to the congregation. They cost a lot of money in upkeep, they're impossible to heat, they're way too big, they're not suitable for modern forms of worship anymore etc.
Click to expand...
you hit the Nail on head.

Many critics of Christianity in UK criticise the Church of England amongst others for asking public to raise tons of money for various funds to repair the church roof and so on, money they say which could be used helping the homeless.

Problem is people do not realise that many churches and buildings in the ownership of the likes of the CoE are listed buildings and by law have to be maintained. Although the buildings may be old and "nice" the reality is the CoE would bulldoze nearly all its churches over night if the law allowed it, then build new modern churches in their place.

Another issue is that people say "Christianity must be dead because of all the empty churches". Well no, I know of two early Victorian churches near me which have been sold off to property developers as they are literally falling apart. The congregation moved out ages ago and hire a local community hall instead.
 
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overcomer2

Guest
#17
#17
Well, 1st this is a parable meaning it an example of something. I knew you were not a woman when I responded. I said you reminded me of her. The tale is not a tale but a testimony if you possess a Bible you can read about her, better yet I'll put it here for you.
John 4:6-
[SUP]6 [/SUP]Now Jacob's well was there. Jesus therefore, being wearied with his journey, sat thus on the well: and it was about the sixth hour.
[SUP]7 [/SUP]There cometh a woman of Samaria to draw water: Jesus saith unto her, Give me to drink.
[SUP]8 [/SUP](For his disciples were gone away unto the city to buy meat.)
[SUP]9 [/SUP]Then saith the woman of Samaria unto him, How is it that thou, being a Jew, askest drink of me, which am a woman of Samaria? for the Jews have no dealings with the Samaritans.
[SUP]10 [/SUP]Jesus answered and said unto her, If thou knewest the gift of God, and who it is that saith to thee, Give me to drink; thou wouldest have asked of him, and he would have given thee living water.
[SUP]11 [/SUP]The woman saith unto him, Sir, thou hast nothing to draw with, and the well is deep: from whence then hast thou that living water?
[SUP]12 [/SUP]Art thou greater than our father Jacob, which gave us the well, and drank thereof himself, and his children, and his cattle?
[SUP]13 [/SUP]Jesus answered and said unto her, Whosoever drinketh of this water shall thirst again:
[SUP]14 [/SUP]But whosoever drinketh of the water that I shall give him shall never thirst; but the water that I shall give him shall be in him a well of water springing up into everlasting life.
[SUP]15 [/SUP]The woman saith unto him, Sir, give me this water, that I thirst not, neither come hither to draw.
[SUP]16 [/SUP]Jesus saith unto her, Go, call thy husband, and come hither.
[SUP]17 [/SUP]The woman answered and said, I have no husband. Jesus said unto her, Thou hast well said, I have no husband:
[SUP]18 [/SUP]For thou hast had five husbands; and he whom thou now hast is not thy husband: in that saidst thou truly.
[SUP]19 [/SUP]The woman saith unto him, Sir, I perceive that thou art a prophet.
[SUP]20 [/SUP]Our fathers worshipped in this mountain; and ye say, that in Jerusalem is the place where men ought to worship.
[SUP]21 [/SUP]Jesus saith unto her, Woman, believe me, the hour cometh, when ye shall neither in this mountain, nor yet at Jerusalem, worship the Father.
[SUP]22 [/SUP]Ye worship ye know not what: we know what we worship: for salvation is of the Jews.
[SUP]23 [/SUP]But the hour cometh, and now is, when the true worshippers shall worship the Father in spirit and in truth: for the Father seeketh such to worship him.

you seem smart enough so I hope you don't mind the KJV.
 
C

chubbena

Guest
#18
#18
IntoTheVoid said:
Well, I can't say if heard that tale before. A couple of corrections though, with all due respect.

I am no way open minded. I'm 100 percent convinced god doesn't exist. Same goes for Allah, Ganesh, Zeus, Vishnu etc. I don't frequent religious forums for religious reasons.. It's just that religious forums are the easiest place to meet a lot of people from different cultures and backgrounds... One of the view good uses of the internet these days.

Secondly I'm not a woman, and thirdly I don't possess a well :)
Click to expand...
Everybody owns a well somewhere deep inside. A thirst that needs to be quenched. Some by earthly matters, some by spiritual matters, some by lies.
You are 100% convinced that god doesn't exist yet you'd like to meet people who believe he does? I don't get it.
Are you saying you would like to meet a whole bunch of fools who believe in, some probably would die for, a lie?
Does it benefit you speakng with them? How could this be?
 
I

IntoTheVoid

Banned
#19
Sep 14, 2013
915
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#19
There's much more to people than just their beliefs you know.

Or shall I just shut myself off from the world and only speak to people with the same world view as me?
 
O

overcomer2

Guest
#20
#20
Oh no, please understand the world is nothing I care to be part of. My home is not here. No, you can have the world just give me Jesus.
 
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