Why not sell churches?

Kenneth Hynek • 8th Jul 2009 • Religion, Atheism, Religion, Catholicism, Religion, Christianity, Stray Thoughts, Secularism makes you stupid
Cebu, Mass, Philippines, Soli Deo Gloria, Steve Ray, the Church, Vatican

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Steve Ray responds to a question from a wrong-minded atheist* who asked why the Church — if she is committed to helping the poor — does not sell her many beautiful cathedrals and donate the proceeds:

“Your friend has it back-asswards. I have been to the poorest areas of the Philippines and seen their beautiful churches. Who owns those churches? The Vatican? No! They are owned by the poor people who scratched every dime together to build a house for [tag]God[tag] worthy of him. The Church, funded by these poor and wealthier donors have also built the hospitals, schools, and feed the poor.

Why does your friend have a better house and nicer car than she needs? Why not quit being a hypocrite and sell her possession and distribute them to the poor? Let her put her money where her big mouth is? Let her learn the real truth before she criticizes and condemns?

In the Philippines on the island of Cebu (as everywhere else) they have Mass every hour on the hour 12-14 hours a day in churches that are only separated by a few miles. The Masses are every hour on the hour starting at 5 AM there is standing room only at every Mass. Who would DARE to take those churches and sell them? The poor people would rally around their churches and kill anyone who would dare touch them.

He’s right of course.

He’s also lucky. It’s one thing to have to explain these things to an atheist who, being a non-believer, can at least be forgiven (somewhat) for “just not getting it.” It’s quite another thing to have to explain this same thing to an evangelical fundamentalist (who professes Soli Deo Gloria using the same mouth with which he denounces lavish Catholic cathedrals, icons, and art as “idolatry”). And it’s also quite another thing to have to explain this same thing to an ostensibly Catholic relative, or a faux-concerned “social justice” advocate.

People who don’t believe in the Gospel can be expected to ask such inane questions as this. It is a shameful thing for people who do believe in the Gospel, and who have supposedly read the account of the poor woman’s offering, to ask questions such as this.

Sadly, far too many do.

* * *

* but I repeat myself