Three Crosses over Chattanooga

http://www.wrcbtv.com/story/23080965/three-crosses-under-construction-to-stand-tall-over-chattanooga

How many homeless families would $700,000 feed?

 

I'm trying to figure out how these constructions passed local building ordinances.

I bet if they were minarets they'd be gone on the first application of plans.

 

BTW - It warms me to know these monstrosities were financed and paid for with tax deductible donations.

In other words, by the taxpayers of non christian inclinations who had to pay higher taxes to make up for the shortfall incumbent due to deductions allowed to the religious in order to erect these edifices to the vanity of men.

Seriously, is this a '"charitable" cause? Will they allow the local country club to erect a 125 foot high concrete driver on their property?

 

And yet if it had been minarets would you have said anything? I wonder?

But to be honest the money probbaly could have been spent in better ways, but I see no problem in glorifying God and promoting their church.

 

Yes, as a matter of fact.

Do you think god prefers these monstrosities as opposed to using the money to help the poor? How many 125 foot tall edifices did Jesus erect?

 

The cross does not glorify God, it glorifies the torture that was used to kill Jesus.

The empty tomb glorifies God. This 700K monstrosity is a mockery of Jesus. It's no better than a golden calf.

 

I believe most protestant denominations use the cross as a symbol of sacrifice so I would assume they are attempting to glorify God. Is it tastefull not to me but I am not insulted by it either.

- - - Updated - - -

Well thats good that you would protest the waste of the money no matter the faith. I suppose they feel the message they are trying to convey will save more souls then feeding their bodies. Agian I dont agree but it is their church.

 

I have no problem if they waste their money on concrete monstrosities as opposed to shepherding the poor, as Jesus said they should do, what irks me is they get a tax deduction for it.

I do not see any differences between churches, mosques or synagogues and the local country club down the road.

Golf, tennis or god, anyone? Buehler?

 

I wonder if construction does get the exemption?

 

Why does a church get an exemption and other business's don't?

 

Well with charitable work I can understand the value of tax exemptions. But property improvements are a little more difficult to defend

 

Yeap, and how many homeless families will be feed if you don't buy a new car, stop taking vacation trips, no more buying house decorations, and quit spending abstract gifts for friends?

 

Are you referring to priests, ministers, immans and rabbis?

 

Every cent a person donates to their church, mosque or synagogue is tax deductible whether or not it goes to building a 50 million dollar monstrosity, buying golden objects for their altars, expensive works of art, religious buildings in foreign lands, religious schools and instruction, religious retreats and vacations to religious destinations, food and beverages for religious meetings and get togethers....or feeding the poor.

I read a research paper years ago that found 90-95% of donations to religious organizations go to supporting the trappings of their religions institution as exampled by the above, and less than 10% to actual charitable causes.

Did you know that churches mosques and synagogues don't even pay property taxes?

 

Jesus did approve of some vanity over practicality. Mark 14.

 

No. Jesus approved because she was preparing his body for burial. Anointing a body with oils had nothing to do with the vanity of the dead and everything to do with the eyes and noses of the living. It was a necessity.

"She hath done what she could; she hath come beforehand to anoint My body for burial."

But I am not surprised a christian would be confused by scripture, not to mention spending hundreds of millions of dollars on churches and the trappings of churches instead of relieving the suffering of the poor. Addressing the question might cause an agonizing reappraisal, which few christians sentiments could well afford.

 

You can include them too, why not?

The bible shows a king building a Temple with extreme luxury, and there were poor people in Israel, but the Temple was the Temple, and no signs that God was in disagreement, neither the population.

Even the government does the same, there is a lot to be done for people but the government -with your tax money- build monuments by lots, and private companies obtain all the profit.. at your cost... and you say nothing...

Why you care about religious people letting their religious institutions spending the money in monuments, when after all, it's their money... not yours...

 

As mentioned but passed over your head, I don't care what they spend their money on as long as it means I don't have to pay higher taxes to make up for their deductions. I don't know how many more times I need to say it to get through the cortex or to make it clear.

To me, the local church, mosque or synagogue is no different then the local golf or tennis country club except the country club members can't write off their membership fees, dues and green fees.

 

The bible is full of hypocrisies, not to mention murder, mayhem, slavery, torture, genocide and incest.

But even with that, the hebrews were not able to write off their donations to their religious institutions to lower their tax bite, whether it be Canaan, Philistine, Egyptian, Hebrew or Roman.

And your contention that the people didn't object to the taxes they paid, no matter what it went to, is simply silly.

 

So a church legally does something with it's own money and people are still going to (*)(*)(*)(*)(*)? Call me when something pressing actually comes up.

 

Zoning laws aside, I have no problem with the construction as long as it is on private property. However, to the extent that it was built with tax-deductible donations to a "charitable organization" I agree with you completely: How can this be justified as charity?

Of course, this is also "charity":

 

That's just another case of idol worship.

 

Jesus never gave the poor a penny. He wanted it all for himself.

 

The worshipers are starving for the word of God. God will take care of their physical needs. When they are in a beautiful church it gives them a glimpse of what life will be like in the gaudy bejeweled golden cube called New Jerusalem.

 

They can catch all the glimpses they want--but not on my dime​.