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(I
have to apologize for some of the pictures here as something is wrong
with my camera and I have no idea what or how to fix it.)
Yesterday I spoke about having lunch in the 1st Baptist church in downtown Fort Lauderdale and how impressed, and uncomfortable, I felt. I haven't stopped
thinking of the church, the property and what little I saw that induced
those feelings.
Before anything else let me state that this blog is not about religion, anti-religion, having faith or not, believing in
God, god, aliens, being a Jew, Muslim, Catholic or any other branch of
religion, just thoughts going through my head. I am not 'picking' on
the Baptist church but using it as an example.
If I had the research ability--where are you AJ and/or Eky when I need you???--I would like to know if churches issue profit and
loss statements though I know that just doesn't sound right but they
must, or do they?, have to answer to the government (IRS?) to maintain
their status.
John is a member of the
church and does a lot of volunteering for them--is that a form of
tithing?--and has been working his arse off doing props for the
Christmas pageant. He was the one who told me about the restaurant and
after reading my review he sent me the following:
individual church members and
grille is operated by and independent organization
rent the space to them. And finally, it is no sin for a church
the Devine mandate to its members."
dollar property? They have a free parking lot which seems even if they
charged a nominal fee would make a lot of money for the church that
could help the homeless.
the rooms but what I did see held works of art, pottery, a hemisphere
and bible made of what looked like brass/copper and a wall map of the
world that wasn't made on the cheap. There was a dining room almost the
length of a city block.
their annual Christmas pageant that runs for 18 performances and,
easily, has to make a $1 million, which most has to be profit as the
majority of people involved volunteer. Tickets run from $18 for balcony
seats to $50 for orchestra seats and the auditorium is huge. I don't
know the seating capacity but the 'theatre' itself looks larger than
any I have been into in NYC. They don't tax the price on the
tickets--which I guess that means the city gets nothing--but they
charge a 6% 'convenience fee". Most, if not all, performances are sold
out. I would love to know how much they profit from this pageant and
where it goes. I won't even get into the lighting system they have
which any theatre in Fort Lauderdale would envy.
a church to prosper..." but does it have to be in material things? I
thought church was a place to be unadorned, plain and to show austerity
and give to their parish and parishioners--seeing they are fed, have
shelter and a place to worship.
into an underground church in Brasilia, the capitol of Brazil, that was
opulent from the minute you walked down into it.
world to see the rich churches filled with rich art from statues to
stain glass windows and, yet, we have people all over the world who
will go to sleep on the ground, hungry, tonight and I have to ask why?
buy a piece of art, get a bigger house? Yes, I know many people who
lead the churches are poor and live poor but on the other hand we know
the Vatican is one of the richest 'cities' in the world with a not to
be matched art collection and, supposedly, the biggest porn collection
in the world.
church leaders and all the money they had amassed, taking pennies,
dimes and hard worked for dollars from people looking for peace,
miracles, a place to lay their head down, soup to fill their bellies,
cures for their illnesses and all they get is a 'plea' for more money.
have the homeless come into their opulent dining hall? Do they open the
church auditorium for people who don't have a place to sleep? Where is their charity? How are the homeless ministered to?