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May 23, 2013
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 Churches Closing ShopPosted on Sep 10, 2011
Closed churches are selling artifacts and furnishings in the U.S. and Europe; graffiti artist Banksy accuses a TV documentary of distortion; and Amazon has finally created the Kindle tablet. These discoveries and more, below. On a regular basis, Truthdig brings you the news items and odds and ends that have found their way to Larry Gross, director of the USC Annenberg School for Communication. A specialist in media and culture, art and communication, visual communication and media portrayals of minorities, Gross helped found the field of gay and lesbian studies. The links below open in a new window. Newer ones are on top. Church closures see pulpits flood the U.S. market Equity asks gay performers whether it is safe to be ‘out’ Let’s Cancel 9/11: Bury the War State’s Blank Check at Sea Five Reasons Romney’s ‘Plan’ Is the Same Old Job-Killing Madness Dear nudists: please cover up, the seat at least Working-age poor or poor working-class? Banksy accuses Channel 4 film of distortion over ‘war of the walls’ Amazon’s Kindle Tablet Is Very Real Advertisement TAGS:
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By Basoflakes, September 11, 2011 at 12:57 pm Link to this comment
Ten years ago, British Columbia, Canada decided that the time to continue allowing churches tax exemption was over. They did a study and determined, as a rule of thumb, that for every one million people, the church owned $1 Billion in taxable real estate.
I’m sure that has gone up, so in America, the churches here likely own nearly a $1 Trillion in taxable real estate. Now taxing that is not my issue, although the need for tax exemption by churches(you know, to help struggling, faith providing congregations) has long passed.
My issue is more of what Jesus said or didn’t say, or what he was supposed to have said or didn’t say, I wasn’t there.
Jesus didn’t say, “Build me iconoclastic monstrosities that we will call temples in my honor.” Nope - he never said that. He never even preached in a temple, though he was reported to have thrown a few miscreants out of one.
Jesus did say, “Give up all you have and follow me.” Now, to be real, I’m going to interpret what Jesus said as - keep enough for yourself to provide food, clothing and a roof over your head, an occasional trip to Vegas, but that’s it.
Surely, Jesus did not want trillions to be spent building and maintaining churches, and then, to boot, have relics and art work purchased by said churches, when there are starving people in the world. Not bloody likely.
In Mathew 25, at the end of the Chapter, Jesus talks about the sheep and goats and who will get to heaven. He lays it out pretty simple - you feed the hungry, clothe the naked, visit the prisoners, comfort the infirmed, give drink to the thirsty and welcome the stranger - you’ll get to heaven.
I don’t see how anyone can misinterpret this. When you couple this with the ‘eye of the needle’ thing, none of the rich churches, atheletes, billionaires, celebrities have a chance in hell of going anywhere but hell.
Report thisBy GW=MCHammered, September 11, 2011 at 12:49 pm Link to this comment
(Unregistered commenter)
Churches are closing?
Maybe God exists after all!
Or Americans are finally tired of being sold soiled
Report thisgoods.
By gerard, September 11, 2011 at 12:37 pm Link to this comment
Regarding church relics, the question is just who may be “falling through the cracks” along with the artifacts. And who or what is creating the “cracks” in the first place. Global warming, perchance? Or
Report thisthat old devil “secular humanism”? Egad!