re: #258 Feline Emperor of the Conservative Waste

I really like the architecture of some of the old churches I’ve been in. Stained glass and art thing that are really well done. (As a comparison there is a “new” Catholic church near the town my brother lives in and it looks like an industrial warehouse with this odd-looking and obviously artificial in workings bell tower. (Yuck)

My friends have needled me about being the atheist who hangs out in churches. (I tend to arrive early for stuff and they’ve found me sitting there in the dark since I got to a few wedding rehearsals early. That I was enjoying the quiet and the sunset coming through stained glass windows went right past them. :p )

The internal conflict I feel about these things is that the resources spent on them beyond being functional are resources that arguably can go into programs and other sorts of service. Though there is something in attending service in something that is obviously a source of pride for the community.

I’ve heard of some atheists (PZ Myers and Penn Jillette spring to mind) who will refuse to step foot in a church parking lot, let alone the building itself, for obvious reasons. If there’s a family event there, I go. I don’t kneel or take communion anymore, but it means something to my relatives to see us there.

Gotta go turn in my copy of The God Delusion now, LOL.

One of my things-to-do is to go see Saint Neumann up on Girard Ave or wherever it is. Mainly for the morbid curiosity. I’ve already been to the Mtter Mueseum, so it’s seems like a good fit.