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user-inactivated  ·  2444 days ago  ·  link  ·    ·  parent  ·  post: Talk Religion: Religions and Perceptions of Ostentatiousness and Modesty

There's some things that can be appreciated about the more ornamental religious buildings. They're aesthetically pleasing and often rich in cultural history. Sometimes though, I think they can be too much, especially if for one reason or another they're becoming financial burdens. There's a lot of give and take though, cause on one hand money could be better spent in other ways but on the other hand, people might see a value in the buildings that extend beyond finances. Which then brings up the whole idea of materialism and detachment and the question of how much might that apply to places people consider literally and truly sacred?

One of the really interesting things that I've noticed, at least here in my part of The States, is that people are getting creative in where they're holding church. I've seen everything from coffee shops being rented out every Sunday morning to buildings like old barns, restaurants, and even bars being bought up and converted to Churches. As for Baha'is, some larger cities will have Baha'i centers, but for many smaller communities, feasts, devotions, and holy days are just held in someone's living room. It's kind of nice.

That said, I've been inside some awesome buildings and it's a shame to think of any of them falling into disrepair.