Ted Grant II
Registered Senior Member
Where ever there communities you will usually find religious buildings and structures.
Synagogue, Cathedral, Imambargah, Church, Mithraeum, Chapel, Temple, Mosque, Gurdwara, Monastery, Shrine and simply House, are some of the names of such buildings.
Small villages in my country typically have a General Store, Public House, Post office and a Church.
It is obvious that religious buildings, for many centuries, have been very important.
If someone has a set of religious beliefs, why do they need a special building?
They can talk to their gods at home.
Perhaps people need to meet like-minded folk in order to learn more details.
Perhaps the beliefs are so fantastic that they need constant reinforcement.
In the famous "Sermon on the Mount", Jesus says some surprising things...
"“Beware of practicing your righteousness before other people in order to be seen by them, for then you will have no reward from your Father who is in heaven"
"when you give to the needy, sound no trumpet before you, as the hypocrites do in the synagogues and in the streets, that they may be praised by others.
Truly, I say to you, they have received their reward."
"when you pray, you must not be like the hypocrites. For they love to stand and pray in the synagogues and at the street corners, that they may be seen by others.
Truly, I say to you, they have received their reward"
" when you pray, go into your room and shut the door and pray to your Father who is in secret.
And your Father who sees in secret will reward you"
when you pray, do not heap up empty phrases as the Gentiles do, for they think that they will be heard for their many words.
Do not be like them, for your Father knows what you need before you ask him"
He then gives an example of a prayer, which we call "The Lord's Prayer".
This prayer is repeated in public in direct contradiction of his previous advice!
In addition, his advice indicates that religious buildings are not the best places for worship.
Synagogue, Cathedral, Imambargah, Church, Mithraeum, Chapel, Temple, Mosque, Gurdwara, Monastery, Shrine and simply House, are some of the names of such buildings.
Small villages in my country typically have a General Store, Public House, Post office and a Church.
It is obvious that religious buildings, for many centuries, have been very important.
If someone has a set of religious beliefs, why do they need a special building?
They can talk to their gods at home.
Perhaps people need to meet like-minded folk in order to learn more details.
Perhaps the beliefs are so fantastic that they need constant reinforcement.
In the famous "Sermon on the Mount", Jesus says some surprising things...
"“Beware of practicing your righteousness before other people in order to be seen by them, for then you will have no reward from your Father who is in heaven"
"when you give to the needy, sound no trumpet before you, as the hypocrites do in the synagogues and in the streets, that they may be praised by others.
Truly, I say to you, they have received their reward."
"when you pray, you must not be like the hypocrites. For they love to stand and pray in the synagogues and at the street corners, that they may be seen by others.
Truly, I say to you, they have received their reward"
" when you pray, go into your room and shut the door and pray to your Father who is in secret.
And your Father who sees in secret will reward you"
when you pray, do not heap up empty phrases as the Gentiles do, for they think that they will be heard for their many words.
Do not be like them, for your Father knows what you need before you ask him"
He then gives an example of a prayer, which we call "The Lord's Prayer".
This prayer is repeated in public in direct contradiction of his previous advice!
In addition, his advice indicates that religious buildings are not the best places for worship.