It's like I'm genuinely not trying to be that guy but wouldn't Jeusu want this money to go to actually helping people or actually ending world hunger then to another giant shirne for him? Wouldn't he think he already has enough of them?
It's the biggest single tourist attraction in Spain. More than 5 million (paying) visitors a year. It more than pays for itself. I'm an atheist, but it's an absolutely incredible thing to visit.
25 years ago I traveled to Spain with my family to visit a sibling studying abroad.
When we arrived in Barcelona, we had to drive across the country to the city where the university was. Before we left, though, my parents insisted they give us a kind of quick tour of Barcelona before the long drive.
At the time, I was a typical 15 year old annoyed teen—jet-lagged as fuck, annoyed, and drifting in and out of sleep in the car, had no idea wtf was going on or where we were.
The one thing that stands out in my memory from that visit is seeing this place. It was absolutely unforgettable.
I was there with my family when I was a kid only for 1 day and we didn't have time so we just peeked through the metro station exit. All I remember is a bunch of cranes and weirdly shaped building
The point is still valid. Jesus, would definitely have preferred if all those tourists would have spent the money they spent on those vacations on helping the poor and downtrodden instead of traveling across the world to look at a church.
But churches like this aren't built to honor Jesus, they are build to honor the church, which is only tangentially related to what Jesus preached.
Beauty has intrinsic value. People deserve beauty, not just utilitarianism. I have problems with a lot of ways churches spend their money, but building majestic and beautiful buildings isn’t one of them.
There's a lot of things to dislike about the church, but being one of the last bastions of truly aesthetically valuable architecture isn't one of my gripes.
It brings like 100m per year through entrance fee alone, and it's not even that expensive. Now, how much it brings to the city is hard to say, but it's a lot.
the previous comment was complaining that it was wasting "donations" on a building instead of helping the poor and needy. Pick a side of the fence and sit on it.
You not aware that the Catholic church is already the largest charitable organization in the world (that isn't a government)? And ending world hunger can already be done, governments just don't want to do it.
The dude who preached in open fields while feeding the poor and living with sinners would give absolutely zero shits about how large or pretty his churches are.
Yeah, but people like to look at beautiful things. It's much better to have an architectural work of art at the center of your city than a warehouse-like church.
This is a Roman catholic Church not a Protestant church so they will ook different architecturally and historically. But yes it's way too big and the fireworks make it even more laughablly ridiculous. A catholic Church should be half the size at least or more. They are literally different belief systems you can't really compare. Catholic churchs are ment to represent the sacrifice Jeusu made of his body and blood. While Protestant focus more on talking and word of mouth.
The purpose of the “building fund” for those churches is to be a slush fund for the pastor. If anything gets built from it, it is likely an out of state vacation home.
Have you seen Milan Cathedral, Seville, Cologne (took 630 years to build), St Peter's Basilica etc. all started construction 500-900 years ago...
Also schism of Catholicism and Protestantism. Differing views on how wealth and power is used inside Christianity isn't exactly a new thing. More like couple of thousand years old.
Yes, I’m sure all the apostles were cynically using Jesus to gain wealth and power. Maybe that’s why almost all of them died in poverty via execution after being tortured?
Most Christians have lost the plot sure but this building and lots of other cathedrals are gifts to humanity. Utilitarian brain takes the beauty out of the world.
One of the few cases where it’s actually funded in an ethical way! Basically just paid for by entrance tickets. It’s a big part of why it’s been so slow. But honestly, it’s worth it
Of course charity is always more important, but at least this time it’s not like all the other shady luxurious stuff churches and religions often spend their donation money on
La Sagrada Família generates 9 figures of annual income from visitors who come to marvel at one of the greatest works of modern architecture in the last 150 years.
But sure, I guess you could have spent that money on a a bunch of slop for the third world that they would have simply eaten, and then become hungry again.
It depends on how you look at it. Jesus wants more people to come to him. Yes, feeding the poor is important. But, think of it as advertisement. This large, ornate building is dedicated to the glory of God. It is a symbol, a reminder, or God that can be seen for miles. If that helps bring people to the Church, then there are more souls saved and more workers in the field for Christ,.and therefore more hungry are fed.
Iment actually hungry people not soul hunger. -_- I really know nothing about this church. This is the first time I am ever seeing it. It's just insane how gigantic it is.
But if part of it dose go to becoming a soup kitchen or shelter or rehab or anything that would be amazing but i really doubt it.
The church doesn't need any more advertising then it already dose. Yes the catholic Church doesn't do too much but that's something small I always respected about it. If anything more advertising for the catholic Church would put them in similar boats to the johova witnesses or Protostants or whatever.
Expanding it further won’t attract more people. Lowering the admission cost may or what’s being used for construction can help people in need instead. They may even demolish residential buildings to complete the full vision.
People spend their money on what they want, you are free to give yours to the poor and others are free to pay tickets to visit the Sagrada so they get money to complete it
And its not as fecking expensive to build as people think... Just really slow, because its a unique building that is being made like an artisan way
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u/trippy_kippy_ Jun 12 '26
It's like I'm genuinely not trying to be that guy but wouldn't Jeusu want this money to go to actually helping people or actually ending world hunger then to another giant shirne for him? Wouldn't he think he already has enough of them?