Churches and Mosques own land

and continue to maintain massive artifactual wealth, versus what they preach within the heart.

Why would they want to 'own' the land, and not share it with the community they believe in?

Did gods survey, and decide to tell their followers to abide by land, look after it, as party to their wanton requirement, in order to amass wealth, because of their fear of loss of followers?

I believe religions amass wealth, via land and gold and other assets, purely to maintain beliefs that instil fear of a god, heaven and hell, into their followers.

Pretty poor show, if you ask me. 😉

-m.

Originally posted by mikelom
and continue to maintain massive artifactual wealth, versus what they preach within the heart.

Why would they want to 'own' the land, and not share it with the community they believe in?

Did gods survey, and decide to tell their followers to abide by land, look after it, as party to their wanton requirement, in order to amass wealth, because of their ...[text shortened]... of a god, heaven and hell, into their followers.

Pretty poor show, if you ask me. 😉

-m.

there are many buddhist monastaries worth a small fortune (actually a large fortune). Many of the different sect's of buddhism have accumulated enormous wealth as well, why not include them?

Originally posted by mikelom
and continue to maintain massive artifactual wealth, versus what they preach within the heart.

Why would they want to 'own' the land, and not share it with the community they believe in?

Most of the mosques where I live are owned by the communities that worship in them.

Originally posted by mikelom
and continue to maintain massive artifactual wealth, versus what they preach within the heart.

Why would they want to 'own' the land, and not share it with the community they believe in?

Did gods survey, and decide to tell their followers to abide by land, look after it, as party to their wanton requirement, in order to amass wealth, because of their ...[text shortened]... of a god, heaven and hell, into their followers.

Pretty poor show, if you ask me. 😉

-m.

Here is a news flash, for some religion is simply a way up the socioeconomic ladder. In the time of Christ he spent the majority of his time pointing this out to the religious leaders at the temple. Thats about the time they went "cross crazy" with him.

Thats why I like some Hare Krsna farms.I can go and stay and eat and not be hassled for free.

(I actually used to have a dim view of the hares, but have come to realize, though they may still be far from perfect, I much prefer them to our "normal christian" majority....that seems to be decreasing (?) )

Originally posted by mikelom
Why would they want to 'own' the land, and not share it with the community they believe in?

Churches and Mosques are almost always essentially owned and shared by the community they serve. True they only serve the religious people of the religion in question.
But your real question is "why don't all theists simply give all their money to the poor". I think there are many possible answers - not all of them good ones.
Once you allow that theists may choose to remain richer than their neighbors, then you really have no argument regarding them choosing to put some of their money into their place of worship.

does,nt god own everything . and we rent it off him till we pass thro the door of death when we pay the rent?

Originally posted by mikelom
and continue to maintain massive artifactual wealth, versus what they preach within the heart.

Why would they want to 'own' the land, and not share it with the community they believe in?

Did gods survey, and decide to tell their followers to abide by land, look after it, as party to their wanton requirement, in order to amass wealth, because of their ...[text shortened]... of a god, heaven and hell, into their followers.

Pretty poor show, if you ask me. 😉

-m.

Church land is far from being a simple matter. In ordinary Protestant churches, ownership can be hotly contested. In many cases, churches may be the possession of the parish community; in others, it may be in the hands of the actual religious group in that state. I can think of several cases in my state, Victoria, where legal action has been necessary to resolve disputes over ownership.

Even in the Catholic Church, ownership can be very complicated. Many churches are technically owned by religious orders. While they have a core role in the church, they can live very independent from the diocese. Many Catholic churches and schools are also the possession of the parish. A Catholic may have willed their surviving fortune to the parish board for the erection of a church or school and the local bishop would have no authority to sell it. I can think of a recent case near to me when the parish decided to sell a primary school, for the value of 2 million AUS, and then built a theological library. The parish priest had no say in it nor could the archdiocese collect any of the profit.