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From: Kayte Siegle
T1: itgirl48@hotmail.com
Date: 3/19/98
Time: 12:57:26 AM
Remote Name: 130.68.241.10
I wonder that there is any semblance of respect left in our modern-day world for the Church, if such a tremendous level of corruption existed in Medieval times. What must the corruption be like now?
I feel, personally, that it is wrong for a church of any denomination to have any more wealth or porperty than is absolutely necessary to perpetuate a humble existence. Monasteries should have no more land than is needed to provide a sufficient amount of food and shelter. An actual church should need no more land than the ground upon which it stands. And as for gold and riches, well, it is often argued that all this exceptional wealth is for God and His glory. I say, what does God care for material wealth? In all seriousness, what would God do with these things, and why would he ever need them? It's not like he can actually wear a fine cloak or sandals, and it's nt like he's really going to need those extra gold coins. What does God care for material things? He's omnipotent. If he _really, really_ needed or wanted that gold, I am quite sure He'd have it.
As for the monks themselves and the issue of whether or not they should live in poverty because of whether or not Christ did, I feel that the issue of Christ is somewhat irellevant. Granted, they want to live more and more like Christ Himself did. One, that is against God in that they are not living in satisfaction with their positions in life, the positions that GOd gave them. Jesus was the son of God, he could perform miracles, etc. The monks are not exactly up to the challenge, as it were. They are simple men, and if they were truly pious, would live in poverty (wealth breeds greed) in order to aviod temptation and corruption, and to attempt to keep their minds on the suffering of Christ, in any form that they can.