Admiration for Cathedrals shattered

[Thinking Aloud]

I would love to see them all put to constructive use; as ... public brothels!

And finally give the hordes within a good reason to shout, "Oh God!"

[Rum]

In the Middle Ages people who were deemed to have committed sins of lust could be named and shamed in the church and then 'beaten around' the church - i.e. hounded by the locals, whipped and punched a number of revolutions around depending on the seriousness of your 'sin'. This of course was assuming you made it to sexual maturity which one in four people and sometimes more did not.

[cowiz]

You are all forgetting one thing. In the middle ages, if you were in trouble, you could run to a church or cathedral and shout "apothecary" (or something like that) and you could not be arrested while you were in the church. That's a valuable social service if you're a criminal on the run from the law.

The word was "sanctuary".

That's the fucker! Total mental block on that.

[JimC]

I must admit I have a fondness for old church buildings (not that they are much more than 200 years old here), and I seem to be able to dissociate my annoyance at religion from the aesthetic pleasure I gain from wandering around old churches. But I agree they would be better used as community halls.

[Tigger]

<snippy stuff>
Durham cathedral is magnificent. A towering example of Norman architecture. But when you observe the mark on the floor that delimits the closest that women were permitted to approach the altar, your admiration for the builders dims in light of your disgust at the wankers for whom it was built.
<snippy stuff>

I live about two miles from it and I didn't know about that bit. It dominates the skyline along with Durham castle, but I wouldn't care if it wasn't there.

[Pappa]

I must admit I have a fondness for old church buildings (not that they are much more than 200 years old here), and I seem to be able to dissociate my annoyance at religion from the aesthetic pleasure I gain from wandering around old churches. But I agree they would be better used as community halls.

When I wander round old churches, the main feeling I get is "what a fucking waste". People died building some of the big cathedrals, and every parishioner gave away more money than they could afford to keep their local church in good nick. Imagine they'd done something worthwhile instead.